Pumba Private Game Reserve
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Location
The Eastern Cape
The reserve covers around 6,500 hectares of malaria-free Eastern Cape around Lake Kariega, taking in five of the world's seven biomes, about an hour from Port Elizabeth — an easy, bush-plane-free safari to pair with the Garden Route.
Transfer
A road or short-flight transfer
Around an hour by road from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), or a short connection — no bush-plane needed, which makes it an easy Garden Route add-on.
Villas
Around 23 chalets
Around 23 chalets across two lodges — the lakeside Water Lodge with twelve stone-and-thatch suites and Msenge Bush Lodge with eleven glass-enclosed chalets — each with a private deck, plunge pool and outdoor shower.
Best For
Who it suits
Families, first-time safari-goers and couples who want an easy, malaria-free Big Five reserve near the Garden Route — with free-roaming white lions and lakeside plunge-pool chalets.
Board Basis
All-inclusive
All-inclusive — meals and game drives — with cordon-bleu cooking, fine wines and complimentary archery and fishing.
About the Resort
A malaria-free reserve with white lions
Pumba Private Game Reserve is the easy, malaria-free safari — around 6,500 hectares of Eastern Cape around Lake Kariega, taking in five of the world's seven biomes, about an hour by road from Port Elizabeth and an easy pairing with the Garden Route, with no bush-plane needed. Its calling card is the free-roaming white lions, found at barely a handful of reserves on earth, alongside a malaria-free Big Five — a worry-free first safari for families with young children. Around 23 chalets spread across two lodges: the lakeside Water Lodge, with twelve stone-and-thatch suites over Lake Kariega, and Msenge Bush Lodge, with eleven glass-enclosed chalets in the bushveld, each with a private deck, plunge pool and outdoor shower. Days run on all-inclusive day and night game drives, guided bush walks and birding across more than 300 species, with complimentary archery and fishing, the Soul Spa and stargazing. Accessible and relaxed, with cordon-bleu cooking and fine wines, it is the easy-reach malaria-free pick — a fine first safari, and a natural extension to a Cape and Garden Route trip.
Accommodation
Chalets
Around 23 chalets across two lodges — the lakeside Water Lodge, with twelve stone-and-thatch suites on Lake Kariega, and Msenge Bush Lodge, with eleven glass-enclosed chalets in a bush setting. Private timber decks, plunge pools, outdoor showers and freestanding tubs throughout, with family chalets.
Lakeside
Water Lodge Suite
Sleeps two. A lakeside king with a private deck, a plunge pool and an outdoor shower, over Lake Kariega.
Plunge poolLake view
Bush
Bush Lodge Chalet
Sleeps two. A glass-enclosed chalet in a private bush setting, with a deck and plunge pool.
Glass-enclosedPlunge pool
Family
Family Chalet
Sleeps four. A larger two-bedroom chalet with a private deck and plunge pool, over the lake or bush.
Two-bedroomFamily
Honeymoon
Honeymoon Suite
Sleeps two. A private spa bath and steam room, over Lake Kariega.
Spa bathLake view
Food & Drink
Dining
Each lodge has its own restaurant, bar and lounge, with cordon-bleu cooking and fine wines, plus bush dining out on the reserve — all-inclusive in the South African private-reserve way.
Signature
Each lodge restaurant
Each lodge has its own restaurant, bar and lounge, with cordon-bleu cooking and fine wines.
Bush
Bush dining
Bush dining out on the reserve.
All-inclusive
All-inclusive
All-inclusive — meals and game drives in the South African private-reserve way.
Wellbeing
Soul Spa
The Soul Spa at the Bush Lodge has a plunge pool, steam room and gym, and there is an outdoor pool at each lodge alongside a plunge pool on every chalet — with complimentary archery and fishing on the reserve.
Soul Spa
The Soul Spa at the Bush Lodge, with a plunge pool, steam room and gym.
A pool per lodge
An outdoor pool at each lodge, plus a plunge pool on every chalet.
Archery & fishing
Complimentary archery and fishing.
Activities & Experiences
Signature Experiences
A malaria-free Big Five reserve with a rare draw of its own. Track the free-roaming white lions, drive day and night for the Big Five, walk the bush across five biomes, and try your hand at archery and fishing.
White lions
Free-roaming white lions — found at barely a handful of reserves on earth.
Malaria-free Big Five
Malaria-free Big Five day and night game drives.
Bush walks
Guided bush walks across five of the world's seven biomes.
Birding
Birding, with more than 300 species.
Archery & fishing
Complimentary archery and fishing, and stargazing.
Getting There
Location & transfers
By road
From Port Elizabeth
Around an hour by road from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), or a short connection.
On the reserve
Eastern Cape
In the Eastern Cape, on a 6,500-hectare malaria-free reserve around Lake Kariega.
Guest Reviews
What Our Clients Say
★★★★★
“The most extraordinary place I have ever stayed. Nothing prepares you for the depth of the silence, the beauty of the reef, or the sheer generosity of the experience.”
✓ Verified via feefo
★★★★★
“We’ve stayed here three times now. The house reef has no equal. The stargazing was, genuinely, one of the most moving experiences of my adult life.”
✓ Verified via feefo
★★★★★
“I had stayed at Four Seasons, One&Only and Velaa before visiting Pumba Private Game Reserve. They are all magnificent. But this is different in a way that is hard to articulate.”
✓ Verified via feefo
Good to Know
Good to know
Board basis
- All-inclusive — meals and game drives.
Made for families
- A family-friendly reserve — family chalets and children six and over at the Water Lodge — and an easy first safari.
Malaria-free
- A malaria-free reserve in the Eastern Cape — a worry-free Big Five safari for families with young children.
Getting there
- Around an hour by road from Port Elizabeth, an easy Garden Route add-on, with no bush-plane needed.
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Destination
Dates & party
Date flexibility
Adults
2
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Budget & accommodation
Budget per person (flights + hotel)
£4,500
£500£50,000+
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Flights
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