Adrian Gardiner grew up near Bulawayo and was a BCom student at the University of Cape Town, where he took six years to complete a three-year degree. He went on to develop the world-renowned Shamwari Game Reserve situated between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown. Adrian recently sold Shamwari, along with Western Cape game reserve Sanbona and Jock Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park, to Dubai World Africa in what is believed to be a R600-million deal. All three reserves belong to Adrian's company, Mantis Collection. Dubai World Africa also owns the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Adrian will remain a minority shareholder and managing director of the three reserves.
In 1969 he took a job in Port Elizabeth. Along with his wife, Shirlyanne, he started an industrial equipment hiring business. He was bankrupted in 1979. Next he tried stud farming and built up a thoroughbred stud farm at Roodefontein outside Plettenberg Bay, which he sold in 1990. He bought the first piece of land that later became Shamwari. From 1200 hectares of land, he grew his farm to 7000ha as surrounding land came up for sale until, in 1991, he bought Long Lee and opened Shamwari in 1992. In 1994 he almost lost everything as the tourism industry was grim. After South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the country saw a boom in tourism. Adrian went to London and marketed Shamwari on his own, convincing tour operators to send their clients to Shamwari. The late John Aspinall visited Shamwari in 1994 and endorsed it. Since then Shamwari has played host to royals such as Earl Spencer; Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Nicholas Cage and John Travolta; and golf legend Tiger Woods. Adrian and Shirleyanne have three children - Paul, Murray and Angela.
