Take a closer look at the wild side of the Klein Karoo in an open game vehicle. Enjoy panoramic views of the majestic Swartberg Mountains at lookout points while recharging with refreshments. “We call it Bush Safaris, as our guides are trained to not only educate our guests on our wide variety of animals, but also about our bird and plant species..” Our wide range of animals include Hippo, Elephant, Giraffe, Eland, Zebra, Buffalo, Rhino, Springbok and much more. The duration of our bush safaris is ± 2 hours.

None of our elephants have been taken from the wild for captivity. The three elephants were orphaned when the adults were poached. Our elephants come from circumstances that if we did not intervene they would not be alive today. We did not choose this life for them but we rather chose to give them the best possible life within our means with the best possible love and care. All our elephant excursions have a most informative educational approach.  

In April 2020, we introduced our South African cheetahs to our guests. After two years of being on the Reserve and being a part of our family, our cheetahs are now adapted and have relaxed to their new environment. We are aiming to create a platform to educate tourists about this predator in its natural environment. We aim to create conservation awareness through education and to give the visitor a once in a lifetime experience. Buffelsdrift Game Lodge is part of EWT’s Cheetah Meta-population project and are wanting to contribute towards the existence and increase of the free-roaming cheetah population in their natural habitat in Southern Africa. Cheetahs, like all other large predators, are heavily persecuted by livestock farmers. To conserve habitat for species such as the cheetah are a massive challenge to overcome. Buffelsdrift Game Lodge decided to contribute to this cause, by conserving the habitat for the cheetah and in so doing help to overcome the challenges that our cheetah meta-population faces. Track the free roaming cheetahs by vehicle and by foot in their natural environment at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge

View our elephants while roaming free in their natural environment during the early morning or late afternoon, while our qualified and skilled elephant guides share their knowledge with you of these gentle giants. When the observation is complete it is optional for you to do the experience afterwards and you may then take as many photos as you like.

Guests will be transported in a game vehicle to the 5ha lion enclosure where they will see our lions (Shumba, Tonga and Safia) close-up from the elevated view point. A trained game ranger will feed the lions while guests view them. It is advisable to have a camera at hand. Furthermore, the game ranger will fully inform the guests regarding important aspects of lions in general.

Join us daily at dawn to witness these incredible wild habituated creatures emerging out of their burrows, just in time to soak up the sun before they head about their daily activities. Meerkats are also referred to as the Suricate or in German as the Erdmännchen and are known to be part of the Mongoose family. They are small species of foraging mammals that’s usually found inhabiting the harsh conditions of the open and arid, semi-desert plains in Southern Africa. Meerkats are known for their upright stance and their sociable behaviour. Buffelsdrift Game Lodge is situated in the heart of the Klein Karoo and offers the ideal environment and vegetation for Meerkats to thrive. The Meerkat Safaris at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge will bring you up close to these amazing animals. A trained ranger will meet our guests in the Lookout Lounge, where they will enjoy a warm cup of coffee and rusks, before heading to the Safari vehicle by which they will be taken to the Meerkat burrows. On the way to the burrows guests are usually lucky to spot some of the 22 species of animals on the reserve. As there are dangerous animals like Buffalo and Hippo on the reserve, the guests remain on the vehicle while waiting for the Meerkats to emerge at the break of dawn. The ranger will educate the guests on all the interesting facts and behaviour throughout the experience.   GENERAL GUIDELINES:  These are wild habituated Meerkats and will not be touched or handled by humans, including the ranger.  The distance from the Meerkats and the guests will at all times be determined by the ranger and respected by the guests.  Maximum of 16 guests per vehicle.  Maximum of 2 vehicles per day.  No children under the age of eight years.  Advanced bookings only.  Please call Lodge day before activity to reconfirm departure time. Please note: Weather permitting On sunny mornings our meerkats wake up on time, but conditions such as rain and cold overcast mornings can delay the meerkats to emerge from their burrows for the morning. Meerkats prefer clear sunny mornings. Thus, in the event of above mentioned weather conditions, there is a possibility that we will not see the meerkats or that the meerkat safari can be cancelled. Currently Buffelsdrift Game Lodge has embarked on an extensive Meerkat research program. Volunteers at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge will be utilized to help the ranger with data collection and behaviour observations. For more information, visit our Volunteer Program.

A night drive is a safari that happens at night with the help of powerful spotlights to see the different animals. The two-hour night drive offers guest an opportunity to spot the elusive “Shy five” of Buffelsdrift Game Lodge – caracal, genet, porcupine, aardvark, and aardwolf. The open game drive safari vehicle offers to witness other wildlife species such as hippo’s grazing, Giraffes, Buffalo, Cape Mountain Zebra, Sable, Eland and much more. About midway through the night drive, there is a refreshment break where you can enjoy the renowned Klein Karoo night skies. The advantage of a night drive is that it provides access to nocturnal species that are rarely seen during the day, and there is a greater probability of seeing them hunt at night.