Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

Luxurious spa lodges in the Klein Karoo between Cape Town and the Garden Route - a wildlife reserve with some surprising discoveries

Most visitors to the Western Cape drive straight through the Karoo; this vast expanse of desert-like wilderness may appear, at a glance, 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, and build 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 5'. But it is not only about game here. Rangers also show you bizarre rock formations, intricate fossils and 3,500-year-old rock art left by the San people, who lived in these hills until 100 years ago.

Highs

• Easy to reach via 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 and those in the Dwyka Lodge have private pools
• Fabulous, authentic food
• Lots to do besides game watching: massage and spa treatments, rock paintings, geology and special activities for kids

Lows

• A huge reserve with few big mammals - don’t expect herds or frequent sightings
• The dry and open scenery can be hot in summer (but there's air-conditioning and a pool at the lodge), and cold in winter
• It's not cheap