A Piece of Heaven on Earth
Concealed deep within the expansive bush of the Eastern Cape is a place, unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before, shrouded in beauty, ensconced in history…a literal oasis in the middle of nowhere, Magic Hills offers discerning guests a soulful safari experience, along with sophisticated living spaces and access to exciting activities.
With the easing of lockdown restrictions and the ability to travel between provinces, it’s time to take your choice of wedding/honeymoon destination to the next level by experiencing the splendour of Magic Hills Private Collection…
Magic Hills boasts around 20 100ha in size and has three spectacular lodges for accommodation – Sky Lodge, Ilanga Manor House & Elsa’s Farmhouse – with other exciting sleepout locations being launched in the future. Whether you are looking to escape for a magical intimate wedding venue or a honeymoon of pure opulence, then Magic Hills has you covered.
Nubian Bride was hosted for a much-needed stay at Sky Lodge, the pinnacle of Magic Hills, situated 920 meters above sea level was our home for four days. We arrived just before sunset, where we were welcomed by friendly energetic staff who got down to business by pouring refreshing G&T’s, so we could enjoy the 360-degree panoramic view of rolling hills as far as the eye can see and what I would call as close to magic as I’ve ever encountered.
One of our favourite highlights were the morning and evening game drives with an experienced game ranger who wasn’t afraid to go above and beyond to make sure that we got up close and personal with the resident lion pride. The pride consists of one male, two female and 5 cubs who were born during lockdown so weren’t older than 3 months. Enjoying a cup of coffee with Kahlua outside the vehicle with the lions, not more than a 100 meters uphill from us got the blood pumping but we knew we were in good hands. The entire pride was fixed on us, but we never felt in danger, they were more inquisitive than threatened.
The food was exceptional with our own Executive Chef catering to our taste buds with mouth-watering meals to choose from. A fully stocked wine cellar and bar with some of the finest wines and spirits to choose from is a connoisseurs dream come true.
If you’re after a sense of peace and tranquillity, Magic Hill’s offers high-end spa facilities at all lodges with an array of treatments to ensure you unwind and destress. In our opinion, the best feature of the Spa is the massive jacuzzi with magnificent views of the surrounding area.
Magic Hill’s would be ideal not only for a honeymoon but for an exclusive intimate destination wedding venue (and with the current restriction on numbers we now have the perfect excuse to keep the number of guests to our closest inner circle) – with a choice of lodges, there is more than enough accommodation for guests. Sky Lodge offers only 7 suites (all with 4-poster King size beds), each beautifully decorated in the same refined elegance as the rest of the lodge. Every suite has a private terrace where you can spend a lazy afternoon with a glass of champagne in hand, watching wild game from the comfort of your balcony. The Sky Suite has two bedrooms with an exclusive terrace, a tended garden and a private pool.
Having travelled extensively to many coveted locations, there’s nothing quite like the beauty and serenity of Magic Hills. Writing about it doesn’t do it justice – you need to visit to fully comprehend its uniqueness. It also goes to show that one doesn’t need to travel far and wide to indulge in world-class luxury – “Take your time, allow nature to relax, revive and reawaken you”. Magic Hills – a hidden gem and one of South Africa’s best-kept secrets.
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