What could be more relaxing than you and 11 of your closest friends and family enjoying the spectacle and comfort that Singita Castleton has to offer?

Steeped in history, this exclusive-use safari villa was once a private home within the family that founded the 18,000-hectare Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Today its stone-walled homestead has been joined by six individual cottages, offering utterly private accommodation for up to 12 guests.

Looked after by a dedicated staff of five, Singita Castleton is the ultimate combination of a modern safari lodge and historical country home, with everything from doorstep views of a private waterhole to activities like archery and fishing. The experienced guide and tracker team will lead you on morning and evening game drives, as well as walking safaris that allow you a hands-on experience of the bush (including looking out for the Little 5: the elephant shrew, ant lion, rhinoceros beetle, buffalo weaver and leopard tortoise), and night-time adventures to stargaze and learn more about southern Africa’s famous constellations. Singita Castleton is also near the Singita Premium Wine Boutique, where you can sample some of South Africa’s finest vintages, and the reserve has access to the Kruger National Park, one of the largest conservation areas in Africa.

A luxurious but restrained collection of antiques, tribal artefacts and muted colours, Singita Castleton is, above all, comfortable and welcoming. Family-friendly and ideal for multi-generational groups, spend your days having breakfast on the terrace overlooking the waterhole where elephants and zebra come to drink, having spa treatments in the garden and catching up at a roaring fire in the boma – a blissful and rejuvenating vacation in the untamed bush.

Highlights

• Exclusive-use holiday home & boma
• Tailor-made Big 5 viewing
• Tennis, gym & archery
• Private chef, tracker & guide
• 6 individual cottages for privacy
• Wine cellar & spa treatment room

Activities

• GAME DRIVES
• LOCAL VILLAGE VISITS
• STAR GAZING
• GUIDED WALKING SAFARIS
• DEEP SEA FISHING

Fact File

Style & décor

Imagine the laid-back grandeur of a traditional country house transported into the classic African bush. Muted, natural tones run throughout and are given depth with a mixture of textures, from the softness of fine bed linen and smoothness of glowing antiques to the organic roughness of woods and hides. Squashy sofas and laden hat racks mingle happily with botanical prints and classic safari scenes. The emphasis at Singita Castleton is decidedly on understated luxury and total comfort: thatch, stone and brick come together to create a timeless sense of a place that harks back to Sabi Sand’s beginnings in 1926.

Neighbourhood

Singita Castleton lies with the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa, bordering the Kruger National Park. Sabi Sand has undertaken several projects to ensure the long-term biodiversity of the area is preserved, including anti-rhino poaching mechanisms using highly-trained dog units and an infusion process that injects the horn with indelible dyes and pesticides that are harmless to rhinos and toxic to humans. Management has also restocked reedbuck to ensure a genetic mix that strengthens the existing herd, leopard monitoring and research, and constant efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.

Suitability

Sleeping 12 guests in six separate cottages on an exclusive-use basis, Singita Castleton is perfect for multi-generational families and groups of friends celebrating vacations, anniversaries or reunions together. With a wide range of activities and a dedicated team of household staff, no guest will be at a loss for something to do to pass the time.

The best time to visit

Sabi Sand Game Reserve is a year-round destination, with each seasonal half of the year having its advantages.

May to September is the autumn and winter period, with mild daytime temperatures and cooler mornings and evenings. This means you will be bundled up warmly on game drives and both vegetation and waterholes will be sparser. October to April heralds much hotter, wetter weather as the summer rainy season kicks in. Waterholes will be fuller and more plentiful but the longer, greener grass may make it trickier to spot game although your specialist guide and tracker team will be on hand at all times.

Special notes

Please note that Singita Castleton lies within a malarial zone; consult your doctor for suitable anti-malaria medication.

Rooms

Kitchen

The fully-equipped kitchen is located in Singita Castleton’s main house and is the realm of your private chef, who will be on hand to whip up meals, snacks and sundowners according to your dietary requirements. Pair each hand-crafted lunch or dinner dish with a top varietal from the private wine cellar. Children’s, kosher and halaal menus can be arranged.

Master bedroom

Sleeping two in supreme ‘bush chic’ comfort, the main suite has air conditioning and an en suite bathroom with double vanities and a walk-in shower.

Guest bedrooms

Each of the five en suite guest cottages sleeps two each. Individually and comfortably furnished with bric-a-brac and objects that hark back to Sabi Sand’s illustrious past, they are very private and perfect for couples.

Bathrooms

All cottages have spacious en suite bathrooms that have double vanities and roomy walk-in showers.

Living & dining area

Living and dining areas are situated in the main house and echo the bedrooms’ country-casual style. Dotted with sculptures and artefacts from the bush, they look out onto the rolling emerald-green lawn to the waterhole beyond.

Outside area

The rambling outdoors areas roll out onto a green lawn that spreads down to a popular waterhole; watch drinking buffalo and zebra while you swim in the large, stone-bordered pool or have a lazy lunch under the romantic pergola. Outdoor furniture is robust but comfortable, perfect for sunny days in Africa. At night, gather around the roaring fire in the boma for supper beneath the black-velvet sky.

Other rooms available

Guests at Singita Castleton have access to a private gym, wine cellar and exclusive spa treatment room.