Melton Manor is the sole-use safari villa, where the smallest detail of your stay is planned according to your specific wishes, is perfect for family holidays or parties of friends. The welcoming U-shape and four ensuite bedrooms are cleverly designed around the central courtyard and its large, inviting swimming pool. Distinctively South African, feature pieces of simple colonial furniture combine with up-sized, deep comfortable sofas whilst subtle game and bush references embrace the local environment.
Your private safari vehicle, complete with team of tracker and ranger, stands at the ready to explore the spectacular wildlife and unmatched scenery of Kwandwe at your leisure.
With sweeping views of the Afromontane forests, Melton Manor at Kwandwe is a contemporary frontier farmhouse with a modern touch.
Stay 3 nights for less!!
Book 3 nights or more you’ll receive a free return transfer from Port Elizabeth!
Melton Manor Rates
| Melton Manor (sole use) | for 1-6 guests, thereafter pppn |
Rates Include
- Accommodation as specified (exclusive-use of the villas).
- Twice daily game drives.
- Nature walks accompanied by an armed ranger.
- Big game walking safari (tracking white rhino, black rhino, elephant and buffalo on foot, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team; subject to availability).
- 3 meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local & premium brand spirits, beers, teas & coffees, refreshments on game drives.
- Laundry.
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance.
- VAT.
- Transfers to & from the lodge airstrip.
- Complimentary child-minding.
- Additional specialised safari activities not mentioned above.
Rates Exclude
- Community & conservation levy.
- In-room massage treatments.
- Telephone calls.
- Safari shop purchases.
- Gratuities.
- All items of a personal nature.
- Champagne, fine wines and cigars.
About Melton Manor
Why stay at Melton Manor
- A chic and contemporary safari villa, ideal for family holidays or parties of friends of up to 8.
- Loads of space for communal living as well as many private corners, a private 4×4 safari vehicle, butler, chef, ranger and tracker team.
- Set in a malaria-free Big Five game reserve in the Eastern Cape, the ideal safari ending to a journey along the Garden Route.
Share the laughter
The interactive farm-style kitchen encourages you to get stuck in and try your hand at combining flavours under the friendly guidance of your expert personal chef, or simply to watch as meals or snacks expertly take shape at your pleasure. Share meals and laughter in the dining room or around the enormous farmhouse table in the fresh air of the terrace. There is also no need to be formal – such delicious fare goes just as well in the ox wagon boma or at a casual picnic site mid-game drive.
Frontier Farmhouse
Distinctively South African, feature pieces of simple colonial furniture combine with up-sized, deep comfortable sofas whilst subtle game and bush references embrace the local environment. A calm natural palette gives this contemporary house its character and tone. The use of textured fabrics and hides as well as colour built up in interesting layers along with the use of wood, stone, pewter, ceramic and wicker, and bespoke lamps, mirrors and tables, gives each of the four oversized suites a unique identity.
Private Refuge
Melton offers a variety of private spaces and open plan areas for guests young and old to relax and gather in when not out exploring the reserve. Your bedroom offers a private refuge with a large veranda, enormous bed and a butler hatch for unobtrusive morning service. The generous bathtub invites you for a soak and the large windows look out over the sweeping expanse of the bushveld on all sides. Spend the afternoon hours in the library, enjoying a quiet session with a book, or have some fun with the large collection of board games.
Melton Manor Activities
Activities
Your days are designed to thrill you with intimate wildlife encounters and your evenings to delight you with the indulgence and romance of the African night.
Morning Game Drive
As dawn breaks over the African bush, a gentle tap on your door will wake you to the pleasures of a new day. Your ranger will discuss what you hope to see that day over fragrant tea or coffee and morning biscuits or rusks. Set out in an open 4×4 safari vehicle in the company of a ranger and tracker team, who will attempt to track your favourite animals. Explore Kwandwe’s diverse terrain in search of cheetah, black rhino or elephant.
Breakfast
Return to your lodge for a delicious breakfast, with platters of fruit and cheese followed by a selection of hot breakfast dishes. Choose from eggs, oats, waffles or a number of other options.
Indulge
Treat yourself to an in-room massage, hand or foot treatment (optional extra).
Lunch
If you wish, you can walk off your breakfast on a short walk near your lodge, accompanied by your ranger, who will share his insight into the smaller animals and vegetation in the area. Return to the lodge in time for a delicious lunch.
Afternoon Tea
Cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool or indulge in an afternoon siesta…
Over a late afternoon tea, your ranger will discuss what you hope to see during the afternoon game drive.
