The love affair began when he arrived in Nairobi at just six-weeks old. He’s since lived in Kenya twice and in Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. ‘Every time I came to visit my parents in Cape Town, I would look for houses. And then, lo and behold, along came no 7, literally next door to houses I’d looked at previously. It was designed by an Italian architect from SAOTA at exactly the right angle… and clearly a labour of love.’
‘We’ve turned Dawn Villa into Villa Kilimani, which is something of a homage to my time in Africa. And to Kilimanjaro. It’s from the Swahili word meaning ‘of the mountain’, just as Constantia’s Bel Ombre means ‘beautiful shadow’ or ‘shadow of the mountain’.
Villa Kilimani’s intuitive architectural design is seamless with nature and the mountain, welcoming in our healing African sunlight through its glass-lined exterior. Secluded reclining spaces and living areas are enveloped almost entirely by expansive views of rolling lawns, forests and the mountain, while series of courtyards shaded with lush foliage and a soothing water feature link the gym, wine cellar, TV lounge and study. Diffused light permeates every space.
Upstairs, four en-suite bedrooms are havens of peace, each one overlooking the magnificent garden, landscaped to perfection and filled with birdlife. The result is a profound sense of calm that nurtures stillness and balance, This is where the feeling of privacy, of renewed energy and of time that suddenly ceases to move forward allows you to relax completely.
The true essence of Villa Kilimani
Villa Kilimani’s team loves to line up activities – enough to keep you busy yet blissfully relaxed in between – whether its horse riding or mountain biking through the nearby green belt or walking the nature trail to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens via a little-known route directly from the villa. You’ll join local dog walkers and cyclists and experience Cape Town like an insider. Afterwards, savour lunch at a sublime restaurant or go wine tasting for the day.
Or simply stay here … enjoy a game of padel in the garden while the kids discover the trampoline or the joys of whizzing through a canopy of trees on the long zip line. Settle into deeply comfortable loungers around the pool while long-tailed sugar birds and butterflies flit through the fynbos. Ever-changing mountain views will mesmerise. Or spa and siesta, the choice is yours. And how about a gentle game of boules with sundowners?
The true essence of Villa Kilimani is about immersing yourself in a space that offers perspective, grounding and a sense of peace – a glamorous yet cocooning retreat from global lives lived fast and competitively all year. It’s about doing yoga or Pilates on the lawn as the sun rises, lighting up the peaks. It’s about allowing the mountain and the air redolent with the rich scent of fynbos to work its gentle magic. About being truly revitalised and feeling the energy here in this special corner of the Cape.
‘As Leonardo de Caprio said, “Once you have touched Africa, it stays with you forever.” I believe that too, says the owner.’
Written by Michelle Snaddon