A great safari changes the way you look at the landscape. A guide notices a faint track, the flick of an ear or the sudden stillness of a herd. You begin to see that each moment in the bush holds a story.
In the Fall 2026 issue of DRIFT Travel Magazine, writer Allison Foat travels to Shamwari Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Over three days, her guide Jacques helps her discover the rhythms of the reserve, from time spent watching elephants and rhinos to a delightful encounter with lion cubs. His patience and knowledge make the wildlife sightings memorable, but what stays with Allison is the deeper understanding she takes away from each drive.
Back at Long Lee Manor, the experience is just as personal. The restored Edwardian property looks out over the plains, offering a place to reflect between excursions. Allison shares a small act of hospitality from her butler, Bridget, that captures the care behind a stay here. Her feature also visits Shamwari’s other lodges, each offering its own way to experience the wilderness.
There is a larger story beyond the comfort of the lodges. Allison speaks with Shamwari’s CEO about the reserve’s work to restore habitat, protect wildlife and support conservation partners. It gives the safari another layer of meaning and raises a question worth taking on any wildlife trip: What does it take to care for the place you have come to see?
Read Allison Foat’s full Shamwari feature in the Fall 2026 issue of DRIFT Travel Magazine for the wildlife encounters, the people behind her stay and the conservation story unfolding across the reserve.
Read the feature: African Wilderness at Shamwari