Afternoon/ Evening Game Drive or Big Game Walking Safari
This game drive begins in the late afternoon and lasts until after dark, when spotlights are used for a glimpse into the nocturnal bush life. Spot the rarely seen porcupine, aardwolf or aardvark. Enjoy sundowners in a scenic location as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon.
Alternatively opt for something a little more active by tracking Big Game – elephant, rhino or buffalo – on foot in the wilderness, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team (this option is available at an additional cost, refer to the ‘Safari Activities’ tab on the menu above).
Dinner
Return to your lodge for a mouthwatering dinner around a blazing fire in a boma or in your lodge’s dining area.
Melton Manor Safari Activities
We are passionate about sharing our knowledge and understanding of the bush and its fascinating inhabitants with our guests. Our highly trained rangers and trackers do their utmost to delight guests with a choice of the following wildlife adventures.
Twice Daily Game Drives
Explore the natural splendour of Kwandwe on early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4×4 safari vehicle. An armed ranger and tracker team share their extensive knowledge of the bush with you as you track the Big Five, as well as a variety of other wildlife. Morning drives begin as dawn breaks over the Great Fish River, and guests have the opportunity to see the predators winding up their nocturnal hunts and settling in for the day.
Many animals take advantage of the cool morning hours to graze before the heat of the day. In the late afternoon wildlife can often be spotted coming down to the river to drink. Night drives produces some unusual sightings, including aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox and porcupine.
Interpretive Bush Walks
In between game drives, take a closer look at the subtle, unseen wonders of the bush on a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge. Dense euphorbia thickets are best explored on foot, revealing a secret world of lichen, mosses and ferns. Various birds of prey and other species nest in the taller trees or in the spiny canopy. An armed ranger guides guests through ‘up close and personal’ sightings of occasional buffalo herds, various antelope species, giraffe, warthog, bushbuck or bushpig.
12 YEARS & OLDER
Big Game Walking Safari
Experience the thrill of tracking big game (white rhino, black rhino, elephant and buffalo) on foot in the wilderness, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team. The walk lasts 3 to 4 hours and ends with a picnic lunch on the banks of the Great Fish River or at a scenic spot in the bush. Not suitable for children under 16 years of age.
16 YEARS & OLDER
Save the Rhino Drive
Spend 3 – 4 hours tracking rhino with a specialist ranger and tracker team. Learn about the habits of this threatened species, the issue of rhino poaching as well as Kwandwe’s own conservation efforts. The experience ends with refreshments at a scenic spot in the bush.
FROM PER PERSON, MIN 2 GUESTS, 16 YEARS & OLDER
Rhino Conservation Safari
A recommended three night, four-day safari offers you the opportunity to participate in Kwandwe’s exciting rhino-darting and notching programme. Under the supervision of experts, the rhino is darted in order to plant microchips into the horns and perform ear-notching for future identification – an essential task to ensure the preservation of this endangered species. Available throughout the year, although the best time is May – September. Price excludes accommodation.
FROM PER GROUP OF UP TO 8 GUESTS, 16 YEARS & OLDER
Private Safari
Tailor-make your own safari led by a dedicated specialist ranger and tracker team, ensuring a private game viewing experience (subject to the availability of a private vehicle being available at the time of booking). A private safari vehicle has to be booked for the duration of a stay; a safari day runs from 12h00 (check-in time) to 12h00 the following day.
PER DAY, FOR 1 – 6 GUESTS
In-room Treatments
Make the most of your stay at Kwandwe by indulging in a pamper session in the privacy of your suite.
Options include:
Back, Neck and Shoulder Massages
45 minutes –
Full Body Massage
60 minutes –
Pedicure
90 minutes –
Manicure
60 minutes –
Express Manicure or Pedicure
45 minutes –
Treatments are available from 08h00am to 16h00pm.
Couples massages and treatments after 16h00pm are available by prior arrangement.
Melton Manor Children Activities
We provides an exciting and stimulating experience for children. Not only are there a host of tailor-made activities on offer through the reserve’s Blue Crane Conservation Club to keep little ones enthralled and entertained, but our malaria-free status and proximity to a range of family and child-friendly activities in the area make this a safari experience without parallel for families.
The Blue Crane Conservation Club
- Our two sole-use villas, Uplands Homestead and Melton Manor, are ideal for families. Days and safari activities at the villas are flexible and completely tailor-made with dedicated staff including a private chef, butler, ranger, tracker and safari vehicle. Children of all ages are also welcome at Ecca Lodge, with a maximum of two children aged 16 years and younger able to share with parents. Children 12 years and older are welcome at Great Fish River Lodge.
