Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa

WOW. Mhondoro truly has our hearts! From the minute we arrived at the main gate of Welgevonden Game Reserve and were welcomed with drinks and snacks to the morning we left where we watched the rhinos at sunrise everything was perfect. I had read many reviews and you often can't believe how incredible a place is but even then it managed to surpass all of my high expectations. From all of the places I have stayed so far in the world this experience has beaten them all! The staff are the friendliest we have ever met and I think it helps having such an intimate boutique lodge (only a maximum of 24 guests at any time - there were only 10 during our stay) because you really have a personable experience. They can not do enough for you and always greeted us with smiles and happiness. The food was incredible! Each day we enjoyed a fresh continental breakfast as well as wonderful hot options. Dinner is always 3 course a la carte except for the special Boma evening around the fire where we enjoyed a traditional South African BBQ with dancing which was great. Our favourite meal had to be the lunches though. Every day between the two game drives we experienced gorgeous homemade soup and bread, followed by a meat/fish platter with salads. Plus you get pudding. And who doesn't love pudding twice a day?! We stayed in the honeymoon suite and loved the privacy of our terrace with a large plunge pool and outdoor day bed where we could watch the zebra and impala coming down to the watering hole. The rooms are beautiful and spacious with unique outdoor showers. Plus there is a pillow menu for ultimate comfort. Our favourite thing from the minibar was the Rooiboos iced tea! We miss it! We spent some time down at the main lodge pool too which was magnificent overlooking the watering hole. There is something very surreal about being in the water enjoying a glass of wine and admiring the wilderbeest and warthogs snoozing in the sun. If you are very lucky the pool ellie may come to join too! We saw two pool ellies in our time there which is so special. Also, we went in June for 4 days and the weather was glorious. Don't let anyone tell you winter in SA is not worth it because although we had cold mornings and evenings the winter sun between 10am and 6pm was stunning! Then the game drives. Well the safari honestly changed our lives. You see the animals going about their daily lives and suddenly everything at home seems so insignificant, all the daily worries we have. Nothing matters to the animals in the bush and to be so engrossed in nature was just the eye-opener we needed to escape from our corporate life at home. Welgevonden is home to the Big 5 and we were lucky to see 4/5 of them (the leopards are very elusive!). There are rhinos in abundance and we saw these every day without fail which I loved. We had multiple experiences with elephants and lions and even a couple of cheetah sightings. Every game drive had a stop with either ranger coffee in the AM or a glass

This place is heaven on earth! The location,the view with the animals,the game drives,the people on the resort,the foooood!!!! It was an amazing experiance I will never ever forget! Timmy and Isaac was wonderful and so kind,pauline gave the best massage ever and Biggie was the best ranger we could have. I miss the place so much!!!

OMG where do I start. First and foremost the staff and level of customer service is incredible. Simply incredible. They would help you instantly with almost any request and would go above and beyond to make sure your stay is exceptional. The location is also great with plenty of animals around, both on the game drives and even their own hide. Sometimes you would see an elephant or a wildebeest coming close to the hotel(warthogs are a daily occurrence). Spa treatments are very relaxing and sweet as well. Honestly have never felt this welcome for a while. Can’t recommend enough.

I just returned from a 4-day visit in April and have spent the past week dealing with a severe case of post-holiday blues. This location is just incredible! It was my first journey to South Africa and my first-ever safari adventure. To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about the whole safari thing and came as a 40th birthday treat for myself and a couple of friends, to push myself beyond my known boundaries since I've had a lifelong fear of animals. All I can say is that it turned out to be the most memorable and best experience I've ever had, and I'm already planning a repeat visit. The lodge was fantastic, the staff made us feel like we were part of their family, and the food was absolutely delicious! The drives were the highlight of the trip, made even more enjoyable by our amazing guides (a special shout out to Michael for keeping us informed and entertained throughout). I would also highly recommend a visit to the spa while you're there - their massages are the best and come with amazing views. Don't hesitate to book this place... you can thank me later. A big thank you to Mhondoro... what an adventure... can't wait to see you guys again soon!