Witness the Best-kept Secret of the Magaliesberg with Mountain Sanctuary Park

Labelled by conservationists as the ‘pristine core’ of the Magaliesberg mountain range, Mountain Sanctuary Park is the incarnation of peaceful retreating amongst the iconic South African wilderness. Founded in 1970, Mountain Sanctuary Park is concentrated on peace and tranquillity – and accepts nothing less in its virtually untouched ecosystem.

The park is centred upon presenting the natural serenity of the Magaliesberg, including its majestic rock formations and completely drinkable water from the resident rock pools, as they are – untouched and uncompromised by the hand of man. The park also pays close attention to preserving this natural tranquillity of the reserve for new generations, which translates into its dedication towards educational enjoyment and conservation ethics. 

The park and its surroundings hosts a biome of its own, where visitors can potentially expect to see giraffes, zebras, blou wildebeests, bushbabies, brown hyena and black-backed jackals, among a heap of others. The natural stature of the park is reinforced through it being an official release site for leopards, tortoises, eagles, owls, aardwolves, caracals, genets and more.

Birdwatching, as expected, reaches its peak within the park’s boundaries. Black eagle, Cape vulture, black stork, white-backed night heron, Scots owl, half-collared kingfisher and the African finfoot can also be expected to be seen in the open skies within the reserve.

Mountain Sanctuary Park has become a pivotal site for self-retreating as a result of its natural and untouched serenity. From a commercial standpoint, the park centres on catering for such retreats and expertly helps to shape the getaway experience through tailored catering.

The park offers intimate three-star accommodation and includes log cabins, chalets, cosy camping huts and camping/caravan sites. The log cabins come equipped with crockery and cutlery, a fridge, stove, microwave and are fully bedded, where the double story cabins comfortably sleep 6 people. Visitors can expect a personal braai and grid outside each cabin, as any truly South African venue would have! The chalets, similarly to the cabins, also come equipped with indoor fire places and an outside braai area.

In the true bushveld spirit, the caravan and camping sites are well regarded for their rustic embrace. Each campsite comes readily equipped with a braai and grid and selected sites have access to power points, where a freezer facility is also available to campers. The ablution facility is well maintained and offers guests the comfort of hot water showers, private toilets and basic kitchen use. In alignment with the overarching value of conservation, low energy heat pumps have been installed in the ablutions to minimise the park’s ecological footprint in the area.

Lastly, the park has developed ‘cosy huts’ – accommodation that caters to those looking for something in between the traditional camping sites and log cabins. These huts sleep 4 people and offer basic kitchen facilities, an outside braai area and an electrical point.

Mountain Sanctuary Park has also recently acquired neighbouring land with Montana and plans to expand its offerings in months ahead – particularly in regard to the expansion of allowed events. As it sits, management is strictly selective of events allowed within the reserve, with the aim of ensuring that no physical pollution and noise disrupt the park’s preserved tranquillity.

The park offers an array of activities and nature-based pursuits. Hiking trails and nature walks are among the most common and popular, where the trails are generally unmarked and visitors are free to explore the reserve at their own leisure and according to their own schedules.

The park also hosts mountain biking trails, ranging from ‘easy’, such as the classic Barnardsvlei Road, to the intensive Breed’s Neck Mountain Pass, which loses 120m of altitude within the first 1.1km. Whether one is searching for a casual afternoon ride or a taxing trip through the pass, there are options tailored to suit the plans of all levels of wilderness riders.  For visitors seeking slightly more exhilarating ventures, rock climbing and abseiling are accessible – activities well suited to the terrain presented by the Magaliesberg range.

Mountain Sanctuary Park also homes the exclusive Highview Chapel, ideal for serene weddings and other intimate ceremonies. The positioning of the chapel on a hill within the reserve and the open deck structure and glass doors ensure that the reserve’s view is visible to visitors at all times. The restaurant, conference and function area sit within close proximity to ensure convenient catering of drinks, cash bars etc. and the large open area with a lawn makes it the perfect spot for a picnic-style wedding. The chapel also comes equipped with a bridal room and ablutions nearby.

It should also be noted that there are a variety of activities in close proximity to the park that would be perfectly suited for a day trip or excursion outside the reserve. This includes the Magaliesberg Canopy Tour®, which offers exhilarating ziplining and is also focused on the scenery of the range. The area is also well regarded for its golf courses, including that of Mooi Nooi, which is an integral part of the iconic and globally loved Sunshine Tour.  Sun City Resort is also a stone’s throw away and is a leading entertainment entity in South Africa.

Hosted by a mountain range sitting at over two billion years old, Mountain Sanctuary Park prides itself in being the last protected piece of the Magaliesberg. Visitors are warmly welcomed to embrace the reserve’s serenity but are expected to play their part in protecting the untouched aura of one of South Africa’s most natural territories.

Bookings and info https://www.mountain-sanctuary.co.za/