Magic Hills Collection, Addo, Eastern Cape, South Africa

20,100 ha Big 5 safari game & wildlife reserve immersed in magic, shrouded in beauty, with 8 splendid swimming pools, a well-equipped gym & a relaxing boutique Spa.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a fully developed, turnkey, large privately owned Big Five game reserve.

The Luxury Collection accommodation consists of three varied establishments in pristine, isolated locations around the reserve.

This Big Five game reserve is home to a variety of big game and other iconic African wildlife. Conservation programs include wildlife protection, rewilding, reintroduction, rhino protection and rehabilitation & management of of the reserve’s vegetation. As part of the wildlife conservation efforts, there are 52 boreholes and 82 water retention dams to ensure plenty water even in the driest months of the year. There is over 200km of internal road network, allowing management to monitor every hectare of the reserve. Key areas and access gates are monitored by a 65-camera CCTV system. The Reserve has a newly built workers' village as well as game management equipment and facilities.

The accommodation consists of the main luxury lodge, Sky Villa which, as if floating in an otherworldly atmosphere, rests atop one of the highest mountains on the reserve. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors in the reception areas perfectly frame the magnificent surrounds. Comprising 7 beautifully appointed suites and 2 separate apartments. Each suite is spacious, light-filled and furnished with all the modern amenities one would expect. Two of the suites also have their own private pools overlooking resplendent views that replenish the soul.

The Manor House was imagined in the typical Cape Dutch style, with welcoming green lawns and a lush setting that belies the surrounding landscape. The Manor House has 11 spacious rooms that have a feeling of yesteryear, with all the modern amenities.

Centrally located is the restored farmhouse. Completely off-the-grid and solar-powered, the four-bedroomed traditional Karoo homestead offers a sublime wilderness experience with private pool and boma. Additionally, there are 7 custom-designed chalets for guests.

Some of the outstanding and unique offerings of this breathtaking reserve include being home to the world’s largest living black rhino. The lodge, Sky Villa, is 980m above sea level, one of the highest luxury villas in the Eastern Cape and enjoys 360 degree views of rugged mountains and plains. There are rock art sites, which are testament to the KhoenKhoen tribes that wandered the regions thousands of years ago.

The Reserve is home to 54 species of large mammals, 273 confirmed species of bird, 58 species of reptiles and 15 species of amphibians.

Of particular excitement are:
7 adult lions, with 5 cubs,
5 adult elephants with two young.
3 black rhinos and 8 white rhinos.
2 cheetahs

The Blue Crane, an iconic South African bird, breeds on the reserve - a rare and beautiful find. Dotted around the reserve are rare cycads, hundreds of years old. The region boasts over 400 bird species, 10 of which are exclusively endemic to the area. Blanketing large parts of the reserve, over 3,000 hectares of mature indigenous Spekboom plants which provide food for browsers and potentially offsets 12.5 million kilograms of carbon dioxide, as soil carbon, per year.

Location

The region is on the northern reaches of the Addo Elephant National Park and generally known as being part of the Great Karoo. The local towns offer all facilities and services available from Graafff Reinet or Port Elizabeth. The Karoo region is steeped in history and has unique plant and wildlife, being drier than the coastal regions.

Directions

200km from Port Elizabeth on the R75 road.