Letamo at Qwabi Private Game Reserve by Newmark

Visited Letamo at Qwabi Private Game Reserve as part of a group of 31 Saga/Titan travellers arriving on 25 November. Our arrival was expedited quite quickly and we were given our room keys and told we were to quickly get ready for our first game drive. I was allocated Kudu 12, which was an upstairs balcony, overlooking the watering hole. The rooms are stunning, tastefully decorated, with an enormous comfy bed and kept beautifully clean by the amazing housekeeping team. There’s plenty of tea, coffee, water, biscuits (replenished daily) and a sweet treat at ‘turn down’ each evening. The fridge contained beers, cider, water and soft drinks. There is air conditioning and a ceiling fan for your comfort as well as bathrobes and slippers. The balcony was large with two comfy chairs, footstools, two small tables and a large table and four chairs. It was so nice sitting on the balcony listening to the sounds of nature (apart from the horrendous thunder and lightning, after all it is the rainy season!) and watching the local wildlife - warthog, weaver birds, starlings, monkeys, bee eaters and lots more. The group met at 4pm where we clambered aboard our four jeeps. I was on a jeep with three couples and our guide was the lovely Suni, who was brilliant and a great spotter. Every game drive (morning and evening every day) was amazing and so educational, we learnt so much, Suni really looked after us. Sundowners and the morning drinks were served in some stunning locations. Unfortunately, our additional cookery class, star gazing and bush dining were all cancelled due to the horrendous weather although, we were lucky that it was only raining on one of the 14 game drives. We had two excellent talks - conservation/the biosphere at Qwabi and the Mabula team regarding the conservation of the Southern Ground Hornbill. The food is delicious with plenty of choice, there’s something for everyone. We ate twice outside beside the camp fire and barbecue night was amazing. The chef and his team are fabulous, often found behind the food counter answering questions and encouraging you to fill your enormous plate. Every member of staff couldn’t do enough for you, always with a smile and a kind word. I ordered a gin and tonic on the first day and didn’t need to order again as the wonderful staff (Tshepiso & Solly) would just appear with a drink, amazing service. My only disappointment was with the wine as I like a glass or two with dinner. After two days they ran out of rose for three days! The wine that was eventually delivered was awful, so acidic, so I asked if I could buy a bottle of exclusive wine from the wine list to be told there was none in the wine cellar!!

Our first Safari trip and hit the jackpot with Letamo at Qwabi game reserve excellent game drives super friendly staff the location and facilities were second to none very impressed and would highly recommend thank you for a wonderful trip of a lifetime .

My wife and I spent a week here during July as part of a Titan Tours holiday from the UK. No doubt the safari connoisseurs will have a critical opinion on reserve size and wildlife. But for us , it was a fabulous holiday. Situated approximately 3.5hrs from Johannesburg airport.( 2 hrs on good roads and 1.5hrs on a bumpy dirt road) . We were in a deluxe room with balcony, which was excellent. Very spacious and kept extremely clean throughout our stay. The staff were always pleasant and keen to please, going out of their way to meet any requests from guests. Our guide was Darian. He was knowledgeable, witty, engaging and most of all, very passionate about his job, conservation and wanting to give you the best safari experience possible. Two 3.5hr game drives per day, restaurant and outdoor dining and a spectacular bush dinner watching the sun set and an abundance of encounters with Elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, rhinos, jackals, birds and a crocodile. This holiday had everything we could have dreamed of and more. We were there in July, which is the SA winter. Daily temperatures were in low 20s Celsius , with blue skies every day. Overnight temperatures dropped to about 6 Celsius. Some 7 am game drives were a frosty start. When the Sun disappeared behind the mountains after 5pm there is an immediate drop in temperature. It is advisable to bring plenty of layers including a warm coat, gloves, woolly hat and a snood or face covering, as driving around during the colder hours in an open sided landcruiser you experience an added wind chill. We didn’t want to leave, and it has wetted our appetite for another safari and another visit to South Africa. Highly recommended!