Sibuya Game Reserve

About Sibuya Game Reserve

What make Sibuya Game Reserve so tantalising is that it has more navigable river than any other game reserve in South Africa. As a result of this claim the 2000 hectare reserve regards itself as one of the best birding destinations in this part of the country with nearly 400 different bird species.

Did you know? Sibuya Game Reserve incorporates the unique East Cape Valley Bushveld, Grasslands and Coastal Forests.

But the river also provides a particularly scenic backdrop for all the other game Sibuya has to offer the visitor, including the Big Five.

A diversity of wildlife, from elephants to otters, grace the East Cape valley bushveld, grasslands and coastal forests that are the main terrain of the game reserve.

To make it even more attractive, Sibuya lies within easy access on the malaria-free Sunshine Coast with its reception in the little seaside village of Kenton-on-Sea, not even 130 kilometres from Port Elizabeth.

Visitors head to the reserve for a combination of the African safari and bush lodge experience, during which they can stay in one of two secluded camps – the River Camp and Forest Camp both, despite their names, on the banks of the Kariega River.

The camps are reached via boat transfer – a slow and gentle trip up the Kariega estuary. Kingfishers, fish eagles, otters and antelope are common sightings along the banks of the river.

The reserve's vegetation is varied and includes open river plains, lower Albany thicket, patches of Cape fynbos and grassy plateaus on which visitors are sure to spot larger grazing animals.

Antelope in the Sibuya reserve include the blue duiker, the eland, rare oribi and Bontebok, jackals are regularly sighted and even caracals and aardvark make the odd appearance.