- Children receive a welcome gift on arrival which includes a Blue Crane Conservation Guide comprising animal checklists, themed games and activities, and a pledge to ‘live green’ (‘Junior’ for under 6’s and ‘Senior’ for ages 6 and up), crayons/ pencils, a BPA free water bottle and a ‘Frolicking Rhino’ range of bath products including shampoo, body lotion and bubble bath (Kwandwe supports the Bespoke Amenities Co., who created this range in support of their efforts to eradicate rhino poaching).
- Activities for children include a ‘Bugs & Bones’ walk (a great way to stretch little legs and learn all about this ecologically diverse reserve whilst searching for insects, bones and skulls and being taught how to identify animal tracks and droppings), sand art, face painting, making moulds from Plaster of Paris, beading, chocolate fun (making spider webs and insects from chocolate), Minnow’s fishing trip with a ranger, special game drives outside of normal times where available, baking and pizza making with specially designed ‘Chefs in Training’ aprons and toques, DVDs and popcorn, eco educational board games (learning about recycling and the how to care for our planet in a fun way), chocolate mould making, creature cookie baking, and African bedtime stories.
- Giving back: children have the opportunity to plant Spekboom, a type of thicket vegetation that is native to the Eastern Cape and prolific on the reserve, and one of the top five carbon-storing vegetations on the planet. In this way they are encouraged to offset their (own small!) carbon footprint. Families can also participate in Kwandwe’s voluntourism activities through the reserve’s Angus Gillis Foundation, which works with communities living in and surrounding the reserve. Activities are tailored according to individual and family interests and skillsets. For young guests this includes assisting with gardening projects at the local Mgcamabele Community; participating in arts and craft activities; and toddlers are invited to join in playtime at the pre-school. Children are also welcome to participate in Kwandwe’s ‘Knit a Bit’ program. The knitted squares are joined to make blankets and given to the Angus Gillis Foundation that distributes them to the needy communities surrounding Kwandwe.
- Game drives at Ecca Lodge: regretfully, children 5 years and younger cannot participate in game drives unless a sole use vehicle is booked. When available this will be provided at no charge – ideally during the day so as not to clash with scheduled game drives (early morning and evening), otherwise a charge will apply. Children aged 6 to 11 can be accommodated on game drives at the lodge manager’s discretion. Children are however welcome to join a daily ‘Stripes & Hooves’ adventure at Ecca Lodge, a daily one hour morning game drive after breakfast with or without their parents to view ‘non-aggressive’ game such as giraffe, zebra, monkeys, warthogs etc at no additional cost.
- A children’s menu is available at all lodges, including fun and nutritious mealtime options such as fish cakes with veggies and homemade chips; vegetable soup and freshly baked bread; DIY pizzas with fun toppings; fresh fruit salad; homemade chocolate brownies and more!
- Experienced childminders are available by prior arrangement at no additional cost.
Melton Manor Campfire Cooking
Learn to master the art of barbequing while on safari! Few countries are as renowned for their barbeques as South Africa. Kwandwe provides an exciting opportunity to learn about preparing and cooking authentic South African ‘braais’ and favourite dishes with local ingredients.
Based on a minimum 3 night stay at sole-use safari villa Melton Manor, the experience is private and can be adapted to suit individual needs. Three sessions are spent learning from Kwandwe’s executive culinary team. Recipes of the below mentioned dishes are included to take home, detailing preparation, cooking times and ingredient substitutes.
On the Menu
Become a Braaimaster: a well established social custom and a traditional way of outdoor cooking in South Africa, a ‘braai’ involves barbequing meat over an open fire. The session will include the preparation of a 3 course meal over an open campfire. Apart from learning to expertly barbeque different types of venison, such as impala, kudu, ostrich, warthog and gemsbok (vegetarian alternatives available), Guests also help to prepare traditional accompaniments such as stoke (or ‘pot’) bread, mielie (corn) bread, farm butter, krummel pap (crumbly porridge made from maize meal) with chakalaka (spicy tomato relish) and potato salad. Included is a hands-on lesson on how to make boerewors, a type of lightly spiced sausage popular in South African cuisine and traditionally cooked as a key ingredient of any braai. Learn to brew ‘moer koffie’, coffee prepared in a tin pot over an open fire.
Ingredient variations will be offered to easily adapt menus back at home, and Guests are also taught how to best cook the different meats to achieve the best possible flavour and tenderness, including the preparation of a barbeque and how to achieve optimum temperature.
