I’ll say this about Hiddn in Addo: it’s worth the two-hour drive from the airport in Gqeberha, because it has one of the most gorgeous mountain ranges I’ve ever seen.
The journey into the Eastern Cape’s Addo Elephant National Park begins with familiarity: citrus groves, open plains, and the quiet promise of elephants somewhere beyond sight. But as the road rises into the Zuurberg Mountains – the lesser-known highlands of the greater Addo region – the terrain tightens and deepens. Vegetation thickens. Valleys fall away. The air cools.
Arrival in the Zuurberg Mountains
Perched high above the Witrivier Gorge, the lodge reads less like a structure and more like a series of sculptural shelters emerging from the plateau.
Designed by Millennia Architects under the direction of Dayne Wright and Warwick Renard, the property was conceived as discreet architectural pods forming a protected refuge on an exposed mountain landscape. Because vegetation offers little natural cover, architecture creates its own sense of shelter – a contemporary reinterpretation of forest refuge suspended above the Addo wilderness.
As the architects explain, “The design aimed for the building to blend into the landscape, nearly invisible from the main access route to the lodge. Inspired by unique rock formations on the property, which provide shelter for wildlife, we architecturalised these rock formations, creating villas with stone-clad fin walls that separate different spaces, with liveable areas in between.”
Architecture Shaped by Landscape
The defining gesture is the freeform timber waffle canopy – an abstracted echo of the yellowwood tree canopies deep within the gorge below. Both functional and poetic, it filters harsh mountain light, allows wind to pass through, and supports creepers that soften the structure into the terrain. Over time, each canopy becomes a living micro-ecosystem alive with birdlife, scent, and diffused light.
Eco-design Rooted in Place
Eco-design at Hiddn is embedded rather than applied. Lightweight timber construction minimises ground disturbance and embodied carbon, while locally sourced materials – timber cladding, natural stone, handmade tiles, and sculpted brass – root the buildings in place.
Expansive sliding glazing enables passive heating and cooling while dissolving the boundary between interior and landscape. Off-grid systems for energy, water, and waste allow the lodge to operate independently, reinforcing a philosophy of regenerative hospitality.
The public spaces mirror this language. Arrival, lounge, and dining areas are divided into smaller pavilions linked by open walkways, requiring guests to step outdoors between experiences – a deliberate choreography that keeps nature constantly present. Above the main deck, the sweeping canopy casts patterned shade over the pool terrace, framing vast views toward Addo and the surrounding wilderness.
If the main lodge is about exposure and refuge, the private villas deepen the dialogue. Inspired by rock formations that shelter wildlife across the property, stone-clad fin walls divide living spaces, creating the sensation of inhabiting geological forms rather than constructed rooms. Low profile and green-roofed, the villas are elongated along cliff contours and nearly invisible from approach – architecture shaped by terrain rather than imposed upon it.
Conservation and Landscape
Beyond design, Hiddn’s identity is inseparable from Addo itself – and from the conservation-led philosophy of the Mantis Collection. Founded in South Africa and rooted in nature-based hospitality, Mantis has built its portfolio around properties that connect landscape, community, and regenerative tourism.
Hiddn represents the group’s newest Eastern Cape expression: an off-grid mountain sanctuary set within more than 800 hectares of rewilding Zuurberg terrain adjacent to Addo.
Here, fences have been removed to encourage the natural movement of wildlife and habitat regeneration across a landscape where endemic flora – wild orchids, proteas, cycads, and rare succulents – thrive alongside abundant birdlife.
The lodge’s holistic model of conservation, design, and wellbeing reflects what Mantis describes as a merging of culture, conservation, and considered architecture within one of South Africa’s most remarkable natural environments.
A Sanctuary for Wellness
General Manager Tracy Lancaster captures the spirit of the place succinctly, saying, “This setting is quietly unexpected, an untouched side of Addo that even many locals have yet to discover. Its stillness and natural beauty create an ideal sanctuary for wellness and renewal.”
That philosophy extends into the suites themselves, where private decks are equipped with Kilko soaking tubs – designed for both hot immersion and invigorating cold plunges – allowing guests to engage directly with the mountain air, silence, and surrounding wilderness as part of Hiddn’s holistic wellness experience.
However, wellness at Hiddn is not confined to a spa building but woven through landscape, architecture, and rhythm. Programmes unfold slowly – breath, stillness, and sensory awareness guiding guests toward reconnection rather than escape.
Upon arrival at the lodge, we were offered a foot soak, where we got to choose a stone with a word for our individual intentions for the trip – an experience every guest will have. I chose ‘health’ because that’s my focus this year – healthy mind, body, spirit, and boundaries.
Treatments begin with mindfulness to quiet the mind before physical restoration. I especially enjoyed the sound bath followed by a short meditation before the massage treatment.
Wellness Manager Veliswa Makubalosays, “Hiddn’s wellness programme is about slowing people down in a very real way. It goes beyond the idea of a spa treatment and becomes a journey, one that allows guests to reconnect with themselves, supported by nature, touch, and intention.”
Dining, Art and Community
Dining follows the same intentionality. Menus evolve around seasonal local produce and foraged botanicals, allowing the Eastern Cape’s terroir to shape each dish.
“We source wines from across our winelands, where altitude significantly influences style and flavour. In keeping with our own elevation, climate, and botanicals, we naturally favour wines produced on higher-altitude farms,” says sommelier Princess Mgebisa.
Art is equally integral. Throughout suites and shared spaces, works by local artisans and makers reflect a broader commitment to community-based sourcing. Ceramics, textiles, and sculptural objects are not decorative additions but expressions of regional identity – linking aesthetics with economic support for surrounding communities.
This “Product with Purpose” philosophy runs through every detail, connecting nature, people, and hospitality into a cohesive whole.
Silence Above Addo
At night, with no urban glow to dilute it, the sky unfurls in extraordinary density – constellations mirrored in the still water of the infinity pool.
What struck me was how silent Hiddn is. Perched high up in the mountains, the lodge lies beyond the paths of roaming game. Aside from the occasional mischievous baboons (guests are encouraged to keep windows and doors closed), the silence is profound, providing space to meditate and go within.
It would be remiss for me not to mention the awe-inspiring sunsets. Whether you’re in the shower with a view of the mountains or at the restaurant enjoying a cocktail, the sunsets at Hiddn are spectacular.
Hiddn in Addo does not impose itself upon the wilderness it inhabits; it listens to it. In its merging of eco-design, art, conservation, and holistic wellbeing, it offers a rare model of luxury defined not by excess but by belonging – to land, to community, and to the enduring ecological story of Addo.
Travel Guide: Getting to Hiddn
• Located in the Zuurberg Mountains in the greater Addo region of the Eastern Cape
• Nearest airport: Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
• Approximately a two-hour scenic mountain drive from the airport
• Luxury return road transfers available for guests
• Optional helicopter transfers can be arranged
• Scenic flights may include coastal routes showcasing Addo’s landscapes and marine life
• Helicopter flights are excluded from the fully inclusive rate
