Samara at Plains Camp is an off-grid Tented Camp welcoming 8 guests for walking safaris and reconnecting with nature in elegant simplicity. The camp has no Wi-Fi, no electricity, and no high-tech distractions allowing for a grounding, humbling experience in nature. Located in a remote part of the reserve with spellbinding views and abundant wildlife including the Big Five, this unpretentious eco-camp lets the landscape do the talking, allowing guests to disconnect from their busy lives in soothing solitude.

Nestled against a low hill with unsurpassed views of plains and dolerite-capped mountains, Samara at Plains Camp blends into its natural surroundings whilst providing a front-row view of this piece of paradise and its plentiful wildlife. Zebra, black wildebeest, springbok and gemsbok meander these plains, alongside giraffe, ostrich and cheetah — the tableau only further enhanced by the unmistakable call of the ground-dwelling korhaan bird.

Plains camp is designed to touch the ground lightly and with sustainability in mind, the camp echoes the semi-permanence of mobile camps set up during safaris of yore. A communal mess tent houses an indoor dining and lounge space with open sides for soaking up the views. Antique and locally-made furnishings add a touch of authenticity to the setting without compromising on comfort, creating the perfect spot to cosy up with a book or binoculars. Lit by candlelight and oil lanterns, the camp has no electricity, but plenty of atmosphere. A small farm-style plunge pool provides respite from the midday heat.

About Samara Karoo Reserve

Spanning 27,000 hectares of breathtaking wilderness, Samara Karoo Reserve, formerly known as Samara Private Game Reserve offers a Big 5 safari with a difference – a unique conservation passion project in a singularly beautiful setting.

Samara’s story is one of restoration. Since 1997, 11 former livestock farms in South Africa’s Great Karoo region have been painstakingly rehabilitated. Thousands of indigenous animals have been reintroduced, including the first cheetah, elephant and lion to return in over a century. The dream? To restore to its former glory a mesmerizing landscape in the country’s magical heartland.

Key to Samara’s vision is the concept of co-creation, where every guest plays a role in rewilding the landscape and preserving it for posterity.

And what a landscape: an unexpected semi-arid paradise of astonishing diversity, once home to the epic springbok migrations, where spine-tingling views abound and vistas feed the soul. Vast herds thrive on the extensive plains; predators once again stalk the savannahs. Dramatic purple mountains unfold above grasslands rivalling the Maasai Mara for splendor.

Located in the malaria-free Eastern Cape, a 2.5-hour drive from Port Elizabeth or 1.5-hour charter flight from Cape Town, Samara is easily accessible yet retains a true wilderness feeling. A safari for the soul.