Once a private family residence, Founders Lodge has been completely recrafted into a six-suite safari lodge. It is set in a 400-hectare reserve next to the Shamwari Game Reserve and offers you the opportunity to explore both the private reserve and Shamwari. The result is a diverse and highly rewarding safari in the beautiful, malaria-free landscape of the Eastern Cape – it is the perfect finale to a Garden Route holiday in South Africa.

The lodge is built around a landscaped courtyard with four of the suites accessed from the courtyard while the other two suites are in the original residence. All are luxuriously appointed, air conditioned and have their own balconies; guests can also enjoy the convivial atmosphere of the main house where there is everything from a dining room and lounge to a billiard room and library.

Step outside and you find dining areas and socialising spaces along with two swimming pools, a gym and a steam room. All this ensures there is plenty to do at the lodge between exploring the private reserve by 4X4 and on foot too. Shamwari is, of course, the safari highlight and guests at Founders Lodge enjoy direct access to the area on morning and afternoon game drives. Your guide will be on the lookout for Africa’s Big 5 – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo – along with a host of familiar savannah animals such as kudu, jackals and plains zebra.