South African desserts: Explore cooking traditional South African favourites such as Cape brandy pudding, malva flavoured doughnuts (a variation of the malva pudding), melktert, hertzoggies and koeksisters. Edible plants found on the reserve (such as spekboom, prickly pear and aloe) will also be used to make a refreshing sorbet.
Quick meal ideas: Chef will share a few of his secrets to preparing quick and easy meals, with only a few key ingredients – a must for everyday life when time is of the essence!
Facts & Figures
- A minimum 3 night stay at Melton Manor is required for the Campfire Cooking package.
- Cost is for the experience – this includes private tuition time with the executive culinary team and all ingredients for the cooking course, as well as local and premium brand spirits, beers, house wines, tea, coffee and mineral water (excludes cost of accommodation).
- Recipes of all the dishes prepared, to take home.
- A gift from Kwandwe as a memento.
- Children of all ages are welcome.
Melton Manor Photographic Safaris
Private Photographic Safaris
Specialist, private photographic safaris and tutorials are offered to Kwandwe guests by locally based, award-winning professional photographer Mike Dexter. A private safari vehicle with ranger and tracker are provided to tailor-make each experience according to guests’ individual needs. All ages are welcome.
Photographic Game Drive
The photographer accompanies guests on the vehicle, advising them of appropriate camera settings for various scenarios they will come across, providing compositional ideas and answering any questions relating to photography. The aim is to ensure an increased understanding of wildlife photography, with the best possible photographs.
PER PERSON (MIN 2 PAX) + FOR PRIVATE VEHICLE
Tutorials
A 1.5 hour tutorial between game drives, tailor-made to suit the experience level of participants with presentations appropriate for complete beginners to advanced photographers. Electronic notes will be provided.
PER PERSON (MIN 2 PAX)
1 Day Photographic Workshop
This option combines photographic game drives with more formal ‘classroom’ based tuition back at the lodge. Various modules on the basics of photography are presented with a focus on practical implementation to ensure an almost immediate improvement in photography. Electronic copies of the modules are provided. Cost includes 2 game drives and the tutorial.
PER PERSON + FOR PRIVATE VEHICLE
2 Day Photographic Workshop
The same format is followed as the 1 day workshop but guests are presented with advanced techniques over a 2 day period. They will come away with a more holistic understanding of wildlife photography. Cost includes 2 game drives per day and two tutorials.
PER PERSON + FOR PRIVATE VEHICLE (FOR 2 DAY PERIOD)
About Mike Dexter
Mike Dexter is an award-winning, widely published professional wildlife photographer. He achieved a Bachelor of Journalism Degree from Rhodes University in which he specialised in photography. He is also the holder of a FGASA Level II qualification and has 3 years of guiding experience. He spent two years working for a photographic safari company as the resident photographer at a luxury lodge in Botswana, where he was responsible for leading specialised photographic workshops as well as the development of a photographic hide operation. He is currently resident in Grahamstown, within close proximity to the reserve.
Melton Manor Reviews
“Our family of six stayed at Melton Manor for our first ever safari. Melton Manor is the most beautiful house. It was as luxurious and beautifully decorated. The staff were superstars! They made us feel so welcomed and at home. There wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do to make our experience perfect. Even making safari animal cookies with my youngest son. The dinner under the stars will always be a wonderful memory! I could have stayed forever! The safari was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us and the photos we took don’t do it justice. My kids were so entertained, they woke up at 5am without a complaint! Kudos to Melton Manor and it’s perfect staff!” –McFamily2010
“Our family recently stayed at Melton Manor for a week. The park itself is a well balanced Eco system and there is a big respect for nature and environment here. It was the best safari experience we have ever had and we have been to a lot of different reserves. The food was so good we eventually had to ask them to give us less food because we couldn’t fit into our clothes. The accommodation was by far the cleanest and most comfortable I’ve been in. It’s a great place for families and the staff were amazing with the children. Would recommend it to anyone.” –Jspaced
“Stayed here for 3 nights with my family. We travel extensively and this is certainly one of the most enjoyable experiences we have had. We like our comfort and luxury and Kwandwe did not let us down. This does not come cheap at all but given the accommodations, hospitality and food I think we got value for our money.Thanks to our guide, Alfie, our tracker, Monde and personal chef, Ilza and host Delana, we had a memorable experience.Game was plentiful and we saw everything except leopard. Saw lion, cheetah, black and white Rhino, elepahant, buffalo Hippo and plentiful zebra, Khudu, Giraffe and wildesbeast. Even tortoises and ostriches. All in all a memorable experience we hope to repeat. I completely agree with all the amazing reviews posted on tripadvisor and elsewhere” –Tokalosh
Melton Manor Enquiry Form
- + Rates
-
Melton Manor Rates
Melton Manor (sole use) for 1-6 guests, thereafter pppn Rates Include
- Accommodation as specified (exclusive-use of the villas).
