Shamwari Long Lee Manor

Just back from our South Africa tour and adventure. People ask what was the most memorable moment and I have no hesitation. It was during our stay at this superb game reserve and our encounter with elephants. My dearest wish had been to see them and by day 3, I'd almost given up hope. But just 15 minutes into our morning drive and we stopped at a watering hole when one elephant came down the slope; quickly followed by at least 30 others. And don't believe it when people suggest a herd of elephants are noisy. They're not. They crept upon us. We saw so many incredible animals - cheetah brothers, a family of lions, giraffes, hippos, zebra. springbok and rhinos. Our guide Karien was amazing. She told us that safari was a game of hide and seek that demanded patience. Karien was undoubtedly modest as her knowledge and skills played a key role. She was amazing and so thoughtful. On a day-drive, we were at risk of sunburn so she detoured to a neighbouring lodge to collect sunscreen and repellent. She also packed the most amazing lunch that we enjoyed under an old tree. Within the 25k reserve, there is a rehabilitation centre where we met the orphaned baby rhino who had been 'fostered' by a sheep plus the famous Born Free conservation centre. Words cannot describe the Manor. Our room was enormous with an external patio, the most comfy beds, well stocked bar, decadent bathroom and even an outside shower. Food was five star+, prepared with care and served with joy by beautiful people. We were even treated to an impromptu performance of South African music and dance. This wasn't a holiday. It was the experience of a lifetime.

We stayed here at the recommendation of friends who visited many years prior. And we came here and stayed for three nights before going to Chobe in Botswana. And Shamwari spoiled us!!! What I will say is that the game experience at Shamwari compared to a national park is entirely different and I absolutely recommend everyone have the experience of both. One cannot replace the other. They are very complementary and different. At Shamwari, we were up close and personal with most of the animals, even though it was their natural habitat. I read some reviews, comparing it to a large zoo and this is absolutely the farthest thing from the truth. I love that the rangers know the area well and they collaborate well on sightings. We saw many raw animal behaviors that you only see in the wild, lions eating the kill, two male lions fighting, giraffes in a herd crossing a ridge at sunset, buffalos in large herd, free roaming rhinos. It is big five, but we only saw big four but never for a moment felt disappointed because we saw other things we were never able to see in a national park. Shamwari’s land is enormous. We barely scraped the surface over the course of three days. It just is enormous and the Rangers work very hard to find the animals just like they do at the national parks. What we loved about this place and we felt made it so different to the national park experience is that it was absolutely phenomenal service, beautiful setting, and all around luxurious. The food was fantastic and we met several people who had made return trips and said it was the best large food they’ve ever had. We completely agree compared to what we experienced in Botswana, even though where we stayed in Botswana was also luxury. There is absolutely nothing that will be disappointing about coming here. But I do recommend coupling it with a national park visit. They are entirely different. When we were in the national parks, the close encounters were few and far between. And truly, no lodge compared to Shamwari., As for Rangers, I’m not sure if you can request one, but if you do, Abel was spectacular. And all of the other rangers were radioing him asking for help and information so I got the impression he was one of the leads. He said he had worked there for more than 25 years at his experience pays off. He was such a kind, knowledgeable gentleman and he went above and beyond every single day to make our experience the best. Regarding food, as I mentioned, it was fantastic. They will absolutely cater to preferences and allergies. As soon as I let them know what I wanted, they went so far above and beyond to accommodate me and all of my special requests. I’ve never seen any service quite like it. Rooms were lovely. In summary, just go, you will not be disappointed. There’s a reason Tiger Woods was engaged here and John Travolta is rumored to be a regular visitor.

What a treat it was and every single member of staff at Long Lee Manor was wonderful and welcoming and so friendly. The accessible room was superb and the accessibility of the whole place was outstanding (I'm quadriplegic). Long Lee Manor is beautiful and the height of luxury. The rim pool overlooking the waterhole and the plains beyond is just gorgeous, the rooms are huge, with everything your heart desires and more. The food was superb. Most importantly, Mino, our guide was amazing and the array of game we saw was just flabbergasting, a true five star safari experience. Superb.