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No safari vehicles idled nearby. No radios crackling with reports of a leopard sighting. No queue of Land Cruisers waiting for the perfect lion photograph, and yet this felt every bit as wild as any … Read More at the Source
No safari vehicles idled nearby. No radios crackling with reports of a leopard sighting. No queue of Land Cruisers waiting for the perfect lion photograph, and yet this felt every bit as wild as any …
In South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Addo Elephant National Park is renowned for its thriving elephant population. But beyond the main section of the park, Hiddn in Addo offers a different kind of safari, … Read More at the Source
In South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Addo Elephant National Park is renowned for its thriving elephant population. But beyond the main section of the park, Hiddn in Addo offers a different kind of safari, …
No safari vehicles idled nearby. No radios crackling with reports of a leopard sighting. No queue of Land Cruisers waiting for the perfect lion photograph, and yet this felt every bit as wild as any … Read More at the Source
No safari vehicles idled nearby. No radios crackling with reports of a leopard sighting. No queue of Land Cruisers waiting for the perfect lion photograph, and yet this felt every bit as wild as any …
Eastern Cape’s elephant population faced near extinction due to agricultural conflicts. Just eleven elephants survived, leading to the creation of Addo Elephant National Park. These elephants have … Read More at the Source
Eastern Cape’s elephant population faced near extinction due to agricultural conflicts. Just eleven elephants survived, leading to the creation of Addo Elephant National Park. These elephants have …
Standing gracefully across the Sundays River between Colchester and Cannonville, the Mackay Bridge is one of the Eastern Cape’s most iconic historic river crossings. Although no longer open to vehicles, the bridge remains a favourite destination for walkers, photographers, birdwatchers and visitors looking to soak up the tranquil beauty of the Sundays River estuary. Before …
Standing gracefully across the Sundays River between Colchester and Cannonville, the Mackay Bridge is one of the Eastern Cape’s most iconic historic river crossings. Although no longer open to vehicles, the bridge remains a favourite destination for walkers, photographers, birdwatchers and visitors looking to soak up the tranquil beauty of the Sundays River estuary.
Before a bridge existed, travellers making the journey between Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) and Grahamstown (now Makhanda) relied on a ferry, or pont, to cross the river. This crossing became a vital link on one of the Cape Colony’s busiest transport routes during the mid-1800s. However, repeated flooding proved disastrous, washing away the original ferry in 1874 and its replacement the following year, highlighting the urgent need for a permanent crossing.
After years of planning, the first Mackay Bridge was officially opened on 5 March 1895. It was named in honour of John Mackay, whose determination and advocacy were instrumental in securing its construction. The elegant steel and iron bridge was manufactured in Sheffield, England, before being shipped to South Africa and assembled across the Sundays River.
Nature, however, had other plans. Severe flooding during 1931–1932 badly damaged the bridge, necessitating its replacement. The present Mackay Bridge was completed at a cost of £25,000 and officially opened on 5 July 1938. For decades it served as the main road bridge across the Sundays River, carrying thousands of travellers heading between Gqeberha and the eastern parts of the province.
The construction of the nearby N2 bridge eventually took over this role, allowing the historic Mackay Bridge to retire from motor traffic. Today it is reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, offering uninterrupted views across the broad estuary, surrounding wetlands and distant sand dunes.
The bridge has become one of the best places in the area to enjoy spectacular sunsets over the Sundays River. Its peaceful surroundings also attract a rich variety of birdlife, making it a popular stop for birdwatchers, while photographers are drawn by its graceful steel structure framed against the ever-changing colours of the sky.
The post The Mackay Bridge over the Sundays River appeared first on Addo Tourism.
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Source: Addotourism.co.za.
Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has challenged young people across Africa to become leading advocates for education, describing access to quality learning as the single most important … Read More at the Source
Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has challenged young people across Africa to become leading advocates for education, describing access to quality learning as the single most important …
GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – MyPR, a leading South African press release distribution platform, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with MyGQ.co.za, a dedicated digital hub for the city of Gqeberha. Effective immediately, tourism-focused press releases submitted to MyPR can now be automatically showcased in a specialized Tourism Hub on MyGQ.co.za. Travel Category: This new …
GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – MyPR, a leading South African press release distribution platform, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with MyGQ.co.za, a dedicated digital hub for the city of Gqeberha. Effective immediately, tourism-focused press releases submitted to MyPR can now be automatically showcased in a specialized Tourism Hub on MyGQ.co.za.
This new integration provides an invaluable and targeted visibility boost for the Eastern Cape’s vibrant tourism sector. To access this feature, tourism promoters, DMOs, accommodation providers, tour operators, and related businesses simply need to submit their releases through MyPR and select the “TRAVEL” category.
When the Travel category is selected, the release is queued for showcase on the MyGQ.co.za Tourism Hub. The showcase will display a designated snippet of the release to capture interest, while crucially preserving all active hyperlinks that lead directly back to the full press release hosted on MyPR. This ensures maximum traffic and SEO benefit for the originator.
“Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape have an incredible story to tell, and this partnership with MyGQ.co.za is a significant step forward in helping local tourism businesses tell it,” said Alan Straton at MyPR. “By simplifying the process to just ‘Submit and Select,’ we are providing a friction-free amplification channel that gets high-quality, relevant tourism news in front of a dedicated regional and national audience.”
This Gqeberha showcase on MyGQ.co.za is a premium addition to MyPR’s existing robust distribution network. All releases, regardless of category, will continue to be published on the primary MyPR platform and MyZA, as part of the Free Plan. Submissions under the Paid Plan retain their established access to a diverse array of various city-focused publications.
The partnership reinforces MyPR’s commitment to providing targeted, localized visibility solutions alongside broad national reach, empowering South African businesses of all sizes to control their narrative and connect with their audience.
MyPR is a comprehensive press release distribution service in South Africa, offering a straightforward platform for businesses and PR professionals to publish and amplify their news across the digital landscape.
MyGQ.co.za is a focused digital publication and community resource serving the vibrant city of Gqeberha, covering news, lifestyle, and tourism.
Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on MyPR Expands Regional Reach for Tourism Promoters with Exclusive Gqeberha Showcase on MyGQ.co.za here:
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CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
My Press Release (MyPR) provides free South African targeted content and press releases for on and off line publishers and media.
Registering on MyPR enables public relations companies and practitioners to post articles under their own author name.
Public Relations Companies and practitioners, event organisers, sports and political writers use MyPR as a distribution mechanism for their press releases, content, images and news.
A forever free subscription allows publishers and media free access to all press releases, content and images on MyPR.
There are over 800 species of dung beetle in Southern Africa. The Flightless Dung Beetle (Circellium bacchu) is a very rare subspecy only found in the Addo Elephant Park and surrounding reserve. The flightless dung beetle is regarded as one of the largest species of dung beetles in the world. They can roll up to …
There are over 800 species of dung beetle in Southern Africa. The Flightless Dung Beetle (Circellium bacchu) is a very rare subspecy only found in the Addo Elephant Park and surrounding reserve.
The flightless dung beetle is regarded as one of the largest species of dung beetles in the world. They can roll up to 50 times their own weight!
As opposed to wings, flightless dung beetles have a tightly sealed elytra (wing case), which creates a convective cooling system where heat is drawn away from their body. Thus, they are perfectly suited to hot regions.
They feed on elephant, rhino and buffalo excrement. The dung serves many purposes for these beetles, which include a source of nourishment, an ideal den for breeding, and a gift to lure in a female for some male species.
When they roll their dung along the ground, the movement helps to aerate the soil and fertilize the ground by spreading animal matter like compost.
