Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / South Africa / Waterberg / Leobo Private Reserve
Leobo Private Reserve
Waterberg, Limpopo, South Africa · Independent · Core Luxury
The Observatory at Leobo is an exclusive-use Waterberg villa by architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, built around a research-grade copper dome that houses a 20-inch Corrected Dall-Kirkham telescope and an 8-inch Hydrogen Alpha solar scope. Four bedrooms sleep six adults and four children on a private malaria-free reserve of about 8,000 hectares overlooking the Palala Valley, with a chef, butler, helipad, and no 5 a.m. game-drive clock.
- 12 rooms
- Opened 2000
- Neighborhood: Modimolle Ward 2
- Architect: Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens
About Leobo Private Reserve
- Architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens designed the Observatory villa; the automated copper dome is reached by a spiral staircase from the library.
- The 20-inch Corrected Dall-Kirkham and 8-inch Hydrogen Alpha telescopes sit under skies rated to Magnitude 7.4, among the darkest private viewing sites in southern Africa.
- The house is sold only as exclusive use: two master suites, one guest suite, and a children's bunk room on roughly 8,000 hectares (about 20,000 acres).
- A helicopter is part of the stay, used for hippo-deck sunsets and other reserve activities that skip the usual safari timetable.
History
Leobo Private Reserve is an exclusive-use property in South Africa's Waterberg (Limpopo), malaria-free, overlooking the Palala Valley. Its headline house, the Observatory, was designed by Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens around a research-grade astronomical dome with a 20-inch Corrected Dall-Kirkham telescope and an 8-inch Hydrogen Alpha solar scope. The four-bedroom villa sleeps six adults and four children and is staffed with a chef and butler; the reserve covers about 8,000 hectares.
Experiences
- Private Helicopter — Listed among the unique highlights of the reserve.
- Heli Paintballing — Listed among the unique highlights of the reserve.
- Infinity Pool — Listed among the unique highlights of the reserve.
- Sunset Jacuzzi Deck — Listed among the unique highlights of the reserve.
- Cave Paintings — Listed among the unique highlights of the reserve.
- Hippo Skeleton — Listed among the unique highlights of the reserve.
Amenities
- Angus Taylor Sculpture
- Cave Paintings
- Heli Paintballing
- Hippo Skeleton
- Infinity Pool
- Private Helicopter
- Research Grade Telescope
- Sunset Jacuzzi Deck
- The Dome
- The Observatory
Open Leobo Private Reserve in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.