- Twice daily game drives.
- Nature walks accompanied by an armed ranger.
- Big game walking safari (tracking white rhino, black rhino, elephant and buffalo on foot, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team; subject to availability).
- 3 meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local & premium brand spirits, beers, teas & coffees, refreshments on game drives.
- Laundry.
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance.
- VAT.
- Transfers to & from the lodge airstrip.
- Complimentary child-minding.
- Additional specialised safari activities not mentioned above.
Rates Exclude
- Community & conservation levy.
- In-room massage treatments.
- Telephone calls.
- Safari shop purchases.
- Gratuities.
- All items of a personal nature.
- Champagne, fine wines and cigars.
- + About
-
About Melton Manor
Why stay at Melton Manor
- A chic and contemporary safari villa, ideal for family holidays or parties of friends of up to 8.
- Loads of space for communal living as well as many private corners, a private 4×4 safari vehicle, butler, chef, ranger and tracker team.
- Set in a malaria-free Big Five game reserve in the Eastern Cape, the ideal safari ending to a journey along the Garden Route.
Share the laughter
The interactive farm-style kitchen encourages you to get stuck in and try your hand at combining flavours under the friendly guidance of your expert personal chef, or simply to watch as meals or snacks expertly take shape at your pleasure. Share meals and laughter in the dining room or around the enormous farmhouse table in the fresh air of the terrace. There is also no need to be formal – such delicious fare goes just as well in the ox wagon boma or at a casual picnic site mid-game drive.
Frontier Farmhouse
Distinctively South African, feature pieces of simple colonial furniture combine with up-sized, deep comfortable sofas whilst subtle game and bush references embrace the local environment. A calm natural palette gives this contemporary house its character and tone. The use of textured fabrics and hides as well as colour built up in interesting layers along with the use of wood, stone, pewter, ceramic and wicker, and bespoke lamps, mirrors and tables, gives each of the four oversized suites a unique identity.
Private Refuge
Melton offers a variety of private spaces and open plan areas for guests young and old to relax and gather in when not out exploring the reserve. Your bedroom offers a private refuge with a large veranda, enormous bed and a butler hatch for unobtrusive morning service. The generous bathtub invites you for a soak and the large windows look out over the sweeping expanse of the bushveld on all sides. Spend the afternoon hours in the library, enjoying a quiet session with a book, or have some fun with the large collection of board games.
- + Activities
-
Melton Manor Activities
Activities
Your days are designed to thrill you with intimate wildlife encounters and your evenings to delight you with the indulgence and romance of the African night.
Morning Game Drive
As dawn breaks over the African bush, a gentle tap on your door will wake you to the pleasures of a new day. Your ranger will discuss what you hope to see that day over fragrant tea or coffee and morning biscuits or rusks. Set out in an open 4×4 safari vehicle in the company of a ranger and tracker team, who will attempt to track your favourite animals. Explore Kwandwe’s diverse terrain in search of cheetah, black rhino or elephant.
Breakfast
Return to your lodge for a delicious breakfast, with platters of fruit and cheese followed by a selection of hot breakfast dishes. Choose from eggs, oats, waffles or a number of other options.
Indulge
Treat yourself to an in-room massage, hand or foot treatment (optional extra).
Lunch
If you wish, you can walk off your breakfast on a short walk near your lodge, accompanied by your ranger, who will share his insight into the smaller animals and vegetation in the area. Return to the lodge in time for a delicious lunch.
Afternoon Tea
Cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool or indulge in an afternoon siesta…
Over a late afternoon tea, your ranger will discuss what you hope to see during the afternoon game drive.
Afternoon/ Evening Game Drive or Big Game Walking Safari
This game drive begins in the late afternoon and lasts until after dark, when spotlights are used for a glimpse into the nocturnal bush life. Spot the rarely seen porcupine, aardwolf or aardvark. Enjoy sundowners in a scenic location as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon.
Alternatively opt for something a little more active by tracking Big Game – elephant, rhino or buffalo – on foot in the wilderness, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team (this option is available at an additional cost, refer to the ‘Safari Activities’ tab on the menu above).
