Western Cape’s Tortoise Hill Estate: Grandiose Property Is Set on 1,500 Acres of Game Preserve

Perfect seclusion in the Valley of Wine and Roses

Situated in the middle of a private game preserve of 1,500 acres, Tortoise Hill is an enclave of residences, staff quarters, and recreational and working buildings in a unique setting. Harry Boden Photography

New on the market in the wonderful Cape Winelands of South Africa, Tortoise Hill is listed for $4.8 million. A game preserve and recreational estate, the property is centered around a main residence built in 2014. In all, there are seven bedrooms and nine full baths and a half-bath, spread out over three residences; outdoors, 1,500 acres of private game reserve beckon in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Inside the main house, the scale and grandeur of the home are breathtaking. As for the surrounds, there’s a surreal experience of unspoiled Africa.

Named for the indigenous leopard tortoises often seen on the property, this magnificent estate features unique water features, ponds, and irrigated gardens. This part of Africa is a year-round treasure trove of wineries, farms, nature reserves, game parks, botanical gardens, and adventure sports. Harry Boden Photography

Located just outside the picturesque town of Robertson, Tortoise Hill offers its owners and their guests perfect seclusion and a remarkable nature experience. Towering acacia and fever trees welcome visitors driving up the mile-long brick-paved driveway that leads to the local stone-clad main residence. Once inside the main house, the interiors are truly grandiose, but also warm and welcoming, with fireplaces in almost every room. The rooms in the house are bathed in natural light, and there are even dedicated sitting rooms for taking in the uninterrupted north-facing panoramas of the Langeberg Mountains.

Inside the manor house, spacious rooms open onto the outdoors and feature welcoming verandas for al fresco dining, entertaining, and admiring the incomparable views of the mountains and nature. Harry Boden Photography

The main house also features two stunning professional kitchens and semi-formal dining areas. A central breezeway, or main lounge, connects the east and west wings of the main house, which adds an open-casual living experience. There’s a library, music room, a dedicated IT room, and a fully equipped gym. The outdoor pool and entertainment area, two double garages, private terraces, balconies, and patios further punctuate this amazing home. Two luxurious guest cottages, staff quarters, a barn, and other out-buildings, along with meticulously designed grounds with unique water and pond features complete this fabulous estate.

The main residence has an independent IT room with high-speed internet capabilities, a music room, a billiards room, a library, a reading room, and two studies. Harry Boden Photography

The Robertson area, known as the Valley of Wine and Roses, sits in the middle of the route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. Route 62, said to be the longest wine route in the world, winds its way through the town’s jacaranda-lined streets, past quaint Victorian buildings and wonderful gardens. In the surrounding area, there are activities galore, from cruises along the Breede River, olive grove experiences, golf outings, and elegant wine and food tastings. Adventure lovers come here to hike, ride horseback, and experience unspoiled nature.

The main house also has two kitchens, one for intimate family dining, and another for much larger gatherings. There’s also a kitchen at the pool house for entertaining outdoors. Harry Boden Photography

Cape Winelands Estate Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa R75,000,000 ZAR ($5,525,757)

7 bedrooms 9 1/2 baths 1,500-acre private game reserve

Key Features Breathtaking views Game grazing areas State-of-the-art security Pool, garden, and luxurious amenities Remarkable wildlife and nature

Agent Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate Aimee Campbell, franchise owner [phone]

There are three en-suite bedrooms on the upper level of the manor house, which is served by an elevator. The master suite has its own balcony, sitting room, spa bath, and dressing area, as well as a walk-in safe. Harry Boden Photography

Each of the guest bedrooms has an en-suite bathroom with freestanding bath, frameless shower doors, double basins, a pellet-burning stove, and a balcony. Harry Boden Photography

A breezeway that converts to a closed living space joins the two wings of the manor house. This space, like most others in the main house, flows seamlessly into the vivid surrounding landscape, giving a sense of total connectedness with nature. Harry Boden Photography

One of the fascinating design aspects of the property is the way the designers managed to blend starkly contemporary lines and shapes with the free-flowing wildness of the landscape. There’s a harmony of textures and colors that seems surreal. Harry Boden Photography

The barn is dedicated to stores for animal forage, as well as the estate’s sustainability engineering, including a water purification plant, rainwater storage units, a filtration system, backup generator, and the 25KW solar power infrastructure. There are two apartments above for staff. Harry Boden Photography

The 39-foot-long natural pool has a clarifying canal that circulates water over rocks and plants, which means no chemicals are needed. The estate’s gardens are watered with an automated irrigation system, and the five acres of savannah for grazing game even have pop-up irrigation. Harry Boden Photography