An opportunity has arisen to invest in one of 2 shares in a private bush house at the malaria-free Sanbona Wildlife Reserve near Barrydale, in the heart of the Karoo, just over 3.5 hours from Cape Town. Known as Sunset Ridge, it is a beautifully located bush house with superb views.

Option 1: R600,000 for a 50% share (two weeks per annum)

Option 2: R1.2m for a full share (four weeks per annum)

(weeks are rotated and moved forward by a week each year)

So, what draws investors to Sanbona? ‘I love the immediate calm you feel as you enter the house and sleeping with the sliding doors wide open in the bedroom and feeling 100% safe, with not an inkling of unease. It is so quiet,’ says the shareholder. ‘I’m moved by the landscape here, and by the vast space.’ The house has four en-suite bedrooms, each with their own private deck and outdoor shower, plus a swimming pool. Air-conditioning and underfloor heating in the bedrooms and living areas, as well as roaring fireplace in winter, make this a comfortable retreat for families and friends year-round. And if you’d like to bring an au-pair or chef for your stay, there’s a separate flatlet.

Sanbona is not your typical private game farm. Shareholders are able to tap into the knowledge and daily sightings of the reserve’s rangers and a hand’s-on wildlife team, who are out tracking and monitoring game every day. Owners are linked to the radio network and are required to learn about processes of game viewing, including sighting protocols and line-ups. As a result, it’s an interactive and meaningful conservation and game experience.

Compared to a commercial lodge, Sanbona offers exceptional value for eight people in a reserve where you don’t have to worry about a thing as an owner. All maintenance, logistics and housekeeping is ongoing, so it’s completely hassle-free – even the pool and game vehicle is regularly maintained. There’s a 1,100m gravel airstrip for private charters and shareholders have full traversing rights cover 58 000 hectares – by all accounts, a substantial amount of land. ‘There is something so special about going to the same place over and over again – it really does feel like yours. To have the vehicle available and to be able to choose when and where you go on game drives is unique – and fun. If you don’t enjoy game drives and just want to read and relax and swim, you can. It caters for everyone.’

The question everyone asks is why should we invest in one of South Africa’s largest privately owned game reserves set in this ancient Karoo landscape? The answer is simple: it will touch you more than you can ever imagine, but it also has two rich biodiversity hot spots. These are the Fynbos and Renosterveld concession south of the Warmwaterberg mountain range and a Succulent Karoo concession in the northern region. The North is favoured by the big cats and there is a plan in the pipeline to remove the fence between the two to create one wildlife reserve. It is one of the last-remaining expanses of the arid yet alluring Karoo, an area of extraordinary beauty and just under 3.5 hours’ drive from Cape Town. Sanbona is owned by a non-profit company, the CALEO Foundation.

Sanbona is an ideal investment for families and will become increasingly valuable. This is, in part, because of the conservation ethos of the CALEO Foundation, today’s custodians of both Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and Jock Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park. The Foundation has halted any further development, as they want to reduce the human footprint by dropping fences between north and south on this pristine bush sanctuary, but also expand to neighbouring farms. The CALEO Foundation is committed to Sanbona as a legacy for future generations, and because of this conservation drive, it’s a special place to invest. Animals that weren’t previously in the Karoo are being moved so that Sanbona’s richly diverse Karoo landscape remains authentic and is restored to its former glory. Burchell’s Zebra, for instance, is being moved and replaced with Cape Mountain Zebra alongside a breeding programme.

The original name of the house was ‘Before Sunset’, which is ǀAm hè ǂâ verexa in Khoisan, a fitting tribute to Sanbona’s precious historical heritage. 

Specs:

• 2 shares for sale: 50% share – 2 weeks per year / Full share – 4 weeks per year
• 13 shares in total
• Lodge:
  • 4 bedrooms (en-suite), each with their own private decks and outdoor showers
• • Main living area with fireplace and dining area
• • Kitchen with separate scullery
• • Study
• • Underfloor heating in bedrooms and living areas
• • Air conditioning
• • Swimming pool
• • Separate flatlet (double bed, bathroom, fridge and lounge area)
• • Carport and storage area for shareholders personal belongings 
• • Battery back up
• • Soap, towels, bedding prepared for shareholders
• • Full-time housekeeper
  • No renting permitted
• Game vehicle
• 1,100m gravel airstrip for private charters 
• ½ hr drive to the North Section of Sanbona
• Levy: Approximately R3,000 per month

Please see further details in the property brochure here: Online Brochure

For more information on Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and it’s commercial lodges (not ÛriXam), see here

For more information on Perfect Hideaways Invest, please see here

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