EXPERIENCES

SUNKEN PHOTOGRAPHIC HIDE

You’ll never know which of nature’s creatures will be performing.

A 35-metre underground tunnel leads into our specifically designed sunken wilderness theatre. With no rehearsals for the show, you’ll never know which of nature’s creatures will be performing at any given time. Sitting eye level with a watering hole, means you will have the privilege of extraordinary images playing out before you, be it birds, rhino, giraffe, warthog or one of the many antelope that grace our plains. This is the perfect setting for amateur and professional photographers looking to capture the coveted ‘wow’ factor. No matter the weather, be it in the heat of the day or during a rainfall, game viewing will be available to you. And there will be no anxiety over the safety of your photographic equipment.

A pale grey hawk with long orange legs perched on a bare branch

A warthog crossing a ridge past a windblown bare tree, under a blue sky

Two white rhino at the water's edge, seen at eye level with their reflections in the still water

A herd of zebra drinking at the waterhole, mirrored in the still surface

Two white rhino drinking at the waterhole beneath a bright, cloud-filled sky

The view from inside the sunken hide, a photographer in silhouette with white rhino beyond the opening

Aerial view of the lodge lawns and swimming pool looking across to the waterhole

A giraffe at the water's edge at dusk, reflected against an orange and deep blue sky

A white rhino drinking beside a tree at the waterhole in warm afternoon light

A photographer with a long lens inside the hide, framed against a white rhino at the water's edge

Step down into the heart of our reserve, accessed through a 35-metre underground tunnel, emerging at a watering hole surrounded by wildlife, including rhino, giraffe, zebra, sable, and many bird species.

Two white rhino grazing on Founders Reserve with a giraffe walking behind them, rolling Eastern Cape hills beyond. — White rhino and giraffe on Founders Reserve, among the species that come down to the waterhole.

Designed by wildlife photographer Nelis Wolmarans, the sunken hide puts you at the water’s edge, unseen. Set among the Eastern Cape’s diverse ecosystems, It offers close, quiet viewing at eye level.

What makes the water-level hide at Founders Lodge very special is the natural setting and the clean backdrop, which automatically makes the subject the centre focus of your image and the viewer is not forced into a game of Finding Waldo.