Dinner
Return to your lodge for a mouthwatering dinner around a blazing fire in a boma or in your lodge’s dining area.
- + Safari Activities
-
Melton Manor Safari Activities
We are passionate about sharing our knowledge and understanding of the bush and its fascinating inhabitants with our guests. Our highly trained rangers and trackers do their utmost to delight guests with a choice of the following wildlife adventures.
Twice Daily Game Drives
Explore the natural splendour of Kwandwe on early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4×4 safari vehicle. An armed ranger and tracker team share their extensive knowledge of the bush with you as you track the Big Five, as well as a variety of other wildlife. Morning drives begin as dawn breaks over the Great Fish River, and guests have the opportunity to see the predators winding up their nocturnal hunts and settling in for the day.
Many animals take advantage of the cool morning hours to graze before the heat of the day. In the late afternoon wildlife can often be spotted coming down to the river to drink. Night drives produces some unusual sightings, including aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox and porcupine.
Interpretive Bush Walks
In between game drives, take a closer look at the subtle, unseen wonders of the bush on a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge. Dense euphorbia thickets are best explored on foot, revealing a secret world of lichen, mosses and ferns. Various birds of prey and other species nest in the taller trees or in the spiny canopy. An armed ranger guides guests through ‘up close and personal’ sightings of occasional buffalo herds, various antelope species, giraffe, warthog, bushbuck or bushpig.
12 YEARS & OLDER
Big Game Walking Safari
Experience the thrill of tracking big game (white rhino, black rhino, elephant and buffalo) on foot in the wilderness, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team. The walk lasts 3 to 4 hours and ends with a picnic lunch on the banks of the Great Fish River or at a scenic spot in the bush. Not suitable for children under 16 years of age.
16 YEARS & OLDER
Save the Rhino Drive
Spend 3 – 4 hours tracking rhino with a specialist ranger and tracker team. Learn about the habits of this threatened species, the issue of rhino poaching as well as Kwandwe’s own conservation efforts. The experience ends with refreshments at a scenic spot in the bush.
FROM PER PERSON, MIN 2 GUESTS, 16 YEARS & OLDER
Rhino Conservation Safari
A recommended three night, four-day safari offers you the opportunity to participate in Kwandwe’s exciting rhino-darting and notching programme. Under the supervision of experts, the rhino is darted in order to plant microchips into the horns and perform ear-notching for future identification – an essential task to ensure the preservation of this endangered species. Available throughout the year, although the best time is May – September. Price excludes accommodation.
FROM PER GROUP OF UP TO 8 GUESTS, 16 YEARS & OLDER
Private Safari
Tailor-make your own safari led by a dedicated specialist ranger and tracker team, ensuring a private game viewing experience (subject to the availability of a private vehicle being available at the time of booking). A private safari vehicle has to be booked for the duration of a stay; a safari day runs from 12h00 (check-in time) to 12h00 the following day.
PER DAY, FOR 1 – 6 GUESTS
- + In-Room Treatments
-
In-room Treatments
Make the most of your stay at Kwandwe by indulging in a pamper session in the privacy of your suite.
Options include:
Back, Neck and Shoulder Massages
45 minutes –Full Body Massage
60 minutes –Pedicure
90 minutes –Manicure
60 minutes –Express Manicure or Pedicure
45 minutes –Treatments are available from 08h00am to 16h00pm.
Couples massages and treatments after 16h00pm are available by prior arrangement.
- + Children Activities
-
Melton Manor Children Activities
We provides an exciting and stimulating experience for children. Not only are there a host of tailor-made activities on offer through the reserve’s Blue Crane Conservation Club to keep little ones enthralled and entertained, but our malaria-free status and proximity to a range of family and child-friendly activities in the area make this a safari experience without parallel for families.
The Blue Crane Conservation Club
- Our two sole-use villas, Uplands Homestead and Melton Manor, are ideal for families. Days and safari activities at the villas are flexible and completely tailor-made with dedicated staff including a private chef, butler, ranger, tracker and safari vehicle. Children of all ages are also welcome at Ecca Lodge, with a maximum of two children aged 16 years and younger able to share with parents. Children 12 years and older are welcome at Great Fish River Lodge.
- Children receive a welcome gift on arrival which includes a Blue Crane Conservation Guide comprising animal checklists, themed games and activities, and a pledge to ‘live green’ (‘Junior’ for under 6’s and ‘Senior’ for ages 6 and up), crayons/ pencils, a BPA free water bottle and a ‘Frolicking Rhino’ range of bath products including shampoo, body lotion and bubble bath (Kwandwe supports the Bespoke Amenities Co., who created this range in support of their efforts to eradicate rhino poaching).
