About Shamwari Riverdene Lodge
Shamwari Game Reserve is probably the best-known private reserve in South Africa’s malaria-free Cape.
Within it, Riverdene Lodge is the obvious choice for a family safari: it boasts a focus on children including a good swimming pool, a large playground on extensive lawns, and a playroom with activities. Plus, as you’d expect game activities on the reserve.
Shamwari’s fences mean that it doesn’t really feel very wild, which is why we would usually only recommend it for an introductory safari of just a few days. Riverdene is often cited for family safari holidays – and it probably will work for parents with older children, or those who want to leave their young children whilst they go out on safari. However, we found it to be less well suited to families with young children who want a family safari experience together.
Our view
Shamwari’s fences mean that it doesn’t really feel very wild, which is why we would usually only recommend it for an introductory safari of just a few days. Riverdene is often cited for family safari holidays – and it probably will work for parents with older children, or those who want to leave their young children whilst they go out on safari. However, we found it to be less well suited to families with young children who want a family safari experience together.
South Africa expert
Accommodation
Nine rooms
Children
Fine for children.
Open
All year
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Guided walking safari
Private activities
Traveller reviews of Shamwari Riverdene Lodge
1 real, un-edited reviews from Expert Africa's travellers.
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View galleryShamwari Riverdene Lodge: Our full report
Shamwari Game Reserve is probably the best-known private reserve in South Africa’s malaria-free Cape.
Within it, Riverdene Lodge is the obvious choice for a family safari: it boasts a focus on children including a good swimming pool, a large playground on extensive lawns, and a playroom with activities. Plus, as you’d expect game activities on the reserve.
Described by the literature as a ‘restored frontier homestead’, Riverdene Lodge is a substantial, solid lodge – standing in the reserve behind reassuring, if slightly unsightly, fences.
Riverdene has nine rooms which are very comfortable and in many ways feel more like hotel rooms than ‘lodge’ rooms. These comprise:
- Six twin-bedded rooms, each for two people
- Three twin-bedded rooms with sleeper couches, each taking two adults and one child. Most of these have inter-leading doors so that parents can easily check on their children.
Fitted international adaptors, an international dial phone and an electronic safe are also provided in every room. Each room’s en-suite bathroom, which has a hatch to the bedroom, comes with a bath, his-and-hers washbasins, a hairdryer, a shower and a toilet in its own small room. A private patio opens out towards Riverdene Lodge’s garden and lawns.
The main areas at Riverdene Lodge consist of two elegantly furnished lounges, a dining room, a bar, a supervised play room and a gift shop. Outside, the lodge is almost ringed by lawns, one of which has a fairly basic jungle gym for children, and most of which are bounded by herbaceous borders. Riverdene’s gardeners clearly work hard and do a good job! There’s also a shaded seating area where lunch is often served, overlooking a large swimming pool with a shallow end.
Riverdene’s activities focus on 4WD wildlife safaris, which take place in the morning and evening, each lasting between three and four hours, including a stop for some coffee in the morning and sundowners at sunset. We found these very productive in terms of sightings – with particularly close and good sightings of both black and white rhino.
That said, the actual game drive areas are substantially smaller than the reserve’s whole area might imply, and so the rangers had a very good idea what animals they were likely to see where – and they used their radios extensively to fill in the gaps in this knowledge. These two factors mean that despite the excellent sightings, we had a consistent impression that this wasn’t a very ‘wild’ game viewing experience.
Having stayed at Riverdene Lodge with two young children, we understand why it is marketed as a family-friendly lodge. The lodge itself is quite large, with many communal areas suitable for children; this region is largely free of malaria; the outdoor lawns are fairly safe for children; there’s a games room; and children aged four years or over can join game drives.
Curiously for a family-friendly lodge, we didn’t find a very strong ethos amongst the staff of interacting with children, on the children’s level.
The lodge also has a ‘children’s coordinator’, although on our most recent visit (with two small children in May 2013) this seemed to be someone who arranged child-care. We wanted to keep our children with us, rather than leave them to play, and so we had remarkably little interaction with her. On the whole we found that Riverdene’s emphasis was very much on how to care for the children whilst we, the adults, went on safari. The idea that we were there purely to give our young children a safari experience was clearly not what they expected – and not what their systems were used to coping with.
See the section on Children, below, for more comments on Riverdene’s approach to families and children.
Geographics
- Location
- Shamwari Game Reserve, South Africa
- Ideal length of stay
- We think a few days are enough to discover the reserve, and get a taste of safari.
- Directions
- Travel on the N2. If coming from Port Elizabeth, turn north onto the gravelled R345 after 65km (otherwise, from Grahamstown, after 58km) and continue on this road for 7km. Then follow the signs to Shamwari to the right.
