BBC Lifestyle’s Hidden Gems South Africa competition has found its first winner: the Stargazing Cube at the Misty Mountain Reserve in Tsitsikamma, a modern transparent structure nestled along the Garden Route that features a king-sized bed sliding onto a private deck for an immersive outdoor experience.
The format, produced by PD Productions for BBC Lifestyle, tasked six local travel influencers, each designated a “Gemfluencer,” with visiting two undiscovered destinations apiece while audiences voted weekly throughout the series. The final episode revealed the top five destinations as determined by that viewer voting.
Tebogo Pin-Pin, the Gemfluencer who presented the Stargazing Cube, took the top prize: a R25,000 voucher from series sponsor LekkeSlaap. Pin-Pin described the result as something larger than a competition win. “Winning the first season of Hidden Gems South Africa on BBC Lifestyle is an incredible honour that means much more to me than simply taking home a title,” she said. “It honours authentic travel storytelling and recognises the remarkable people and places that make South Africa so unique.”
Greg Potter, who owns the Stargazing Cube alongside his wife and co-owner Tracey, framed the recognition as a team achievement. “This award is about the people behind the journey; to Tracey and our incredible team, management and to the community, it all played a part,” Potter said. “It shows that dedication, resilience and believing in Tsitsikamma can create something truly special and nationally recognised.” The win, he added, proved “that a world class experience can come from a small corner of South Africa.”
Meanwhile, LekkeSlaap distributed R10,000 vouchers weekly to viewers who voted for their favourite destinations during the run, with a top public prize of R25,000 also on offer.
The remaining four destinations in the top five spanned the country’s geography. Linda Munnik, a hiking and travel content creator, presented Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway in second place, a mountain retreat set among vineyards and wine farms with a crystal-clear river pool and trails for hiking, mountain biking and trout fishing.
Kruger Shalati claimed third. Travel and lifestyle creator Senzelwe Mthembu presented the luxury stay, which consists of train carriages stationed on the Selati Bridge spanning the Sabie River, with views directly over Kruger National Park.
Cape Town-based filmmaker and photographer Melissa Blanche placed two destinations in the top five. Mont Esprit, a 10-minute drive from Franschhoek, secured fourth with its eco-pod retreat in the Franschhoek Valley. Her second entry, Kagga Kamma Eco Lodge and Spa in the Cederberg region, placed fifth, known for its cave-style suites and dramatic rock formations.
The series was produced in association with Toyota and remains available on DStv Stream until September 8th. Whether a second season follows, and which corners of South Africa it uncovers, is the question the format now leaves open.