Discover Inverdoorn Game Reservethe 10 000 ha reserve
Why choose Inverdoorn?5 star Game Lodge
Planning your Inverdoorn Triponly 2.5 hours from Cape Town
AccommodationThe Luxury Lodge
Ambassador Suite5 Star AccommodationLuxury Chalet5 Star Accommodation
Chalet4 Star Accommodation
Guest House3 Star Accommodation
Inverdoorn Big 5 Safaris3 Hours long Safaris
The Little KarooSemi-desert Natural Region 
ElephantsFree Roaming
Western Cape Cheetah ConservationSave the Cheetahs!
RhinoprotectSave the Rhino one Horn at a time
BlogsDiscover the Inverdoorn Blogs
Reviews, Press ReleaseRead about us, Review us!
Weblinks & PartnersOur partners listingInverdoorn was once the second largest dry fruit farm in the southern hemisphere. It focused on agricultural farming until 1962, when there was a ten-year drought in the area that resulted in unforetold loss. Consequently, the farm was sold in 1972.
When Jean-Michel and Cathy Vergnaud first bought Inverdoorn in 1994, it was a barren and lifeless expanse, decimated by a century of fruit and livestock farming. Having spent the prior years working and raising their family in the jungles of the Ivory Coast and Gabon, their deep love for wildlife and commitment to conservation fuelled their dream: to one day see Inverdoorn restored to its former glory, teeming with wildlife of every description.
Jean-Michel, a mechanical engineer and road architect, and his wife Cathy saw the potential of the land and worked tirelessly to re-introduce species once endemic to the region. Inverdoorn was the first to release free-roaming white rhino, zebra and kudu back into the Karoo in the nearly one hundred and fifty years since they had come close to being wiped out through hunting and agriculture.
By 1996 word of the two white rhinos roaming freely at Inverdoorn started to spread and curious spectators began showing up at the reserve to see these animals. Up until that point, opening up the reserve to the public had not been a consideration for Jean-Michel and Cathy; but seeing an opportunity to build and share their dream, Jean-Michel built a rudimentary safari vehicle and Cathy invited guests to enjoy a home-cooked meal – and so Inverdoorn found its humble beginnings in two dilapidated farmhouses converted to guesthouses to accommodate the growing interest.
It was in 1999 that Jean-Michel fell in love with a beautiful male lion. Inverdoorn's resident Cape Barbary Lion, Robby, was destined for trophy hunting. On seeing this magnificent specimen Jean-Michel spared it, and its two female companions, from a terrible fate and brought them back to Inverdoorn. Today these lions enjoy a safe environment that closely mimics their natural habitat.
Their youngest son Damien, having spent a large part of his life growing up in the West African jungles with his parents, had a similar love affair with yet another equally striking predator: the cheetah. When he came across a cheetah cub living in appalling conditions on a farm, the stage was set for what would later become one of the most important cheetah rescue and rehabilitation sanctuaries in South Africa – the Western Cape Cheetah Conservation. The initiative was created in 2001 and Inverdoorn is now home to 14 healthy and thriving cheetahs.
Today Damien runs Inverdoorn with creativity and a fierce commitment to the environment and wildlife conservation. His latest initiative, RhinoProtect, is at the forefront of the fight to end rhino poaching in South Africa and in April 2012 he staged "Stand Up!", a concert with legendary reggae artists The Wailers as headlining acts, to raise awareness and encourage the public to get involved. RhinoProtect advocates a treatment of the rhino's horn with a chemical that will make it useless to the poacher and end-user, thereby destroying the illegal trade in rhino horn. It is their mandate to roll this treatment out to as many game reserves as possible to see more rhinos protected than poached.
With over 1 200 wild animals roaming freely across their 10 000 hectare reserve, luxury accommodation offerings for 40 – 45 guests and a team of dedicated and professional staff, Jean-Michel and Cathy's dreams have come true. With such a rich history to build on, there are many more exciting plans afoot for Inverdoorn.
Become a part of the Inverdoorn Story and book your safari now!
Amongst the wonders of Nature exists a splendid place situated in the magnificence of the vast open Karoo landscape, Inverdoorn Game Reserve & Iziba Safari Lodge. The 10 000 hectare property is a resourceful and stylish 'oasis' destination, only a 2.5-hour drive from Cape Town city centre.
Inverdoorn offers guests the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really get to grips with a cheetah through its Exclusive Encounters package that allow guests to spend time interacting with the cheetahs through stroking, petting and giving the cheetahs water. Guests who opt for the five-star luxury accommodation packages automatically enjoy the one-on-one encounters while an optional extra package is available to other overnight guests and even day visitors. Learn More...
