Travelogue

Kwantu Private Game Reserve


Islam teaches us to respect nature. I witnessed a living proof of this at the Kwantu Private Game Reserve in South Africa where man and nature co-exist peacefully.


Kwantu Private Game Reserve is located on the legendary Sidbury Plains, in the heart of Frontier Country, along the banks of the Bushman’s river - a mere hour’s drive from Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It is a 45 minutes drive from Port Elizabeth. Game reserves and resorts are mostly dominated by the whites in South Africa. The entry of Asian non-whites into this field is tough. Kwantu rests gently on the legendary Sidbury Plains. Here the cries of British Settlers rang out in the 1820’s as they battled Bushmen, Hottentots, Xhosa tribes and wild animals to establish a new life in Africa. Weary travellers and locals shared tales of blood curdling encounters with lions, leopards, elephants and other ferocious beasts as they rested at Pollards Inn, a popular stopover on the wagon route that ran north from Algoa Bay.


To support their prospering sheep farming community, the settlers built the village of Sidbury, which is the site of one the oldest Anglican Churches in South Africa. St Peter’s Church was built in 1838 and remains at the hub of Sidbury community life today.


This quaint English Frontier town is also home to one of the oldest cricket grounds in South Africa, which continues as a celebrated feature of Sidbury village.


From the tranquillity of the Day Centre, with it’s traditional African Cuisine , to the wild majesty of a 3-hour Game drive, Kwantu will capture your imagination, leaving you physically and mentally rejuvenated.


Aptly named “The Place of Gathering”, Kwantu is where animals, birds, plants and people gather in harmony, as nature intended. The skilled and experienced game rangers are willing to host you on a 3-hour game drive, where the true magic of Africa will steal your heart.


Kwantu Private Game Reserve is committed to Breeding and Conservation and Rehabilitation for wounded animals of the wild. From the comfort of the specially equipped open Land Rovers, I encountered the impressive and rare white rhino.


At night, the porcupine, aardwolf, lynx and other nocturnal explorers and predators patrol the silent, inky darkness. The adventurous visitor may even be treated to the thrilling sight of a leopard. Kwantu’s expert trackers and rangers shared with me in graphic detail, the secrets of the African bush.


Visitors to Kwantu Private Game Reserve will be able to enjoy the splendour of the African wilderness without the risk of malaria.


A typical day trip at Kwantu Private Game Reserve begins with the Lion Walk. I viewed some of the animals sipping serenely at the water’s edge - a stunning prelude to what the day had in store for me at Kwantu. Take the first step towards the African experience of your dreams. You can contact: Yusuf Jeeva on Email: yjeeva@kwantu.co.za. Ph: +27 (0)835000345, 415852205, Fax: (0) 866338164.