The results of the
Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 are out, and we are immensely proud that Samara Karoo Reserve has been named as a winner on both the United States list (#15 in South Africa) and the United Kingdom list (#6 in South Africa).
The Readers’ Choice Awards represent the epitome of excellence in hospitality, as the longest-running guest-driven awards in the tourism industry. For the first time in five years,
Condé Nast Traveller opted to run separate surveys in the USA and the UK. More than 575,000 readers in the USA and 125,000 readers in the UK voted in this year’s awards.
“Thank you to all of our guests who voted for us. We are thrilled to be recognised in these awards for the second year in a row,” says Isabelle Tompkins of Samara.
“We are immensely proud of the Samara team for delivering exceptional experiences and unforgettable memories, and delighted to play our role in showcasing the Karoo as a world-class destination.”
Samara Karoo Reserve is a conservation journey on 67,000 acres of born-again wilderness in South Africa’s heart-stoppingly beautiful Great Karoo region. Founded in 1997 with a bold rewilding mission, today Samara is one of South Africa’s most diverse safari destinations, comprising five vegetation biomes across strikingly varied topography, home to over 60 mammal species including the Big Five and cheetah, as well as 225 bird species. Three intimate
lodges with a true sense of place welcome guests for considered, meaningful and exceptional safari encounters in a malaria-free environment. Every guest that stays at Samara plays a role in safeguarding the landscape in perpetuity.
Samara’s low-footprint approach to tourism ensures an exclusive wilderness experience for guests, inspiring a deep connection with the wild spaces of the
Karoo. Guided by our philosophy of positively impacting our sphere of influence, Samara’s commitment to purpose-driven business extends beyond biodiversity conservation to provide opportunities for local people, celebrate the Karoo’s cultural heritage and minimise our carbon footprint. We believe that a world in which biodiversity and humanity thrive is well within reach. Staying at one of Samara’s lodges and partaking in our unique
experiences – from planting Spekboom with the restoration team to
tracking wild cheetah on foot – acts as a direct contribution to this vision.
The 2024 USA edition of the Top 15 Resorts in South Africa is as follows:
- Makanyi Private Game Lodge
- Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
- Last Word Kitara
- Lion Sands Game Reserve
- Londolozi Game Reserve
- andBeyond Kirkman’s Kamp
- Tintswalo Safari Lodge
- andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve
- Cheetah Plains
- Thornybush Game Lodge
- Morukuru Family Madikwe & De Hoop
- andBeyond Ngala Safari Lodge & Tented Camp
- Grootbos Private Nature Reserve
- Ulusaba Private Game Reserve
- Samara Karoo Reserve
The 2024 UK edition of the Top 10 Resorts in South Africa is as follows:
- Makanyi Private Game Lodge
- Londolozi Game Reserve
- Lion Sands Game Reserve
- Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
- Kapama Karula
- Samara Karoo Reserve
- Ulusaba Private Game Reserve
- Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
- andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp
- Singita Boulders Lodge
Samara Karoo Reserve is a leading conservation journey to restore 67,000 acres of South Africa’s Great Karoo landscape and beyond through rewilding and responsible tourism. Staying at one of Samara’s lodges acts as a direct contribution to this vision.