- Activities for children include a ‘Bugs & Bones’ walk (a great way to stretch little legs and learn all about this ecologically diverse reserve whilst searching for insects, bones and skulls and being taught how to identify animal tracks and droppings), sand art, face painting, making moulds from Plaster of Paris, beading, chocolate fun (making spider webs and insects from chocolate), Minnow’s fishing trip with a ranger, special game drives outside of normal times where available, baking and pizza making with specially designed ‘Chefs in Training’ aprons and toques, DVDs and popcorn, eco educational board games (learning about recycling and the how to care for our planet in a fun way), chocolate mould making, creature cookie baking, and African bedtime stories.
- Giving back: children have the opportunity to plant Spekboom, a type of thicket vegetation that is native to the Eastern Cape and prolific on the reserve, and one of the top five carbon-storing vegetations on the planet. In this way they are encouraged to offset their (own small!) carbon footprint. Families can also participate in Kwandwe’s voluntourism activities through the reserve’s Angus Gillis Foundation, which works with communities living in and surrounding the reserve. Activities are tailored according to individual and family interests and skillsets. For young guests this includes assisting with gardening projects at the local Mgcamabele Community; participating in arts and craft activities; and toddlers are invited to join in playtime at the pre-school. Children are also welcome to participate in Kwandwe’s ‘Knit a Bit’ program. The knitted squares are joined to make blankets and given to the Angus Gillis Foundation that distributes them to the needy communities surrounding Kwandwe.
- Game drives at Ecca Lodge: regretfully, children 5 years and younger cannot participate in game drives unless a sole use vehicle is booked. When available this will be provided at no charge – ideally during the day so as not to clash with scheduled game drives (early morning and evening), otherwise a charge will apply. Children aged 6 to 11 can be accommodated on game drives at the lodge manager’s discretion. Children are however welcome to join a daily ‘Stripes & Hooves’ adventure at Ecca Lodge, a daily one hour morning game drive after breakfast with or without their parents to view ‘non-aggressive’ game such as giraffe, zebra, monkeys, warthogs etc at no additional cost.
- A children’s menu is available at all lodges, including fun and nutritious mealtime options such as fish cakes with veggies and homemade chips; vegetable soup and freshly baked bread; DIY pizzas with fun toppings; fresh fruit salad; homemade chocolate brownies and more!
- Experienced childminders are available by prior arrangement at no additional cost.
- + Campfire Activities
-
Melton Manor Campfire Cooking
Learn to master the art of barbequing while on safari! Few countries are as renowned for their barbeques as South Africa. Kwandwe provides an exciting opportunity to learn about preparing and cooking authentic South African ‘braais’ and favourite dishes with local ingredients.
Based on a minimum 3 night stay at sole-use safari villa Melton Manor, the experience is private and can be adapted to suit individual needs. Three sessions are spent learning from Kwandwe’s executive culinary team. Recipes of the below mentioned dishes are included to take home, detailing preparation, cooking times and ingredient substitutes.
On the Menu
Become a Braaimaster: a well established social custom and a traditional way of outdoor cooking in South Africa, a ‘braai’ involves barbequing meat over an open fire. The session will include the preparation of a 3 course meal over an open campfire. Apart from learning to expertly barbeque different types of venison, such as impala, kudu, ostrich, warthog and gemsbok (vegetarian alternatives available), Guests also help to prepare traditional accompaniments such as stoke (or ‘pot’) bread, mielie (corn) bread, farm butter, krummel pap (crumbly porridge made from maize meal) with chakalaka (spicy tomato relish) and potato salad. Included is a hands-on lesson on how to make boerewors, a type of lightly spiced sausage popular in South African cuisine and traditionally cooked as a key ingredient of any braai. Learn to brew ‘moer koffie’, coffee prepared in a tin pot over an open fire.
Ingredient variations will be offered to easily adapt menus back at home, and Guests are also taught how to best cook the different meats to achieve the best possible flavour and tenderness, including the preparation of a barbeque and how to achieve optimum temperature.
South African desserts: Explore cooking traditional South African favourites such as Cape brandy pudding, malva flavoured doughnuts (a variation of the malva pudding), melktert, hertzoggies and koeksisters. Edible plants found on the reserve (such as spekboom, prickly pear and aloe) will also be used to make a refreshing sorbet.