According to recent studies in South Africa, dung beetles use the Milky Way to navigate their way at night and move in a line to reflect it. Astonishingly, they are the first known species to do this in the entire animal kingdom.
Source – Shamwari Private Game Reserve
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Source: Addotourism.co.za.
Nelson Mandela Bay recently received the dishonour of being ranked the third most violent city in the world, with a murder rate climbing into the triple digits – a first for any South African city ranked. The city made the shocking climb on the annual ranking compiled by the Mexican Council for Public Security and …
Nelson Mandela Bay recently received the dishonour of being ranked the third most violent city in the world, with a murder rate climbing into the triple digits – a first for any South African city ranked.
The city made the shocking climb on the annual ranking compiled by the Mexican Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice in association with the Mexican Commission on Human Rights.
This on the back of the Nelson Mandela Bay murder rate surging to a record 119.8 per 100 000 citizens in 2025. Puerto Principe in Haiti leads the pack with 197.43 murders per 100 000 citizens followed by Bebhayo, Ecuador with 166.02 murders per 100 000 citizens.
For many years Port Elizabeth was known as; “The Friendly City”, “the Windy City”, “The Family Friendly Destination”.
Then we moved on to being; “The Ghost on the Coast” with many residents saying; “Will the last one to leave PE please turn off the lights!” And yet, through all this, we prevailed, together.
All through these dark times of political infighting and directionless City ‘Leaders’ we have clung to one small belief:
We no longer attract huge events, the Springboks throw us scraps, Bafana Bafana are nowhere to be seen, Ironman is teetering on the edge, business is jittery, our automotive industry is experiencing unprecedented challenges, our infrastructure is failing, our city is a mess and yet we still believe that we WILL prevail.
Let’s make no mistake here – we are seeking to accomplish the first task to recovery and that is to PREVAIL, growth and stature will come later.
For far too lomg we have relied on ‘government’ to enable tourism, events and other large movements of tourism – like cruise ships – to advertise, finance and manage.
For far too long we have relied on money and resources from government to market our city.
We have since found out that the old axiom of “Building your house on another man’s land” still holds true. If that other man changes allegiance or loses a dynamic player then a very large swathe of tourism products suffer.
We do not want or need Nelson Mandela Bay’s payoff line to become; “Will the last one to leave the city please cover the graves?”
We have built this resource – MyGQ.co.za – MyGQ positions itself as a tourism hub and was founded on a collaborative model. We believe that when local accommodation, transport, tour, and hospitality operators unite under a single banner, the entire local economy lifts. We want every operator in the Nelson Mandela Bay region to look at this platform and feel, “This belongs to us.”
So, all we need to do as a first step is to market Gqeberha in preference to to Nelson Mandela Bay – until the dust has settled around Nelson Mandela Bay being in the Top Three Murder Capital of the World.
Because we want to remove all financial barriers for local tourism, we don’t directly monetize the MyGQ Tourism Hub through commissions or expensive paywalls.
Everything for our tourism partners on MyGQ is free.
After all:
Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Mandela Bay Ranked Third Most Murderous Capital – How We Will Turn That Around here:
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CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
My Press Release (MyPR) provides free South African targeted content and press releases for on and off line publishers and media.
Registering on MyPR enables public relations companies and practitioners to post articles under their own author name.
Public Relations Companies and practitioners, event organisers, sports and political writers use MyPR as a distribution mechanism for their press releases, content, images and news.
A forever free subscription allows publishers and media free access to all press releases, content and images on MyPR.
This little cannon stands in the Anchor Garden in Cape St Francis, but has a close affiliation to the Sundays River Valley. This 18-pound smooth-bore cannon once stood, with another almost identical gun, at the drift over the Sundays River near Colchester, close to where the present road bridge crosses the river. This area became …
This little cannon stands in the Anchor Garden in Cape St Francis, but has a close affiliation to the Sundays River Valley.
