iSanti Big-5 Game Reserve and Magic Hills Private Collection
A rare opportunity to acquire this 16,700-hectare (20,100-hectare surface area) Private Reserve in the heart of the Karoo, Eastern Cape, South Africa (16km as the crow flies from Addo Elephant Park)
"Magic Hills is unlike anything I have ever experienced, which, as a travel writer is saying a lot. The silence, the views, the sheer amount of space – and the stars, oh the stars! There is definitely a different energy at play here… something supernatural. Besides the natural beauty, the luxurious lodges make falling in love with the place inevitable.” Lynette Botha, International Travel Editor
The Karoo is a unique landscape that speaks to vast horizons, vistas and plains, and deep unending skies. Here lies a rugged beauty that quietly connects with you, and touches the soul.
iSanti Big-5 Private Reserve is situated in the heart of this magical land, that is also home to some of the world’s most endangered wildlife species. You will definitely spot the Big-5, although Leopard can be rather elusive, together with a wide variety of other big game and iconic African wildlife, including the world’s largest living Black Rhino.
But iSanti is not just about the wildlife and sumptuous accommodation. The Reserve has a vital conservation component in terms of rewilding both flora and fauna, that can also be supported through various tax incentives.
For a visionary with a passion for conservation, there is almost unlimited potential to expand the Reserve, to the point of adjoining the Addo Elephant Park, and creating the largest private reserve in South Africa.
The Magic Hills Private Collection consists of three Lodges, and one camp, each perfectly suited to those who are in search of a soulful, deeply-rejuvenating safari experience.
Sky Villa, is a rarefied retreat comprising seven suites, and offers breath-taking views. As if floating in an otherworldly atmosphere, Sky Villa rests atop the highest mountains on the reserve, and it is not unusual to awake amongst the clouds. There is also potential for winter snow, or at the very least, a view of snow across the Sneuuberg and Zuurberg.
ILanga Manor House, with its 10 spacious suites, is styled along the lines of traditional Cape Dutch architecture, and carries a sense of yester-year. The Manor House is reminiscent of an oasis in the middle of the desert, with welcoming green lawns and a lush setting that belies the surrounding landscape.
Elsa’s Farmhouse is a restored four-bedroomed traditional Karoo homestead that is off the grid, and solar-powered.
kaKhulu Karoo offers seven suites, and is self-catering.
iSanti currently covers two biomes – the Thicket Biome and the Nama Karoo Biome which is one biome more than the Kruger National Park can lay claim to. One of the dominant plants in the Thicket biome is Spekboom, a favourite of Kudu, Eland and Black rhino, and something of a miracle plant – one hectare sequesters 4 to 10 tons of carbon per annum.
Despite its otherworldly location, iSanti Big-5 Reserve and Magic Hills Private Collection is but a 30-minute private charter to the ocean, and a 1.5-hour charter to Cape Town. Moreover, there are three National Parks within a 2-hour drive, including the Valley of Desolation.
“Magic Hills is situated in one of my favourite parts of the Great Karoo, a place that is evocative of the rich and varied history of South Africa but also intensely, spiritually beautiful. Wide vistas as far as the eye can see, with rolling mountains and hills that are home to some of the world’s most endangered species, make this a unique environment that facilitates moments of quiet, introspective solitude.” Matthew McClure, Wanted -Business Day June 2020
To find us on Google Maps search for Magic Hills Private Collection which will bring you to iLanga Manor House, with these coordinates: 32°84'66.50" S 24°96'40.10" E