Things to do in South Africa

Tented luxury at Settlers Drift, Kariega Game Reserve

My favourite part of the day is when I welcome guests back from their evening game drives and they start to share what they have seen …

By Zamu Nonyati

Assistant Lodge Manager at Settlers Drift Kariega Game Reserve

Settlers Drift is very special to me as I have been here from the day it first opened in December 2014. I had the honour to welcome our first guests into our luxury tented camp.

We have a beautiful view from the lodge overlooking the Bushman’s River. In the 1820s the early settlers explored the river plains by wagon and these stories gave us the inspiration of naming the lodge Settlers Drift.

From the main deck there are wonderful views over the open plains where you may be fortunate to see elephant, giraffe, zebra, ostrich and warthog. There are nine tented suites each with its own private deck. Inside the air-conditioned suite there is a living area with a wood burning stove. We have a team of 21 staff to look after our guests and because of the intimate setting of the lodge, we’ve arranged some wonderful weddings surrounded by nature.

We have many activities for our guests to explore Kariega Game reserve with morning and evening game drives, river cruises and guided bush walks. A typical day starts with an early morning game drive before returning to the lodge for brunch. There is plenty of time to take a swim, a treatment in the spa or a guided walk. Afternoon tea is served before the evening game drive where sundowner drinks are served out on safari. Guests return to the lodge for their evening meal which is served either in the restaurant or outside in the boma.

What I love about my job is meeting people from all around the world and learning about their cultures. In return, I like to teach them about the rich cultures you find in South Africa, particularly in the Eastern Cape where I grew up. My favourite part of the day is when I welcome guests back from their evening game drives and they start to share what they have seen on the drive as we gather by the fire. It gives me so much pleasure seeing our guests happy and excited about the sightings and wildlife encounters they have experienced whilst staying with us at Settlers Drift.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Classic Garden Route Self-drive
by Helen Austin

Length11 Days

Price range£3,095 - £3,450pp
Itinerary

Special Offer

Safari and the City
by Adele Jones

Length8 Days

Price range£2,825 - £3,395pp

Alfred & Zamu Nonyati

Zamu grew up on a farm between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown and loves to share his passion of the Eastern Cape with his guests. He has been working in five-star hospitality for 14 years, starting as a barman before working his way to assistant manager at Kariega Settlers Drift. Zamu loves to travel, fish, read and learn about nature.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.