Page 29 - Waterfall City MarApr Issue 2026

OUR EPIC

FAMILY

ESCAPE

Rediscovering Sun City

By Nicky McArthur
T he last time I set foot in Sun City was for a

Black-Eyed Peas concert; the time before that,
it was for those fun school summer parties
where a bus from Sandton whisked us away to
the Valley of Waves. Even further back, in December
1992, I was lucky to be at the grand opening of the
five-star Palace of the Lost City, which came complete
with a dazzling light show by Jean-Michel Jarre.

Fast-forward to the present day and a chance to revisit
Sun City presented itself. Still, my busy life in Gauteng had
led me to think Sun City was a distant dream – but after a
surprisingly shortish two-hour, 20-minute drive, we arrived.
Thanks to the Sun Vacation Club Friday-to-Friday timeshare
option, the drive proved to be worth every kilometre.

So, what did I discover after such a long absence? Sun City
is still utterly fabulous!

That familiar “wow” factor hit us all as we drove in, spotting
the iconic turrets of The Palace peeking out. The resort
itself has grown exponentially: it now boasts The Cascades;
The Palace of the Lost City; The Cabanas; Sun City Hotel;
and the Sun Vacation Club, their fantastic timeshare
offering.

Our home for the next few days was The Reserve, a
beloved cornerstone of the Sun City holiday experience.
This self-catering haven, initially established in 1996, has
undergone a massive R210-million refurbishment. The
revamp follows the overwhelming success of Lefika Villas,
which introduced the upmarket self-catering model.

Nestled amongst indigenous acacia and leopard trees,
The Reserve has always felt a step closer to the wilderness.
Now, thanks to a reimagined design by Blacksmith Interior
Inspiration, the interiors actively encourage “escapism into
the African wild”.

Ryan Ilgner, director of Blacksmith, explains the company’s

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