Chauffeur services between Port Elizabeth and Shamwari can be booked directly via Shamwari Reserve. - Accessible by
- Self-drive
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- On our latest visit, in May 2013, the breakfast menu at Riverdene consisted of a cooked breakfast plus an extensive buffet. Hot breakfast was described as a ‘full African’ and faced travellers with the choice between eggs Benedict with kippers, or smoke venison, ‘build-your-own’ omelet, cream with scrambled egg with smoked salmon or smoked springbok, fresh bacon and pancakes. Ask for the flavours of the day of the chef’s smoothie! The buffet offered juices, a range of cereals and fruits, good croissants, muffins, jams and conserves. This was all very good and extensive.
Dinner is complimented by a list of carefully selected red and white (South African) wines available. Or for a taste of exclusivity, enjoy champagne and take your pick from a selection of Cuban cigars that are on offer from the humidor! - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Special interests
- Family safaris
- Shamwari’s Riverdene Lodge is suitable for travellers who want to leave small children at the lodge while on safari themselves (4+ are allowed on game drives). There are lawns, a small jungle gym and a playroom with toys, books, games, puzzles and a TV.
- See ideas for Family safaris in South Africa
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Riverdene Lodge officially welcomes families with children and is even sometimes referred to as ‘Riverdene Family Lodge’.
- Property’s age restrictions
- None
- Special activities & services
- A special children’s coordinator discusses child-care options with arriving families with a view to looking after Riverdene’s younger visitors. We’re told that they can participate in various ‘sporting and arts activities’, which are supervised by the children’s coordinator. There is a jungle gym to climb and a supervised playroom where you will find toys, some craft materials, a couple of beanbag chairs, books, board games, puzzles and a flat screen TV with a selection of educational DVDs on conservation topics.
Our impression of the facilities here for children was that they fell far short of the impression given by the lodge’s marketing – although they did live up to their promise that ‘every child staying at Riverdene Lodge receives an age-appropriate gift pack’.
In terms of activities, children over the age of four are allowed to join game drives. Children under the age of four are not permitted on game drives – but can come to see the animal rescue centres on the reserve.
Our guide didn’t do well at guiding our four-year-old son (who has good English and very good wildlife knowledge for his age). He couldn’t or didn’t adapt his language, or the focus of his drives, to make any real concession to our son – which was disappointing. This was in sharp contrast to our experience at Ecca Lodge in Kwandwe.
‘One-to-one’ child-minding services require prior notice and are available at an additional cost. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t expect the child-minders to be qualified to European standards. Riverdene Lodge offers a special children’s menu, which was very good. - Equipment
- A high chair is available.
- Generally recommended for children
- Yes, but with reservations. Riverdene Lodge does consciously cater for families with children – although we didn’t find that the reality here lived up to the very high standards implied by the lodge’s often-quoted marketing materials.
- Notes
- Although Riverdene Lodge is fully fenced, we advise parents to keep their children under supervision.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Riverdene Lodge
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Shamwari Riverdene Lodge have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Communications
- The internet is accessible via WiFi throughout Riverdene Lodge.
Each room at Riverdene Lodge has an international dial telephone. - TV & radio
- Each room at Riverdene Lodge features a flatscreen TV which receives a couple of satellite channels.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- No
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- Riverdene Lodge is fully fenced with a perimeter electrical fence.
- Fire safety
- You will find a little fire extinguisher in your room at Riverdene Lodge.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Guided walking safari
Private activities
Extras
- Disabled access
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Shamwari Riverdene Lodge's location
Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Riverdene Lodge.
Other lodges in Shamwari Game Reserve
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Bayethe Lodge
Bayethe Lodge is a luxurious tented lodge in the well-known Shamwari Game Reserve, in South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape area.
Sarili Lodge
Shamwari Sarili Lodge is located in the bush above the Bushman's River in South Africa’s Shamwari Private Game Reserve
When to go to Shamwari Game Reserve
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Riverdene Lodge in Shamwari Game Reserve
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
South Africa in January
January is considered one of the best months to travel. In Cape Town the weather is hot and generally dry. The Garden Route is also excellent at this time of the year but has a more temperate climate, with slightly lower temperatures and rain can fall at any time of the year. In the Kgalagadi temperatures often top 40°C and short, sharp thunderstorms are also fairly frequent. Wildlife tends to disperse, although birding is excellent.
As this is the high season in the Cape there are numerous events, festivals and outdoor activities to attract visitors. Accommodation books up quickly and it may be necessary to book at least a year in advance. Reservations will often be needed for restaurants and visitor attractions too.
