Breakfast in Gqeberha, Lions by Lunch: A Big Five Day Safari at Amakhala

I have wanted to go on safari since I was about seven years old. I grew up on wildlife documentaries, and somewhere along the way I decided a real safari meant flights to the far north, malaria tablets and a week I could never quite find. Then someone told me that you can leave Gqeberha after breakfast, see lions before lunch and be back at your hotel by mid-afternoon. I booked it that same evening.

At half past seven our Into Tours driver was waiting outside the hotel, cheerful and wide awake in a way I was not yet. We drove out of Port Elizabeth with the sun climbing over the bay, and within twenty minutes the city had given way to open farmland, aloes on the hillsides and long, empty roads. About fifty minutes later we turned off at Amakhala Game Reserve. I had not even finished thinking about coffee.

The Welcome Centre — Coffee, Murals and Nervous Excitement

The Welcome Centre is the kind of place that makes you slow down. Hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate, walls covered in bright murals and African artwork, and a little curio shop that I promised myself I would visit later. Other guests were arriving too, all of us holding our mugs a little too tightly, all of us scanning the horizon as if a lion might stroll past the car park.

While we waited, I read about where we were. Amakhala was once farmland. In 1999, neighbouring farming families, many of them descendants of the 1820 Settlers, took down the fences between their farms and gave the land back to nature. They reintroduced the wildlife that used to roam this part of the Eastern Cape, and today it is a malaria-free private game reserve with all of the Big Five. I liked that story very much. It made the land feel cared for.

The Open Safari Vehicle — Into the Bush

Our ranger introduced himself, checked that everyone had a hat, and we climbed up into the open safari vehicle. There is no glass and no roof between you and the bush, and that changes everything. You feel the air move. You smell the earth. Every rustle in the thicket makes your heart jump.

The landscape surprised me. I had pictured flat, dry savannah. Instead there were rolling grasslands, dense green thicket and river valleys cut by the Bushman's River, with a ring of hills in the distance. Our ranger explained that this is Albany thicket, a tough, tangled vegetation that only grows in this corner of South Africa, and that the reserve covers several very different habitats. That is why so many species live here so close together.

The Big Five — Elephants, Rhino and a Lion's Gaze

The elephants came first. A herd of them, moving slowly out of the thicket and across the track in front of us, the youngest one trotting to keep up with its mother. Our ranger switched off the engine and we simply sat and watched. You do not expect an animal that big to move so quietly. You hear them before you see them, branches snapping, then that low rumble you feel in your chest more than hear with your ears.

Then white rhino, grazing in the open grassland with a calf beside them, heads down, completely unbothered. Then buffalo, a dark line of them watching us with deep suspicion from the edge of the bush. Our ranger told us how much work goes into protecting rhino on the reserve, and I found I was holding my camera without taking any pictures at all.

And then the lion. She was lying in the long grass not far from the track, so well hidden that I would have driven straight past her. Our ranger saw the tip of an ear. We stopped. She lifted her head, yawned enormously, and then looked straight at our vehicle. Straight at me, I am fairly sure. Amber eyes, completely calm, completely in charge. Nobody breathed. I will remember that look for the rest of my life.

Leopard, our ranger admitted with a smile, are the hardest of the Big Five to see. They are shy and mostly come out at night, and even he goes weeks without spotting one. But between the lion, the elephants, the rhino, the buffalo, a family of giraffe peering over the treetops, zebra and more antelope than I could count, nobody in our vehicle was complaining.

Lunch at the Lapa — Two Courses Under an African Sky

Around lunchtime we stopped at one of the lodges on the reserve for a freshly prepared two-course lunch, served outdoors at the lapa. Long tables, a view over the bush, a cool drink in my hand and the conversation going round and round the same subject: did you see her look at us? We shared photos across the table like old friends, which, by then, we nearly were.

The Afternoon Game Drive — More Wildlife, Softer Light

After lunch we headed back out on the afternoon safari. The light had changed, softer and more golden, and the animals had changed with it. A tower of giraffe moved slowly across a hillside, necks swaying like they were walking through water. A herd of zebra stood together in the open, stripes flickering. A pair of warthogs trotted past with their tails straight up like little antennae and the whole vehicle laughed.

Our ranger seemed to know every animal on the reserve personally. He told us which elephant was the matriarch, why the cheetah population here matters for conservation across South Africa, and how to tell a kudu from an eland at a hundred metres. I stopped trying to photograph everything and just watched.

We said goodbye to our ranger back at the Welcome Centre, and I finally visited the curio shop. Our Into Tours driver was waiting, and we were back in Gqeberha by mid-afternoon, sunburnt, dusty and very happy. I spent the evening sitting by the sea with a glass of wine, scrolling through photographs of elephants and trying to explain to my family at home what it feels like when a lion looks at you.

I could not quite explain it. You will have to go and see for yourself.

Good to Know: Amakhala Big Five Day Safari FAQs

How far is Amakhala Game Reserve from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)?

Amakhala Game Reserve is approximately 50 minutes' drive from central Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. Into Tours includes return transfers from selected Gqeberha accommodation or the Port Elizabeth Cruise Terminal in a licensed, air-conditioned vehicle.

Is Amakhala Game Reserve malaria-free?

Yes. Amakhala is a malaria-free private game reserve, which makes it a popular choice for families, first-time safari guests and cruise passengers visiting the Eastern Cape.

Can I see the Big Five at Amakhala?

All of the Big Five live on the reserve: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo are seen regularly. Leopard are present but shy and rarely seen. Giraffe, zebra, cheetah, wildebeest and many antelope species also live on the reserve.

What is the day safari schedule?

In summer, pickup is at 07:30, the safari runs from 09:30 to 12:30, lunch is from 12:30 to 13:30 and you return between 15:00 and 15:30. In winter, pickup is at 08:30, the safari runs from 10:30 to 13:30, lunch is from 13:30 to 14:15 and you return between 15:45 and 16:15. Times can vary with your collection point and cruise-ship schedule.

What is included in the Amakhala day safari?

Return transfers from Gqeberha, road tolls, fuel and passenger liability insurance, an English-speaking driver, a three-hour open-vehicle Big Five game drive with an expert ranger, welcome tea or coffee, a two-course lunch with two local beverages, and bottled water. Gratuities, extra drinks, curios and a private safari vehicle (unless booked) are not included.

Is this safari suitable for cruise passengers?

Yes. Transfers can start and end at the Port Elizabeth Cruise Terminal. Share your ship's name and docking times when booking so your transfers can be planned around your time in port.

Can children join the safari?

Children aged 6 and older can join the shared safari. Children under 6 need a private vehicle, subject to availability. A maximum of two children can travel with each adult.

What should I wear on a day safari?

Wear comfortable, neutral-coloured clothing in layers, with enclosed shoes and a light jacket, scarf or beanie for cool mornings. Bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, a camera, binoculars, personal medication and a card or cash for extras and tips.

How much does the Amakhala day safari cost?

The Amakhala Big Five Day Safari from Gqeberha is priced from ZAR 6,483. Shared safaris are standard, and a private option is available on request.