Bellevue Forest Reserve

01/03/2026

Tswale the Elephant: A Journey to Freedom

After more than 20 years in captivity… this is what freedom looks like.

Watch the moment Tswale is transported and released into the wild: https://youtu.be/yobURtdCok4

Tswale’s story is one of resilience, loyalty, and hope. Born in Limpopo, he was saved from a culling operation as a calf and spent over two decades in human care alongside his handler, Amos Jivendava. 

In 2025, everything changed.

Through an incredible conservation effort, Tswale was successfully relocated to Bellevue Forest Reserve in the Eastern Cape—where he has now been rewilded and integrated into a wild elephant herd. 

Today, he walks free.
Not as an attraction. Not as a commodity.
But as a wild elephant—where he always belonged.

This is more than a rescue.
It’s proof that rewilding is possible.
That animals in captivity can return to nature.
And that we all have a role to play.

After 36 years, one elephant’s journey comes full circle.This is the story of Tswale — a gentle giant whose life has been shaped by human care, resilience, a...

31/12/2025

Looking Back at 2025 — A Year We Will Never Forget.

As we reflect on 2025 at Bellevue Forest Reserve, we do so with immense gratitude and pride. This year was filled with moments that will forever shape our story, our land, and our purpose.

March 2025
For the first time in over 100 years, lion cubs were born at Bellevue — a powerful symbol of restoration, hope, and nature reclaiming its place.

The Gift of Freedom
We welcomed Tswale, a well-known elephant, and gave him what every wild animal deserves — freedom for life. After 36 years in captivity, he was released from chains and human interaction and rewilded, marking one of the most meaningful conservation moments in our history.

September 2025
We opened our Luxury Family Safari Tents, welcoming families into an authentic, comfortable, and deeply connected safari experience.

A Global Stage
Bellevue had the honour of hosting a G20 Summit event, welcoming leaders from around the world and showcasing conservation, hospitality, and Africa at its finest.

The Barn & Boma
We opened our new Barn and Boma Area, creating a space where guests can gather around fire and food, and experience the true spirit of an African safari.

December 2025
We ended the year on a powerful note by going fully off-grid, embracing solar energy and strengthening our commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism.

2025 reminded us why we do what we do — for the land, the wildlife, the people, and future generations.
Thank you to everyone who supported, believed, visited, and walked this journey with us.

The forest is alive. The future is wild.

26/12/2025

20/12/2025

Did you know? This beauty is Cyrtanthus obliquus

A true Eastern Cape treasure, Cyrtanthus obliquus is one of South Africa’s most striking indigenous bulbs. With its elegant, trumpet-shaped flowers and vivid scarlet-red tones, it’s a plant that stops you in your tracks when it blooms.

Often flowering after rain or fire, Cyrtanthus obliquus is a reminder of nature’s resilience and timing — lying dormant for years before putting on a spectacular display at just the right moment. It thrives in rocky grasslands and forest margins, perfectly adapted to our local conditions.

Beyond its beauty, this plant plays an important role in supporting pollinators such as sunbirds, making it a vital part of the natural ecosystem. Seeing it in the wild is always a special moment — fleeting, rare, and unforgettable.

At Bellevue, moments like these are part of everyday magic.

Keep your eyes open… nature always rewards those who look closely.

18/12/2025

A quiet mist rolls over the forested hills of Bellevue, softening the landscape and slowing time itself. Wrapped in cloud and calm, the reserve reveals a gentler side of the wild — where silence speaks, the air feels alive, and nature breathes at its own pace. This is Bellevue in its most serene form.

17/12/2025

Framed through a lens, yet far too powerful to be contained — a Bellevue sunset captured in the quiet moment between day and night. Soft pastels give way to deep amber and shadow, reminding us that some of the most beautiful moments in the bush are the ones you pause to notice. At Bellevue Forest Reserve, every sunset is worth holding onto.

16/12/2025

A fiery African sunset settles over Bellevue Forest Reserve, where silhouetted trees stand quietly against a glowing horizon of deep amber and burnt orange. The fading light melts into the distant landscape, evoking stillness, wilderness, and timeless beauty. It’s a moment where nature pauses—raw, dramatic, and unmistakably Bellevue—reminding us why dusk in the bush is never just a sunset, but an experience.

25/11/2025

Curious eyes on the road! This baboon sits calmly, watching the guide and cameraman with keen interest, reminding us that on safari, every encounter—big or small—is a moment to connect with the wild.

23/11/2025

A lioness pauses, her graceful form captured alongside fresh tracks pressed into the soft sand—a silent signature of her passage. This is the art of tracking in the wild, where every footprint, every subtle disturbance tells a story. On our safaris, it’s the smallest details that matter, and our expert guides love interpreting these signs of nature, revealing the hidden lives of the forest’s most majestic residents.

Become part of this incredible experience and join in the fun.

19/11/2025

Our Luxury Family Safari Tents!

Just a short walk from Bellevue's original Elephants Lodge, tucked under the forest canopy where birds and light dance together, you'll find our gorgeous new luxury safari tents.

Close enough for convenience but privately situated on the quiet edge of the camp, our latest development is a natural extension of the popular lodge —Same calm atmosphere, same easy rhythm, just a touch more privacy beyond the trees. Here, it's all about being one with the environment.

Each tent stands on a smooth cement base with canvas walls and wide glass doors sliding open to a shaded patio that faces the forest edge and invites relaxation and quiet communion with nature. Inside, pale timber and polished floors, beautifully decorated twin beds and en-suite bathroom create a cocoon of elegant sanctuary. A comfortable sleeper couch allows for family stays or blissful afternoon naps.

Behind the half-height headboard, a small refreshment nook holds a minibar, kettle, and a few local treats. A walk-in rain shower, clean lines, and Bellevue's own natural toiletries complement the amenities.

It's a softer kind of luxury — grounded, unhurried, and entirely part of the Elephants Lodge experience.

17/11/2025

The mighty buffalo roam! A herd feeds steadily across the vibrant green plains, a powerful sight that captures the raw beauty of the African wilderness. Every step tells a story of strength, resilience, and life on the move.