This 18-pound smooth-bore cannon once stood, with another almost identical gun, at the drift over the Sundays River near Colchester, close to where the present road bridge crosses the river. This area became known as Cannonville, due to the presence of the two guns. The second gun is preserved at the Pearson farm on the Eastern heights overlooking the river.
The history of how these guns came to this position is lost. For many years, they were lying abandoned in the bushes close to the old drift. The guns, which date from about 1820, are what is known as a “civil” gun, as it would have belonged to a private owner as opposed to the military. One of the theories put forward is that they were placed there to fire a salute in honour of Queen Victoria’s son, Prince Alfred, when he visited the Eastern Cape. His party crossed the river in August 1860 on its way to Grahamstown. It was recorded that he spent the night at the well-known hostelry at Cappers on the opposite bank. The pontoon used by the Royal party was “tastefully decorated for the occasion with evergreens”, but no record of a salute has been found.
One of the guns was purchased by the late Scott Pearson and taken to his farm on the hill to the east, where it was mounted on a gun carriage looking down on the river. The other cannon was left lying in Edward Billet’s yard at his house in Cannonville. It remained in a neglected state until renovated by Bob Cheetham, who bought it and took it to his home in Summerstrand in Port Elizabeth.
There are a number of other possibilities as to its early history. It could have been mounted on some remote outpost or farm during one of the Frontier Wars. At one stage, the settlement in Algoa Bay was under threat from Xhosa warriors, and the guns could have formed part of the defensive measures placed at strategic points. This crossing was an important part of the Eastern Cape’s commercial trade with Algoa Bay. During any one of the Frontier Wars, the river crossing was the obvious place to set up a defensive Military Position.
The post Connonville’s cannon in St Francis appeared first on Addo Tourism.
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Source: Addotourism.co.za.
On 7th June, 2026 the third batch of Ghanaian nationals evacuated from the Republic of South Africa due to xenophobic attacks arrived in Ghana and were met by the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of … Read More at the Source
On 7th June, 2026 the third batch of Ghanaian nationals evacuated from the Republic of South Africa due to xenophobic attacks arrived in Ghana and were met by the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of …
Search Continues for Man Swept Off Addo Bridge. The search continues for a Zimbabwean man who was swept away when a bakkie plunged off a flooded low-water bridge in Addo in the Ea … Read More at the Source
Search Continues for Man Swept Off Addo Bridge. The search continues for a Zimbabwean man who was swept away when a bakkie plunged off a flooded low-water bridge in Addo in the Ea …
Search Continues for Man Swept Off Addo BridgeThe search continues for a Zimbabwean man who was swept away when a bakkie plunged off a flooded low-water bridge in Addo in the Eastern Cape, reports EWN … Read More at the Source
Search Continues for Man Swept Off Addo BridgeThe search continues for a Zimbabwean man who was swept away when a bakkie plunged off a flooded low-water bridge in Addo in the Eastern Cape, reports EWN …
This aerial view of Addo Elephant National Park captures the vast, open landscapes of South Africa’s iconic wildlife reserve. A lone vehicle travels along a dusty trail surrounded by scattered … Read More at the Source
This aerial view of Addo Elephant National Park captures the vast, open landscapes of South Africa’s iconic wildlife reserve. A lone vehicle travels along a dusty trail surrounded by scattered …
Guide shows the huge positive effect Solar has had on flattening the demand curve How every Solar Installer can optimise your electricity savings on TOU (Time of Use Tarrif) What the Full-Day Dispatch Model will do for your solar installation SA’s embedded rooftop solar installation base is growing by over 1 GW per year Straton …
Straton Solar have recently published a free guide for installers and users of solar energy showing just how dramatic an effect the installed base of Small Scale Embedded Solar Generation has had on flattening the midday demand curve. In addition a clear guide on ow to maximise your return using Solar Panels, Batteries and the TOU Tariff effectively.
