Mantis Hiddn in Addo

EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

Mantis Hiddn in Addo

Wellness Retreat

Since SEPTEMBER 2026

Hiddn in Addo is not your typical luxury safari lodge. For one, it’s as hidden as its name suggests, perched 620 metres up a mountain plateau in the Zuurberg mountain range, with no other human life for miles in every direction, just glorious wilderness.

Where the Eastern Cape's busier safari circuits put wildlife sightings first, Hiddn offers an intentional alternative: a complete and luxurious immersion in nature through wellness. The lodge sits on the edge of Addo Elephant National Park, the world's only Big Seven reserve, so the game is there for guests who want it. However, the activities are designed to put guests in harmony with their environment, whether that's a guided walk, a sound healing session, or simply the view from the mountain, with nothing between you and it.

The 880-hectare property borders Addo National Park directly, and 330 kilometres of old fence line along its boundary have already been dropped, opening a corridor for wildlife to move freely between the two. Fourteen suites and villas, solar-powered and off-grid, sit lightly on land that was, until recently, fenced off from the park it now flows into.

Mantis Hiddn in Addo - Room Balcony with Hot Tub.webp

Hiddn in Addo 4C Commitments

CONSERVATION

Protecting 800 hectares of private wilderness, conserving indigenous vegetation, wildlife habitats and the natural biodiversity of the Addo landscape.

Low-impact, sustainable operations: Hiddn is off-grid and solar-powered, with a focus on responsible resource use and preserving the environment for future generations.

COMMUNITY

Creating local employment and skills development, providing meaningful opportunities for people from the surrounding Eastern Cape communities and supporting long-term career growth in hospitality and tourism.

Supporting local culture and community enterprise, celebrating AmaXhosa heritage and traditions while creating opportunities for local suppliers, artisans and community-led initiatives to benefit from tourism.

CULTURE

Creating authentic opportunities for guests to connect with local traditions, stories, rituals and cultural practices.

Honouring a sense of place, weaving the landscape, indigenous knowledge, local craftsmanship, food and meaningful experiences into the Hiddn journey.

COMMERCE

Driving local economic impact, creating a sustainable tourism ecosystem that supports local employment, suppliers, producers and service providers across the Eastern Cape.

Attracting high-value travellers who experience the local culture and contribute to the long-term growth of the region's tourism economy.

Hiddn in Addo Highlights

The landscape surrounding the retreat encourages a slower pace. Whether guests arrive for a romantic escape, a wellness reset, a family celebration, or a milestone journey, the location naturally supports reconnection, both with the environment and with oneself.
The lodge is built from locally sourced, low-carbon materials, entirely off-grid and solar-powered, with a reverse osmosis plant supplying all its water on site.
Food and beverage is an extension of wellness, storytelling, and place. Menus are guided by seasonality, freshness, and local inspiration, with a strong emphasis on quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation.
Guided walking safaris with the retreat’s on-site guides takes guests through the woods past rivers, waterfalls and caves, birdwatching, barbecues on nearby peaks and other surprises.