Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa

What can I say! Having just left a four nights stay at this beautiful location. I’m not sure life will ever be the same again! The location, the staff, the facilities, the lodges, the food, the welcome, the choir, the activities, the animals & the protection of this beautiful game reserve, along with the locals, the decor and the luxuriousness of it all, it was phenomenal. From starting at the farm on the edge of the reserve with a fabulous welcome from the staff and pair of giraffes & goats in gorgeous surroundings. A beautiful lunch of handmade springbok pastries and raw homegrown vegetables with delicious dips and tasty wine to the journey through the game reserve to the lodges and spotting hippos along the way. Welcomed at our villa by no less than 10 of the team singing. We stayed in the three bedroom villa and nothing has ever compared to this accommodation. I will post some photos but none of this will do it justice. I could waffle on forever about the game drives that Zon took us on, rushing to experience the incredibly rare black rhinos, experiencing male elephants many times, eating lunch on a plain as an elephant crossed the path of rhinos, zebras and wildebeest, or the champagne we drank at the top of the hill as the sun was setting, all the many many close encounters we had with different prides of lionesses’s & the stalking we witnessed or the 19 strong elephant herd that walked past us with the baby and up the hill. None of which would’ve been possible without the fabulous guide, Zon. Every single part of our day was taken care of and customised to us. The fabulous team at the villa kept the place immaculate, washed and folded all our clothes, served us the most delicious food (huge thank you Chef Tenby) all lead by our wonderful butler (and so much more) David. From running the kids over to the main lodge watering hole (via tunnel) to witness animals, or taking them to the shop or finding a tooth brush charger we forgot to bring - to the double birthday cakes and balloons for our birthdays. Every single little detail was taken care of. The special South African BBQ was magical, just go with it! I could literally keep writing forever but make sure you don’t forget to have a spa treatment as the girls were amazing and have the kids go out with the guides to make plaster moulds of the animal footprint, a priceless experience.

There will always be nice facilities, but what sets the best apart from the rest is its people. From the team who took care of us at home (David, Chef T, and the list goes on) to the man who showed us his playground (Hein) to Andri (who would check on us regularly if we were OK) - we were never short of care and attention. They paid so much attention to detail to making our stay a memorable one, that next year we will be going back again and bringing more family with us! THEY MADE MHONDORO FEEL LIKE OUR HOME. Despite coming off a 5-star train ride, we were mesmerised when we saw the Mhondoro setup. The villa was amazing - very clear that the owners had invested significantly to bring an exquisite experience to their guests. I don’t know how to explain what we experienced and saw, so I hope the pictures do a better job!

We had an unforgettable stay at Mhondoro Safari Lodge. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm, personal and thoughtful - especially regarding our severe food allergies, which were handled with care and professionalism. The accommodation was stunning, with luxurious touches and a private plunge pool overlooking wildlife at the waterhole. Safaris were a highlight, expertly guided by Tish, and included incredible sightings - from a leopard on our first morning to close encounters with lions, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and more, and managing to see the big 5! Dining was delicious and safe with the head chef Patrick personally tailoring our meals for us daily. The lodge offers magical moments - like elephants drinking from the pool at sunset or watching wildlife from the underground hide. Every detail was perfect. We left with full hearts and lifelong memories. Can't recommend Mhondoro highly enough and hope we can return in the future!

What an experience! All I can say is WOW! Besides seeing all of the animals (Big 5) on the bush drives, the entire experience was absolutely outstanding. The staff, the facilities, the attentiveness, the food, the game drives.... everything was phenomenal. Thank you for this experience.

Everything from start to finish was incredible. The staff was super friendly and helpful, the food was beautiful and tasted amazing, the lodge is stunning and the game drives were so much fun and informative. Thank you René, Jaces, Althi, Zaan, Patrick and everyone involved! It was an experience we will never forget.

We had three wonderful days at Mhondoro! Tish - an amazing ranger - took care of us during our stay. And what shall I say?! She was THE best ranger I ever met. Amazing knowledge, great eye for photography, calm and personal. I've been on quite a few safaris in my life but that one was beyond. Tish has such a connection with the animals. We had some outstanding moments there. In addition the service was also great, everyone was so courteous and friendly. Food was also really amazing, the view, the reserve. All in all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️