Lalibela Wildlife Reserve

Lalibela Wildlife Reserve Only an hour away from Port Elizabeth and Addo, Lalibela is unique in the Eastern Cape in that we have no public roads running through our property.
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Lalibela Wildlife Reserve is located in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, close to Port Elizabeth and Addo, which means it is not only malaria free, but spans 5 ecosystems, resulting in a breath-taking diversity of flora and fauna. Lalibela consists of 10,500 hectares (approximately 26,000 acres) and is home to the Big 5 (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo & leopard) as well as other predators like ch

eetah, hyena, jackal & lynx. We are blessed with vast African plains and this is why we have multitudes of zebra, giraffe, warthog, impala, wildebeest, blesbuck and various other antelope species.

At first, all you see is grass and shade. Then your ranger slows the vehicle and points towards the thicket, where a pai...
02/09/2026

At first, all you see is grass and shade. Then your ranger slows the vehicle and points towards the thicket, where a pair of ears and the flick of a tail reveal young cheetahs almost completely hidden from view. It is moments like this, guided by patience, knowledge and a deep understanding of the landscape, that make a game drive at Lalibela so memorable.

Discover more about Lalibela Wildlife Reserve on our website.

There are places you picture for years before you finally see them. And sometimes, the reality doesn’t quite match what ...
29/08/2026

There are places you picture for years before you finally see them. And sometimes, the reality doesn’t quite match what you had imagined. Africa has a way of doing the opposite. A giraffe beneath the wide canopy of an old tree, open land stretching beyond it and that unmistakable Eastern Cape sky. At Lalibela, scenes like this can feel strangely familiar, as though you have pictured them long before you arrived. Then you find yourself sitting quietly on safari, watching it all in real life, and somehow it is more than you imagined. Perhaps that is one of the things that stays with you about Africa. It doesn’t just live up to the picture in your mind. It gives you a bigger one.

There is more to a hippo’s skin than meets the eye. Hippos produce a natural reddish, oily secretion that helps keep the...
26/08/2026

There is more to a hippo’s skin than meets the eye. Hippos produce a natural reddish, oily secretion that helps keep their skin moist and protects it from the African sun. Sometimes called “blood sweat”, it is neither blood nor sweat and even has antimicrobial properties. It is a remarkable adaptation for an animal that spends much of its day in water before heading onto land to graze, usually after dark.

These are the details that make time spent watching wildlife at Lalibela so rewarding. A sighting may begin with a hippo resting quietly in the water, but with time, patience and a little knowledge from your guide, there is always more to discover about the animals that call this part of the Eastern Cape home.

24/08/2026

Spend time at Lalibela and you soon realise how many people shape your experience here. The person who prepares your room before you arrive. The team in the kitchen getting breakfast ready while most of us are still asleep. The guides heading out each day. The people caring for the grounds, maintaining the lodges, protecting wildlife and keeping everything running behind the scenes. Some you will get to know during your stay. Others you may never meet. But each of them is part of what makes Lalibela what it is. We are proud of the people who work here, the knowledge they bring and the skills they continue to build. For us, looking after this part of the Eastern Cape means investing in its wildlife, its land and its people. And we could not do one without the other.

We often talk about what you’ll see on safari, but some of the best memories have very little to do with a camera. Winte...
19/08/2026

We often talk about what you’ll see on safari, but some of the best memories have very little to do with a camera. Winter mornings at Lalibela Wildlife Reserve are cold enough to feel on your cheeks, the bush starts stirring before the sun is properly up, and breakfast tastes particularly good after a few hours out on drive.

Then there’s that winter light, turning the Eastern Cape landscape gold and making even a familiar view feel different. A safari in South Africa is something you experience with far more than your eyes, and perhaps that’s why it stays with you for so long.

There is something special about heading out on a winter morning at Lalibela, wrapped up against the cold with no idea w...
17/08/2026

There is something special about heading out on a winter morning at Lalibela, wrapped up against the cold with no idea what you might find along the way. Impala resting in the grass, zebra wandering across the plains, antelope catching the early morning light, and perhaps a rhino waiting somewhere further down the road.

That sense of not knowing is part of what makes every safari different. You follow the road, take your time and see what the morning brings.

14/08/2026

It’s not often you get to see giraffe like this. From above, a running herd becomes part of the landscape, their long strides carrying them across the Eastern Cape bush with a speed you don’t always associate with such tall animals. It’s a perspective that shows something we care deeply about at Lalibela Wildlife Reserve too: wildlife needs space. Space to move, feed, find one another and simply behave as wildlife should. And sometimes, seeing that from a completely different angle makes you appreciate it all over again.

It's easy to remember the wildlife. But a safari is so much more than the animals you see. It's the first coffee of the ...
11/08/2026

It's easy to remember the wildlife. But a safari is so much more than the animals you see. It's the first coffee of the morning, the conversations between sightings, the meals shared with a view, and ending the day around the fire. That's what keeps people coming back to Lalibela Wildlife Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

What would be your favourite part of the day?

Everyone comes on safari hoping to see the Big Five. We get it. But the real magic isn't found in a checklist. It's in t...
06/08/2026

Everyone comes on safari hoping to see the Big Five. We get it. But the real magic isn't found in a checklist. It's in the moments between the headline sightings. Every animal, every bird and every landscape is part of what makes Lalibela Wildlife Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape what it is. If you only look for five animals, you'll miss the rest of the story.

Which sighting do you think deserves more attention?

Every traveller experiences a safari differently. Some are looking for a quiet luxury escape. Some are planning a family...
03/08/2026

Every traveller experiences a safari differently. Some are looking for a quiet luxury escape. Some are planning a family holiday. Some are celebrating a special occasion. Others simply want time to reconnect with nature.

At Lalibela Wildlife Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape, our seven unique safari lodges offer something for every kind of traveller. Whether you're planning a romantic getaway, a family safari, or an exclusive group stay, you'll find a lodge that feels just right.

Every stay includes unforgettable Big Five wildlife encounters, warm hospitality, and the knowledge that your visit directly supports conservation and local communities.

Which lodge would you choose for your next safari?

Address

Off N2 6131 Lalibela Game Reserve
Port Elizabeth
6020

Telephone

+27415818170

Website

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