Take a look inside this South African game reserve with 28 bedroom suites which could be yours for £9.7m
Magic Hills is a privately owned game reserve stretching around 40,000 acres, with the furthest ends of the property reaching into both the western and northern Cape.
The expansive reserve has a number of on-site accommodation options for guests, including 28 bedroom suites across five luxurious lodges.
Across the different accommodation hubs, the site has 28 bathrooms, 17 reception rooms and two kitchens.
The buyer of the reserve will be living in close quarters to the Big Five - lions, leopards, black rhino, elephants and buffalo.
Merino sheep, Angora goats and dairy cattle are also raised on site and the property offers visitors panoramic vistas and plains.
As well as offering guests envy-inducing luxury, conservation remains a priority on the reserve. Some of the animals in the reserve have been repatriated from zoos.
One of the most breath-taking options for accommodation on the reserve is Sky Lodge, which sits 980 metres above sea-level.
Sky Lodge has seven bedroom suites, a large living room with hardwood floors, a bar and a pool and terrace to soak up the views and wildlife from.
Floor-to-ceiling glass doors provide panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Internally, Sky Lodge had been decorated in tones of brown and beige, in keeping with the outdoor setting.
Kim Cooper, a real estate professional at Sotheby's International Realty, said: 'Sky lodge is surely one of the most stunning lodges on the continent.'
Magic Hills is also home to ILanga Manor House, a traditional lodge with Cape Dutch architecture, 10 bedroom suites, a pool, library and lush green lawns.
Elsa's Farmhouse, a restored off-grid four-bedroom solar-panelled lodge, also comes with the site. Laid-back Elsa's Farmhouse has its own private pool and boma area.
Wow factor: Sky Lodge has a luxurious but laid-back vibe with neutral interiors
Views: The buyer of Magic Hills will enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area
Before coming under new ownership, the site was previously used for hunting and farmland.
The reserve is now owned by Erik and Alexandra Kovacs, who have spent more than a decade bringing the overgrazed and degraded former farmland back to life, at a cost of over £8million.
The Karoo, which is around a 90-minute helicopter ride from Cape Town, is a rural, semi-arid mountainous area reportedly boasting some of the most unique flora and fauna on the continent.
Marketing firm JamesEdition said it had seen the highest interest for Magic Hills from prospective buyers in the US and South Africa, but added that interest from potential buyers in Britain had also been strong.
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Nice, soft tannins, round and juicy, but you can also taste the wines that have the potential to age eight or 10 years.' If there's one white to watch, it's the Chardonnay: a bold yet mineral-driven expression shaped by those limestone soils. 'It's more of a Chablis-style of Chardonnay, with quite a bold mouthfeel. We are the only farm in Stellenbosch that has limestone, so we planted Chardonnay on those soils which produces fantastic wines.' As the estate settles into this new phase, it's clear that the wines – and Dalicuba – are just getting started, carving out an exciting new vinous identity for this historic Cape estate. Pair it with a visit: Vergenoegd Löw offers a choice of tastings at the elegant 1773 Homestead Wine Lounge. Choose between classic flights or the uniquely local Indigenous Experience, featuring wine paired with amasi, bokkoms and spekboom.