Click here for the entire report and interactive tables: https://straton.co.za/flattening-the-curve-what-every-solar-installer-needs-to-know/ and full article.
A flatter load curve means less strain on generation and transmission infrastructure, fewer emergency generation events, a more stable grid frequency, and a lower average cost of electricity production for everyone. For your clients it means genuine energy independence at the moments that matter — morning and evening, every day, not just during load shedding. For the industry it means installations that can be pointed to as a demonstrated contribution to grid stability rather than a rooftop accessory that happens to reduce one person’s electricity bill.
The following summarises the intent behind each phase of the dispatch approach described above. How each is achieved depends on the inverter platform, site conditions, and available controls. The goal in each case is clearly stated; the method is for the installer to determine.
The panels are the easy part. Anyone can put panels on a roof. The value you add as an installer is in the intelligence of what sits behind them — a dispatch strategy that puts stored energy into the grid at the moments of greatest need, twice a day, every day, summer and winter.
A battery configured for active full-day dispatch is doing its job. Everything else is leaving the work half done.
Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Solar Battery Efficiency Guide Stops Wasted Capacity and Optimises Your Dispatch Strategy here:
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CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
My Press Release (MyPR) provides free South African targeted content and press releases for on and off line publishers and media.
Registering on MyPR enables public relations companies and practitioners to post articles under their own author name.
Public Relations Companies and practitioners, event organisers, sports and political writers use MyPR as a distribution mechanism for their press releases, content, images and news.
A forever free subscription allows publishers and media free access to all press releases, content and images on MyPR.
GOOD Statement by Suzette Little, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor: Large chunks of concrete and masonry have broken away from Addo Hof, a multi-storey public housing block in Elsies River owned and managed by the City of Cape Town, landing in an open area where residents, elderly people and young children walk every …
GOOD Statement by Suzette Little, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor:
Large chunks of concrete and masonry have broken away from Addo Hof, a multi-storey public housing block in Elsies River owned and managed by the City of Cape Town, landing in an open area where residents, elderly people and young children walk every day. A red tape now marks the debris field. It is the only intervention visible on the ground.
This did not happen without warning. In June 2023, GOOD Councillor Suzette Little formally notified the City’s Human Settlements management of the structural deterioration at these flats. That letter recorded crumbling staircases, unsafe landings and a near-miss in which a young child narrowly escaped being struck by falling masonry. The City was explicitly warned. Nearly three years later, the concrete is still falling.
Photographs taken on the morning of 13 May 2026 tell the story without ambiguity. One shows rubble scattered at the base of the building while residents stand nearby, staring at the debris. The second is more alarming still, an upper-floor balcony where concrete has entirely detached, exposing corroded steel reinforcing bars. This is what structural engineers describe as an active and accelerating failure mode. The question is no longer whether more material will fall, but when, and who will be standing below when it does.
According to Councillor Little, the DA-led City’s response over three years has amounted to a temporary patchwork: steel plates bolted over cracks, fresh paint applied to deteriorating facades. No independent structural engineer has been commissioned to assess these buildings. No occupation certificates have been produced, despite repeated formal requests. No comprehensive safety assessment of any affected block has been published or, as far as residents are aware, ever undertaken.
The residents of Addo Hof have nowhere else to go. They are tenants in a building that the City both owns and is legally responsible for maintaining to a safe and habitable standard. They cannot commission their own engineers. They cannot compel repairs. They can only document what is collapsing around them and hope that someone with authority acts before the next piece of concrete falls on a person rather than a pavement.
GOOD demands an immediate independent structural engineering assessment of all affected blocks; the public release of all structural reports and occupation certificates; a full accounting of contractors appointed, and repair work completed; immediate protective safety measures for residents; and a public community meeting. The City has not responded to any of these demands.
If a resident is killed or seriously injured by a structural collapse in the days or weeks ahead, the paper trail will be unambiguous. The warnings were issued in 2023. The correspondence is on record. The only question remaining is whether the DA-led City of Cape Town will act while it still can or only after it is too late.