- Hot, largely dry days with clear skies – except on Garden Route
- Wildlife disperses in the Kalahari but birding excellent
- Events, festivals and outdoor activities staged for the high season
- The high season in the Cape, accommodation can cost up to 50% more
- Pre-booking of activities & attractions is essential
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in January
South Africa in February
In February conditions are largely the same as in January, although temperatures can be slightly higher, especially in the interior. The wind in Cape Town starts to ease off. Although the Garden Route can experience some rain, the days are pleasantly warm and largely dry.
The Kgalagadi remains very hot, but the birding is still excellent. Wildlife viewing can be tricky especially if there has been some rain, as the resulting long grass can obscure the animals.
For visitors it’s still the high season, but with the local school holidays over and residents back at work, it is less busy than December and January. Accommodation costs remain high and it’s still advisable to pre-book certain activities and restaurants.
- Hot, largely dry days with little cloud
- Wind starts easing in Cape Town
- Slightly less busy than December & January
- Accommodation costs remain high, activities still best pre-booked
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in February
South Africa in March
March is still a very good time to visit. Conditions remain dry and very warm in Cape Town, although temperatures start dropping off towards the end of the month. The wind has usually died right down.
The Kalahari remains very hot and in years of good rains vegetation is at its most lush – making wildlife viewing tricky.
Typically, the crowds dwindle, but it can get very busy if Easter falls in March. It is also worth bearing in mind that during major events in March, including the Cape Town Cycle Tour, Cape Epic Mountain Bike Tour, The Cape Town Carnival and the International Jazz Festival, accommodation can get very full.
Attractions remain busy but booking is less essential.
- Temperatures start falling towards the end of the month
- Cape Town hosts a number of world class sport and cultural events
- Wildlife in the Kgalagadi disperses, game viewing more challenging
- Crowds diminish as the high season comes to an end
- Accommodation can get busy during major events
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in March
South Africa in April
April is South Africa’s “shoulder” season and is often the most pleasant. Not too hot, not too cold, some rain but not masses. In Cape Town and along the Garden Route days are usually sunny, warm, windless and largely dry, although in Cape Town the chance of rain increases from the end of the month.
In the Kgalagadi the rainy season is typically over and migratory birds are starting to make their journey back up North. Vegetation remains lush but wildlife viewing starts picking up towards the end of the month.
The region is still relatively busy (especially of its still Easter) but it gets quieter towards the end of the month thus availability improves. Accommodation rates start to decrease, and it becomes less important to book restaurants and attractions in advance.
- Temperatures still warm and very pleasant, with little wind.
- Rain starts easing in the Kalahari and migratory birds start to depart
- Less busy, especially towards the end of the month - busy over Easter
- Accommodation frees up and prices start to come down
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in April
South Africa in May
May marks the start of the dry season in the Kgalagadi. Days are warm and dry with almost zero rainfall. Night-time/early-morning temperatures can drop towards 0°C. Wildlife viewing is at its peak as animals concentrate around the few remaining water sources.
Days can still be warm and sunny in Cape Town and on the Garden Route, but the weather becomes a lot more variable. May heralds the start of the rainy season in Cape Town and the winelands. Night-time temperatures rarely drop below 10 degrees in the coastal areas.
With far fewer tourists, accommodation prices are at their lowest. There is rarely any need to pre-book activities, but reservations are still advisable at some of the top restaurants.
- Higher chance of rain in Cape Town & the Winelands
- Day time temperatures drop significantly
- Wildlife viewing peaks in the Kgalagadi
- Low season so rarely busy & very few crowds
- Low season rates at the hotels & lodges
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in May
South Africa in June
Winter is now in full swing. Maximum temperatures in Cape Town rarely reach 20°C and the rainy season is well under way. Outdoor activities therefore become limited, but a number of high-quality indoor events are organised.
The Garden Route has, in general milder weather and less rain than Cape Town.
June sees the arrival of the first whales which migrate to the South African coastline to give birth.
In the Kgalagadi, daytime temperatures are warm but nights and early mornings are bitterly cold. Wildlife viewing is excellent as animals are drawn to the few remaining permanent water points.
Overall tourist numbers are at their lowest, as are the costs of flights and accommodation.
- Cold & wet weather in Cape Town, Kgalagadi warm days but cold at night
- One of the best months for wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi
- Whales start arriving to have their calves
- Low visitor numbers & no crowds
- Accommodation & flight prices remain low
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in June
South Africa in July
The winter weather continues with very cold nights and early mornings in the Kgalagadi and virtually no rainfall. Vegetation here is really thinning out now and water even more scarce – so wildlife is easy to spot.
Despite the winter and local school holidays, Cape Town remains a great place to visit. On a wet and cold day, the Two Oceans Aquarium, Zeitz Mocca (art museum) and the Cape Town Comedy Club all make for great days out, as does a trip to the wine country or the annual Oyster Festival at Knysna.
