Safari Africa

South Africa’s unique Karoo region highlighted on the world stage with prestigious hotel award

October 3, 2023

Condé Nast Traveler today announced the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

Samara Karoo Reserve, near Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape’s Great Karoo region and home to the Big Five, over 60 mammal species and 225 bird species, was recognised in the Top 15 Resorts in South Africa.

The Readers’ Choice Awards, with their unparalleled legacy as the travel industry’s longest running and most

prestigious accolades, remain the ultimate symbol and acknowledgment of excellence within the travel sector. 

This year an astounding 526,518 Condé Nast Traveler readers globally shared their travel knowledge of the top hotels, cruises, countries, cities, resorts, trains, airlines, airports, spas, islands, luggage, villas, and tour operators. 

“We are thrilled at being honoured with this prestigious award”, says Isabelle Tompkins of Samara. “Every guest that stays with us is integral to our ongoing journey to conserve and celebrate the beauty and biodiversity of the Karoo. This accolade is a testament to the power of tourism with purpose and safari with soul.”

Born in 1997 of an ambitious vision to rewild 67,000 acres of former farmland, Samara Karoo Reserve is now one of South Africa’s most diverse safari destinations. Its responsible tourism model focuses on slow and meaningful safari encounters that inspire a deep connection with the wild spaces of the Great Karoo. Three intimate luxury lodges welcome discerning nature-lovers for exceptional wilderness and wildlife experiences in one of the lowest guest-to-land ratios in Africa.

At the heart of every guest’s stay is a showcase of what makes the Karoo so special, from the quintessentially warm hospitality displayed by the Samara team to the Karoo menu of locally sourced and regeneratively farmed produce, not to mention the vast, soulful landscapes that linger in the mind long after leaving. Alongside the usual Big Five game drives and guided bush walks, guests can explore the Karoo’s rich history on a fossil tour, sleep out in a star bed under the celebrated Karoo night skies and track Samara’s most famous predator – the cheetah – on foot. 

We are proud to represent the Karoo on the global stage and encourage others to visit this special place“, concludes Tompkins.  

The 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards are published in full on Condé Nast Traveler‘s website at cntraveler.com/rca

Samara Karoo Reserve 

Reservations: 049 940 1111

Lodge: 049 940 0059

reservations@samara.co.za

www.samara.co.za 

Facebook: @SamaraKaroo

Instagram: @SamaraKaroo

Twitter: @SamaraKaroo

About Samara Karoo Reserve

Award-winning Samara Karoo Reserve is a conservation journey on 67,000 acres of born-again wilderness in the heart-stoppingly beautiful Great Karoo. Located 270km from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and 53km from Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape, Samara is easily accessible by road or by air yet retains a remote wilderness feel. Five vegetation biomes combine with strikingly varied topography to support over 60 mammal species, including the Big Five, cheetah, aardvark and vast herds of desert-adapted antelope, as well as 225 bird species. Three intimate lodges with a true sense of place welcome guests for slow, meaningful and exceptional safari encounters. Karoo Lodge, a lovingly renovated farmstead overlooking an amphitheatre of mountains, sleeps 24 guests. The Manor, an elegantly appointed villa in a Karoo contemporary style, sleeps eight. Plains Camp is an off-grid tented experience focusing on walking safaris for up to eight guests. Activities on offer include game drives, bush walks, wilderness picnics, conservation activities, a star bed, fly camping, mountain biking and photographic safaris. Children of all ages are welcomed with a dedicated children’s programme. A member of The Long Run, Samara strives to achieve sustainability across the “4Cs”: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. Staying at Samara acts as a direct contribution to this vision.

For further information, visit www.samara.co.za