GOOD Manifesto on Corruption: A commitment to fighting corruption and promoting transparency in government.
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Source: MyZA.co.za.
Pop icon Dua Lipa shared a glimpse of her exotic safari with fiancé, Callum Turner, under the South African sun. The Don’t Start Now singer served stunning looks, featuring designer pieces in earthy … Read More at the Source
Pop icon Dua Lipa shared a glimpse of her exotic safari with fiancé, Callum Turner, under the South African sun. The Don’t Start Now singer served stunning looks, featuring designer pieces in earthy …
Base yourself in St Lucia for boat safaris, beach days at Cape Vidal and safe, guided hippo sightings along the village streets. Read More at the Source
Base yourself in St Lucia for boat safaris, beach days at Cape Vidal and safe, guided hippo sightings along the village streets.
With a focus on wellness, this secluded new retreat in the mountains of the Eastern Cape is a thoughtful alternative to busier safari circuits. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. Read More at the Source
With a focus on wellness, this secluded new retreat in the mountains of the Eastern Cape is a thoughtful alternative to busier safari circuits. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.
Aerial view of Hiddn suites and lodge Mantis Hddn If you’re looking for a wellness retreat in a secluded, unique setting surrounded by mountains and undulating green valleys, Mantis Hiddn in Addo is a new, off-grid luxury lodge in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Set in 800 hectares of unpopulated (except by wildlife) mountains …
Aerial view of Hiddn suites and lodge
Mantis Hddn
If you’re looking for a wellness retreat in a secluded, unique setting surrounded by mountains and undulating green valleys, Mantis Hiddn in Addo is a new, off-grid luxury lodge in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Set in 800 hectares of unpopulated (except by wildlife) mountains and wilderness, on the edge of Addo Elephant National Park (the world’s only Big Seven reserve), this new eco-minded lodge pairs low-impact design with wellness and wildlife encounters in one of South Africa’s most underrated regions.
Hiddn safari vehicle
Mantis Hddn
While a proper safari vehicle will take you from the lodge into the nearby elephant park, this isn’t a typical luxury safari lodge opening. This unique lodge in the Eastern Cape is a thoughtful alternative to busier safari circuits, offering visitors a deeper, slower way into South Africa’s wild spaces through wellness perched on top of the Zuurberg mountains with no other human life for miles in every direction, just glorious scenery. While the focus at Hiddn is on wellness, guests will be thrilled to see plenty of wildlife on the drive from the airport. Grazing inside fences along the road, you’re likely to see zebras and elephants, monkeys plundering a citrus farm and nearer the retreat, warthogs and antelope.
Hiddn infinity pool at the main lodge
Mantis Hiddn
The stylish main lodge overlooks the guest lodges below and has a lounge plus an outdoor boma (firepit) and terrace, a bar with an outdoor terrace, and a large infinity pool. Both the main lodge and guest accommodation are designed with a low-carbon, modular approach that blends seamlessly into the landscape. Timber waffle structures allow the buildings to breathe with their surroundings, while living creepers create natural canopies. Designed by the Hiddn development team in collaboration with Mantis, the lodge reflects a holistic, nature-led architectural approach. Art is an important part of Hiddn too with attractive artworks and crafts by local artists on display throughout the hotel and for sale in the Hiddn shop.
A bedroom in a guest suite at Mantis Hddn, South Africa
Mantis Hddn
Twelve splendid one and two bedroom guest lodges are arranged on a hilltop along a path away from the main lodge, ensuring maximum privacy. For larger groups or families, on a different path, are two 4-bedroom Mountain villas, each with their own infinity pools. Each stand alone suite features open views stretching across the surrounding valleys and wilderness. Large expanses of glass and generous outdoor decks create a seamless connection between interior and landscape, keeping nature in constant view, from early morning light to star-filled evenings. Every suite is designed to be a mountain sanctuary, defined by natural textures and a refined simplicity. Timber, stone from local mountains and handcrafted details like lampshades made from upcycled leather and mohair blankets made by a local artisan reflect the setting, while curved structural elements and living greenery give the spaces a fluid, organic feel.
