A $36 Million South African Animal Reserve Can Be Your Own Personal Safari
If you've always wanted to go on a safari and have never had the chance or are dying to do it again, you're in luck! For a cool $36 million, you can purchase your own safari in the Karoo in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, the New York Post explains. The safari property sits on 41,260 acres, comprising four lodges: the Sky Lodge, the ILanga Manor House, Elsa's Farmhouse, and the iSanti Tented camp, with a combined total of 28 bedrooms and 28 bathrooms.
The property, known as Magic Hills, aka iSanti Big-5 Reserve, includes some of the world's most endangered animal species, such as lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, and the African buffalo. Besides living amongst these fascinating creatures, residents also have the opportunity to take a night drive in the reserve, as long as they are accompanied by one of the in-house rangers — just one of the many perks of living at Magic Hills.
Sky Lodge
Seated atop one of the highest mountains on the property, the Sky Lodge overlooks the reserve's breathtaking landscape. According to Magic Hills, the lodge comprises seven suites and two separate apartments, all adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows. Complete with the infinity pool and toasty fireplaces in each reception room, the Sky Lodge is the perfect place to relax and unwind. You can also step onto its sweeping deck for the best view of the starry night sky.
The Sky Lodge is graciously spacious, filled with natural light, and decorated with modern amenities. It is excellent for housing friends and family, which they can use as their home base while visiting Magic Hills — an upgraded guest house, if you will. Two of the seven suites have their own private pools with captivating views of the property, so don't be surprised when your guests start pulling straws to figure out who gets which suite.
Ilanga Manor House
Located in the middle of the desert is the ILanga Manor House. The lodge was designed in typical Cape Dutch style, includes 10 spacious rooms, and sits on a land of luscious green lawns. Just like the Sky Lodge, the Ilanga Manor House has a swimming pool, but what makes this lodge unique is its intimate bar, library, and indoor-outdoor gym. It even has its own private spa for those days when you really need to relax. Wooden beams adorn the lodge's ceilings, and the gathering area contains a decorated fireplace for an extra cozy log-cabin feel. The bathrooms are sprinkled with a hint of modernism with their marbled walls.
What really gives the ILanga Manor House an at-home feel is the farmhouse-style building, similar to the residences you would find in Napa Valley, California. Residents are greeted with a beautifully-decorated fountain as they walk the path to the main entrance, setting the tone for the rest of the lodge.
Elsa's Farmhouse
Elsa's Farmhouse is a restored traditional Karoo homestead located at the center of Magic Hills' only camp, Camp Elsa. It is solar-powered and completely off-grid, unlike the Sky Lodge and the ILanga Manor House. Off-grid properties are disconnected from the electrical grid, which is a system or network that distributes electrical power to buildings and machinery, says the Off Grid World. However, going completely off-grid means the home is free of all public utilities and, sometimes, food, making it 100% self-sustainable. In other words, it's a simpler, more primitive way of living.
Elsa's Farmhouse contains fewer bedrooms than its counterparts with a total of four but still offers the luxury of a private swimming pool, as well as a boma, otherwise known as a livestock enclosure. Additionally, according to Magic Hills, Elsa's Farmhouse provides a braai (outdoor dwelling) area for lounging on those pleasant lazy days.