By mid-July most of the whales have arrived to give birth. Hermanus is the best place to see them.
At the height of the low season, so accommodation and flight prices remain low.
- Generally cold & wet in the Cape, but good quality indoor events
- Very good wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi
- Oyster festival in Knysna
- Local school holidays can make places a little busier than usual
- Accommodation and flight prices remain low
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in July
South Africa in August
While August experiences mostly wintry weather it does mark the very beginning of spring with temperatures starting to rise. Visitors are drawn to the West Coast and Namaqualand to see the wildflowers, which start blooming in late August and can be seen until mid-September. Whales are still in abundance now too.
The Kgalagadi is now very dry and wildlife vieiwng is still good. Temperatures start climbing towards the end of the month.
Despite the weather , visitor numbers can be high as the northern hemisphere schools close for their summer holidays. It may be a good idea to book certain attractions and restaurants in advance.
Simlarly, although accommodation prices are still low, flight prices can be a little higher than in previous months.
- Temperatures start rising – but still potential for cold & wet weather
- Wildflowers on the West Coast & in Namaqualand
- Good wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi
- Whales continue to attract visitors
- Can get busy due to northern hemisphere school summer holidays
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in August
South Africa in September
Good wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi continues and daytime temperatures increase quite dramatically. Mornings and evenings are still on the chilly side, but not as cold as they are in June, July and August.
The 1st of September is officially the start of spring in Cape Town. Days become warmer but not quite warm enough to enjoy the city’s beautiful beaches. Venues all over Cape Town play host to various artists during the Cape Town Fringe Festival.
Rainy days are fewer, but night times can still get chilly. Many hotels are still charging low season rates making September great value for money.
Elsewhere, Hermanus hosts the popular annual Whale Festival, and in the West of the Cape, wildflowers continue to bloom until the middle of the month.
- The start of spring; temperatures start rising
- Whale festival in Hermanus
- Cape Town Fringe Ferstival attracts a wide range of artists
- Wildflowers blooming well until the middle of the month
- Good wildlife viewing continues in the Kgalagadi
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in September
South Africa in October
The weather starts warming up nicely, Cape Town experiences pleasant days, with much less rain, nights can still be quite cool, but not cold. Some days are now warm enough to enjoy the beach. This is one of the best months to visit the Cape Region.
October is one of the hottest months in the Kalahari. Water remains very scarce, so the wildlife viewing is still very good. Towards the end of the month the odd spectacular thunderstorm is possible with much lightning and thunder. Migratory birds start to arrive, and resident species gear up for the breeding season.
The whales are still present with Hermanus and False Bay the best places to see them.
- Days start warming up; fewer rainy days in Cape Town
- Very hot in the Kalahari – thunderstorms season starts
- Migratory birds start arriving & resident birds start breeding
- Whale watching still excellent in Hermanus and False Bay areas
- Start of the high season, getting busy and accommodation prices rise
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in October
South Africa in November
By November Cape Town is experiencing summer conditions with hot, clear days and warm, pleasant evenings. It’s a great month to enjoy the beaches before the peak holiday season in December. There are no real downsides to visiting in November and you may even get a few accommodation specials before prices go up for the festive season. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens begins their summer outdoor concerts with local and international artists performing.
The Kgalagadi remains hot but thunderstorms are a bit more regular. With the rains, water sources become more plentiful and wildlife disperses but this is when herbivores such as Springbok start lambing. Photography improves as conditions become less hazy.
This is the last month for regular whale sightings – they tend to migrate back down south by early December.
- Summer now in full swing, with temperatures often reaching 30°C
- Rainy days scarce; evenings warm & very pleasant
- Antelope start lambing in the Kgalagadi; wildlife generally dispersed
- Last month for regular whale sightings
- Good time to visit Cape Town before the peak holiday season
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in November
South Africa in December
December is usually Cape Town’s hottest month when temperatures frequently breach 30°C. You can expect hot and cloudless days, and almost no rain but December does see the occasional very windy day.
The Kalahari is still hot, but temperatures are not quite as high as previous months. With the rainfall the bush transforms into various shades of green. Wildlife disperses as water become more widely available.
The Garden Route enjoys warm to hot days with rain at any time but usually not over an extended period.
Mid to late December becomes incredibly busy with concerts, festivals and various outdoor activities in Cape Town. Hotel prices rise, tourist attractions and beaches are crowded and most popular sites and restaurants need to be booked in advance.
- Long, hot sunny days
- Kgalagadi bursts into life as rainy season kicks in
- Wildlife viewing a bit trickier as wildlife disperses
- Cape Town buzzing with concerts, events, festivals etc
- Peak season: attractions get very busy & accommodation costs rise
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in December
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