Quick meal ideas: Chef will share a few of his secrets to preparing quick and easy meals, with only a few key ingredients – a must for everyday life when time is of the essence!
Facts & Figures
- A minimum 3 night stay at Melton Manor is required for the Campfire Cooking package.
- Cost is for the experience – this includes private tuition time with the executive culinary team and all ingredients for the cooking course, as well as local and premium brand spirits, beers, house wines, tea, coffee and mineral water (excludes cost of accommodation).
- Recipes of all the dishes prepared, to take home.
- A gift from Kwandwe as a memento.
- Children of all ages are welcome.
- + Photographic Safaris
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Melton Manor Photographic Safaris
Private Photographic Safaris
Specialist, private photographic safaris and tutorials are offered to Kwandwe guests by locally based, award-winning professional photographer Mike Dexter. A private safari vehicle with ranger and tracker are provided to tailor-make each experience according to guests’ individual needs. All ages are welcome.
Photographic Game Drive
The photographer accompanies guests on the vehicle, advising them of appropriate camera settings for various scenarios they will come across, providing compositional ideas and answering any questions relating to photography. The aim is to ensure an increased understanding of wildlife photography, with the best possible photographs.
PER PERSON (MIN 2 PAX) + FOR PRIVATE VEHICLE
Tutorials
A 1.5 hour tutorial between game drives, tailor-made to suit the experience level of participants with presentations appropriate for complete beginners to advanced photographers. Electronic notes will be provided.
PER PERSON (MIN 2 PAX)
1 Day Photographic Workshop
This option combines photographic game drives with more formal ‘classroom’ based tuition back at the lodge. Various modules on the basics of photography are presented with a focus on practical implementation to ensure an almost immediate improvement in photography. Electronic copies of the modules are provided. Cost includes 2 game drives and the tutorial.
PER PERSON + FOR PRIVATE VEHICLE
2 Day Photographic Workshop
The same format is followed as the 1 day workshop but guests are presented with advanced techniques over a 2 day period. They will come away with a more holistic understanding of wildlife photography. Cost includes 2 game drives per day and two tutorials.
PER PERSON + FOR PRIVATE VEHICLE (FOR 2 DAY PERIOD)
About Mike Dexter
Mike Dexter is an award-winning, widely published professional wildlife photographer. He achieved a Bachelor of Journalism Degree from Rhodes University in which he specialised in photography. He is also the holder of a FGASA Level II qualification and has 3 years of guiding experience. He spent two years working for a photographic safari company as the resident photographer at a luxury lodge in Botswana, where he was responsible for leading specialised photographic workshops as well as the development of a photographic hide operation. He is currently resident in Grahamstown, within close proximity to the reserve.
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- + Tripadvisor
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Melton Manor Reviews
“Our family of six stayed at Melton Manor for our first ever safari. Melton Manor is the most beautiful house. It was as luxurious and beautifully decorated. The staff were superstars! They made us feel so welcomed and at home. There wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do to make our experience perfect. Even making safari animal cookies with my youngest son. The dinner under the stars will always be a wonderful memory! I could have stayed forever! The safari was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us and the photos we took don’t do it justice. My kids were so entertained, they woke up at 5am without a complaint! Kudos to Melton Manor and it’s perfect staff!” –McFamily2010
“Our family recently stayed at Melton Manor for a week. The park itself is a well balanced Eco system and there is a big respect for nature and environment here. It was the best safari experience we have ever had and we have been to a lot of different reserves. The food was so good we eventually had to ask them to give us less food because we couldn’t fit into our clothes. The accommodation was by far the cleanest and most comfortable I’ve been in. It’s a great place for families and the staff were amazing with the children. Would recommend it to anyone.” –Jspaced
“Stayed here for 3 nights with my family. We travel extensively and this is certainly one of the most enjoyable experiences we have had. We like our comfort and luxury and Kwandwe did not let us down. This does not come cheap at all but given the accommodations, hospitality and food I think we got value for our money.Thanks to our guide, Alfie, our tracker, Monde and personal chef, Ilza and host Delana, we had a memorable experience.Game was plentiful and we saw everything except leopard. Saw lion, cheetah, black and white Rhino, elepahant, buffalo Hippo and plentiful zebra, Khudu, Giraffe and wildesbeast. Even tortoises and ostriches. All in all a memorable experience we hope to repeat. I completely agree with all the amazing reviews posted on tripadvisor and elsewhere” –Tokalosh
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Melton Manor Enquiry Form