The restaurant at Hddn, South Africa
Mantis Hddn
Meals are served with a view, in the large airy restaurant which has plenty of outdoor seating. Before or after drinks, including cocktails featuring local ingredients are served in the lovely bar. With no fixed menu, even for breakfast, every meal at Mantis Hiddn is based on seasonality and guest preferences. The chef works with foraged ingredients and produce from the kitchen garden below the lodge, shaping an outstanding dining experience that feels deeply connected to its surroundings. The menu combines African influences with Modern European and each dish has been carefully thought out and reflects the landscape. Expect a delicious rack of lamb or handmade pasta and the pastry chef creates handmade chocolates every day.
A KolKol tub on the terrace of a suite at Mantis Hiddn in Addo
Mantis Hiddn
With a focus on wellness, every guest is welcomed with a foot bath and foot massage, very comforting after a long journey. The aim of a stay is to restore balance in every client in terms of physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and environmental well being. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery completely away from the hustle and bustle of normal life could be tonic enough but Hiddn also offers superb wellness treatments by highly skilled therapists.
The therapists are genuinely warm and attentive, using all natural African skincare brands and treatments are often created from wild-harvested plants. The wellness offering is designed to align with the body’s natural rhythms, combining treatments such as lymphatic drainage and deep tissue massage with more immersive experiences, including sound baths, crystal healing, and treatment to support deeper sleep. Treatments are currently in the guest suites with the plan to have a full spa open later this year. Guided yoga and breathwork is also available.
The suites have outdoor traditional “KolKol” tubs which the therapists fill with heady, scented herbs and petals, the ideal place to relax in the evening to enjoy stargazing.
A nature walk with a guide at Hddn, South Africa
Mantis Hddn
Beyond the wellness offering, Hiddn offers game drives in Addo Elephant National Park in their open-air 4×4 safari vehicles, guided walking safaris with the retreat’s on site guides, through the woods past rivers, waterfalls and caves, birdwatching, barbecues on nearby peaks and other surprises.
Addo Elephant Park South Africa
getty
At the Addo Elephant Park, you’ll see elephants of course (there are over 600) as well as zebras, warthogs, antelope species (Kudu, eland, bushbuck) and hyenas. The park advertises itself as housing the “big seven” game animals and if you’re lucky you might see lions, leopards (quite rare), buffalo and black rhinoceros. The other two making up the big seven are whales and great white sharks in the park’s marine reserve.
Hiddn lounge with local art
Mantis Hiddn
Sustainability sits at the core of Hiddn, co-owned by educator and entrepreneur, Andrea Dunkley, who has partnered with Mantis Collection, a well-known conservation-focused hotel group in South Africa. Built using locally sourced, eco-friendly materials, the lodge relies on solar power, water harvesting and recycling systems minimise environmental impact, while restored trails and rewilded areas support free wildlife movement and the regeneration of previously disturbed habitats. Hiddn is confident that animals will continue to return to the rewilded valleys below the retreat and soon it might be possible to see some of the Big Five there.
Ms Dunkley’s Hiddn Foundation supports initiatives focused on education, art and sport, strengthening surrounding communities and advancing sustainable development. Community outreach is key here with support for the local football academy and other groups. The retreat also supports the French rooted Nukukamma Hospitality School, based in Addo, with local hospitality students completing their practical hospitality training at Hiddn in Addo.
The nearest airport is Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), 75km from the lodge. Rates start from £2,000 per suite per night (Panoramic Mountain Suites; based on two people sharing; fully inclusive including treatments, food and transfer from Port Elizabeth airport.)