Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

Luxurious spa lodges in the klein karoo between Cape Town and the Garden Route - a wildlife reserve in the middle of nothingness

Most visitors to the western Cape drive straight through the Little Karoo; this vast expanse of desert-like wilderness may appear, at 160 km/h, to have little worth stopping for. But if you do stop and absorb the wide changing skies, the carpets of spring flowers, the bizarre rocks, the turquoise river pools and the fascinating wildlife, it works its slow magic on you.

It certainly worked its magic on South African entrepreneur Adrian Gardiner: in 2001 he bought 54,000 hectares of it to create a new wildlife reserve, in which he built the latest of his 5-star lodges, Sanbona. The area is surprisingly rich in flora and fauna: no fewer than 6,500 species of plant and 160 species of birds live alongside the many wild animals, such as native springboks, zebra and hyena, and the reintroduced 'big five.' But it is not only about game. Rangers also show you bizarre rock formations, intricate fossils and 3500-year-old rock art left by the San people, who lived in these hills until 100 years ago.

Highs

• Easy to reach, a scenic 3-hour drive down the R62 from Cape Town (followed by a max. 45km to the lodges)
• Incredible concentration of birds and plants, with expert rangers to bring it alive for you
• The big 5 (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion, cheetah) have been reintroduced
• Stupendous sunsets and a rare silence
• Huge plush suites with moderate rates
• Fabulous, authentic food
• Lots to do besides game-watching: horse-riding, massage / spa treatments, rock paintings, geology

Lows

• A huge reserve with few big mammals – don’t expect herds or frequent sightings
• Dry and open scenery can be hot in summer (but air-con and pool at the lodge) and cold in winter
• Once it’s ‘on the map’, rates will go up to the levels of sister-lodge Shamwari