It’s 6 am, and the early morning light shines over the reserve as the guide steers down the rugged dirt tracks. Within minutes, a breeding herd of elephants is spotted, where young calves play while the matriarch watches over them.
A few decades ago, this scene would have been unimaginable, as the land was overgrazed farmland, stripped of both wildlife and vegetation. At the heart of this transformation are two properties: Shamwari Private Game Reserve and the smaller, adjacent, Founders Lodge by Mantis.
The Story of Shamwari
Shamwari’s story is legend in African conservation circles. In the early 1990s, farms exhausted by the overgrazing of livestock were purchased with the plan being to restore the land. Fences came down, and grasslands and Albany thickets were nursed back to health.
Then came the wildlife. Elephants, white rhinos, and hippos were the first to return, their browsing helping to regenerate the soil and disperse seeds. Black rhinos and buffalo followed, then predators like lion, cheetah, brown hyena, and eventually leopard. Within a decade, Shamwari had become the first Big Five game reserve in the Eastern Cape.
Shamwari now spans more than 60,000 hectares and is home to healthy wildlife populations, including several endangered species. What’s more, the reserve has become a model for similar projects across the province.
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Founders Lodge: A Personal Sanctuary
Founders Lodge represents a more personal side to this story. Originally Gardiner’s family home, the lodge sits on 400 hectares of rolling hills, adjacent to the Shamwari reserve. The main building retains a classic farmhouse feel, with wide verandas, stone walls, and open lawns.
The outdoor fire pit and shaded terrace invite sun-soaked lunches and quiet evenings sitting out under the stars, while the swimming pool and gym give you a place to stretch your body between game drives.
Back at Founders, rhinos can be seen grazing just a few metres away, the only thing between them, a knee-high electric fence. Over the years Founders has become a sanctuary for rhinos, with many of the rhinos here being survivors of the horrific poaching trade - indeed, some still carry bullet fragments in their bodies.
Poaching remains a constant threat, and both reserves invest heavily in round-the-clock monitoring, dehorning programs, and anti-poaching units. Beyond the lawn and the rhinos, but within the lodge’s grounds, zebras graze, and in the distance a magnificent male kudu, with his stunning corkscrew horns, can be seen.
After lunch, the underground photographic hide, positioned at the lodge’s waterhole, provides a perfect spot to see a giraffe bending awkwardly down to drink.
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Afternoon comes, and another game drive begins. The distinctive roar of a lion reverberates from somewhere in the reserve. After many twists and turns, and a detour past a cheetah who’s using the top of a termite mound as a lookout point, a thick-maned male lion patrolling his territory is spotted, announcing his presence for all to hear.
What makes both Shamwari and Founders unique though, is that game drives here are not just about ticking lists of animals seen. Yes, the ‘Big Five’ are here, but what’s special about this place is that it’s more than just the animals, it’s the entire story behind the reserve - the removal of the fences, the regeneration of the vegetation, the reintroduction of the wildlife.
Community partnerships are also central to the model. Right from the beginning, both Shamwari and Founders have prioritised training and employing local people, along with supporting local schools and running conservation education programmes. This has shifted attitudes towards wildlife. What was once seen as competition for land is now a source of livelihood and pride.
The Eastern Cape Today
Today, South Africa’s Eastern Cape is firmly on the safari map. Once overlooked in favour of Kruger or KwaZulu-Natal, it now offers a malaria-free safari experience, milder weather, and a landscape that’s been completely regenerated.
Shamwari has become a global name, welcoming celebrities and conservationists alike, while Founders offers a smaller-scale, but still very personal way to connect with the same legacy.
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Mantis Founders Lodge is “where it all began”, when Adrian Gardiner set out on his mission to re-wild this dramatic landscape. Soul-reviving safaris, at dawn and dusk, drive through almost 100 square miles of distinctive eco-systems with an abundance of wildlife, fauna and flora. Yet, the Eastern Cape is not just about The Big Five: a 70 minutes’ drive takes guests to Port Elizabeth for whale and shark spotting.
Founders Lodge by Mantis is located in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, around 75km from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) airport, which is well connected to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Accommodation and Amenities
Chilled flannels and a cool drink welcome guests. Recently built above the breakfast room, elevated room 7, aka The Honeymoon Pod, is reached by a flight of stairs. One wall is almost entirely devoted to sliding glass doors showcasing a serene vista across the lawns to a blue gum tree. Perfectly positioned, a sofa provides pole-position game-viewing. Beneath the tree, Rodney, a large white, rhino browses from his never-ending breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet.
It is what is missing from our spacious room that makes it even more attractive. No mosquito nets, as the Eastern Cape is malaria free. High winds and an absence of surface water keep the malaria-carrying mosquito species at bay.
Light-wood doors and timbered ceiling give a ski-chalet feel to our room, though tribal spear curtain rails and an Africa climate map remind us that this is Africa. Alternatively, topping a hill just under a 2km drive away, there is The Railway Carriage, resplendent in its regal red and cream livery. Now, it has three bedrooms that sleep five for exclusive use for family or friends. A private chef and butler provide the service. Expansive decking hosts an al fresco lounge and dining area overlooking a magnificent valley.
Featuring just seven rooms, Founders Lodge offers a range of dining options. A private dining evening is a very special occasion. Large, limited edition wildlife photographs by David Yarrow appear throughout the impromptu dining rooms. An outdoor swimming pool, overlooking the valley where zebras and impalas roam, is one of the locations for lunch.
Then, of course there are the star attractions, early morning and late afternoon game drives. Game drives call in on Munu, a black rhino who lost one eye in a territorial fight with another rhino. Then infection spread to his remaining eye blinding him. Now, as one of just 250 remaining southwestern black rhino, the search is on for a mate for Munu. Meanwhile, guests can feed him his favourite blue-flowered plumbago.
For children, there is a Bear Grylls adventure experience in the valley. Exclusive use of the Founders Railway Carriage starts from £1060 per night on an all-inclusive basis for an average family of two adults and two children.
On selected dates, guests have the opportunity to take part in rhino conservation, perhaps taking responsibility for monitoring pulse and ocular movement. Grasping their clipboards, guests participate in a rhino health check, helping to assess dung composition, vertebrae and hip protrusions. During the drought, additional food is provided for the rhinos.
Founders Lodge Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Cape, South Africa, near Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) |
| Accommodation | 7 rooms in Founders Lodge, Railway Carriage (3 bedrooms) |
| Activities | Game drives, rhino conservation, whale and shark spotting (nearby) |
| Dining | Various options including private dining |
| Special Features | Malaria-free, family-friendly, conservation focus |
Two rhinos, sculpted from waste oil drums, stand by the entrance to Mantis Founders Lodge. Those sculptures are also a symbol of Mantis properties’ eco-commitments. After all, the acronym stands for Man And Nature Together Is Sustainable.
Craig and Glynis, the husband-and-wife team managing this small lodge, are always on hand, guiding guests through the day’s programme and patiently answering questions.
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