Mhondoro Safari Lodge

Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa is a luxurious, five-star private Safari Lodge and Villa situated within the malaria-free Welgevonden Game Reserve in Limpopo, South Africa.

After a devastating fire in 2013 the whole lodge was rebuilt and completed in 2015, and the interiors decorated in an ‘African Chic’style – an elegant mix of African design and contemporary European design.

The sophisticated, yet child-friendly lodge, is known for its underground waterhole hide, which is connected to the Main Lodge by a tunnel.

This unique feature offers an accessible, safe and one-of-a-kind opportunity to get up close to the animals drinking at the waterhole in front of the lodge. Mhondoro Safari Lodge is the first and only five-star Safari Lodge to offer this exciting and special experience.

Mhondoro Safari Lodge is family friendly, yet is private and exclusive, enabling guests to relax and explore abundant wildlife on guided game drives.

Welgevonden Game Reserve’s strict policy limiting the number of vehicles on the Reserve, enhances the exclusive and peaceful game drives and ensures there will be no interruptions from vehicle traffic.

For those preferring to indulge in blissful relaxation, there is a Spa and Wellness Massage Suite where a team of experienced beauty therapists offer treatments to help you unwind.

Or perhaps a bracing workout at the fully equipped gym will suit those wishing to stay in shape while viewing the animal activity at the waterhole. The heated pool, sauna, bar and lounge areas are available to all guests throughout the day.

Mhondoro Safari Lodge is only a 2-hour 45-minute drive from O.R. Tambo International Airport, making it the perfect safari destination for those coming to South Africa via Johannesburg.

Even faster is travelling by small plane as you’ll arrive in less than an hour and you’ll enjoy the breathtaking experience of flying over the Waterberg and Welgevonden Game Reserve en route.

MHONDORO VILLA
The Mhondoro Villa is a luxurious yet comfortable home-away-from-home, perfectly suited as exclusive family or group accommodation.

The exclusivity of the Mhondoro Villa means that all meals and selected local drinks are included, and it comes with its own private pool, a private gym, spa and yoga room, as well as a private game viewing vehicle with ranger, a private chef, a private butler and housekeeping staff.

The Mhondoro Villa is booked at a fixed price for one to four guests. Additional guests are charged per the specified surcharge per season.

The Mhondoro Villa boasts a magnificent master suite and two additional bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. To accommodate a bigger group, the adjacent Family Suite may also be booked with the villa, accommodating two adults and two children, to dine up to 10 guests in the Villa.

FAMILY DELUXE SUITE
The Family Deluxe Suite accommodates four guests. It has two bedrooms and because of its shared bathroom plus an extra toilet, as well as a dining area and living area, it’s the perfect accommodation for families.

The spacious private viewing deck overlooks the bush. The Family Deluxe Suite is in a separate building, yet with all facilities of the Main Lodge within short walking distance.

POOL SUITE
There are two Luxury Pool Suites at Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa. Both accommodate two guests and each has one bedroom with a bathroom and a private viewing deck overlooking the waterhole and the bush.

The suites now each have a private plunge pool. The buildings are a perfectly secluded hideaway, with all the facilities of the Main Lodge within short walking distance. One of our luxury pool rooms is wheelchair accessible.

HONEYMOON SUITE
The Honeymoon Suite offers a perfect romantic getaway. Accommodating a couple in luxury, the intimate building boasts a spacious bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. Its uniqueness is in its private viewing deck and its own spa pool and daybed overlooking the reserve.

It is located furthest away from the Lodge, providing a very secluded and private feel while making it the perfect spot to raise a glass of champagne and enjoy the uninterrupted view of the wilderness and animals, or to watch the stars at night.

MAIN LODGE
The Main Lodge is the vibrant heart of Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa. The masterfully decorated building boasts an Africa-meets-Europe chic and contemporary design that invites guests of all ages and from all corners of the globe to make themselves at home.

Take the opportunity to savour the memorable cuisine while enjoying award winning local wines, or just relax.

The design and décor is modern and sophisticated, yet comfortable and welcoming, enticing guests to relax on the expansive wooden decks overlooking the waterhole and reserve, or to cuddle up in a cosy corner next to a roaring fireplace.

Other facilities on offer are a gym and an infrared sauna, and a heated salt water pool for year-round swimming. All the facilities are designed to make the most of the magnificent view of the busy waterhole where Welgevonden’s wildlife gathers to take a drink or a bath.

The Main Lodge is also the entry point to an adventurous 65-metre walk through a tunnel leading to an intimate underground waterhole hide.

At ground level, the hide provides the opportunity to get up close, day or night, to the wildlife drinking from the waterhole and presents the ultimate vantage point for photography enthusiasts.

CUISINE
Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa is a culinary destination that caters for ‘foodies’ of all ages. We pride ourselves in offering a healthy food concept with typical African flair. Get a taste of what the continent has to offer and indulge in our modern African cuisine.

Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa distinguishes itself from other safari lodges by its style and quality of food. Everything is home-made and wherepossible, home-grown in our own greenhouse.

All dishes are beautifully plated by our dedicated and experienced chefs who work with a daily-changing menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even the snacks for the game drives are homemade.

Mhondoro is proud to present an award-winning wine list (Diners Club Platinum Wine List Award 2017 & 2018). The temperature controlled wine cellar is stocked with a wide selection of Premium South African wines from all the different wine regions of South Africa, as well as French Champagne.

Wine Tastings are available on request, at an extra cost. We have a temperature-controlled wine cellar in the Main Lodge where we can offer special wine tastings upon request.

SPA & WELLNESS
Adjacent to the Main Lodge is the Spa Suite, which offers a quiet and secluded haven for those seeking inner peace.

Indulge in the moment and let a dedicated spa therapist treat you to a deep tissue massage, a hot stone massage or an aromatherapy treatment. Two massage beds can be placed inside the building or on the private deck, whichever is your preference.

The deck also boasts an outdoor bath, which allows you to immerse your body in milky luxury while enjoying the views overlooking the waterhole. And why not finish your session with a manicure or a pedicure?

We proudly use products from Rain Africa and Elemis Facial who combine indigenous plants and natural ingredients based on recipes used since antiquity by African healers, and which are the heart and soul of the Rain range.

An Infra-Red Sauna is located next to the Main lodge Gym. It is equipped with towels, a shower and a changing room, and is available for guest use at any time, on a complimentary basis. Health benefits include relaxation and aiding detoxification, weight loss, pain relief and it could even lower high blood pressure.

POOLS
Both the Main Lodge and the Mhondoro Villa feature heated salt water pools which, besides offering various health related benefits, have magnificent views of the busy waterhole where Welgevonden’s wildlife gather to drink or take a bath.

The elephants in Welgevonden have also taken a liking to the pools and you could be lucky enough to laze in the pool and watch the elephants come to drink from the pools.

The pool decks are the perfect vantage points to marvel at the breath-taking wilderness scenery with unimpeded sunrises and sunsets over the Waterberg mountains and valleys.

GYM
The Main Lodge and the Mhondoro Villa each feature a fully equipped gym where you can stay in shape while watching the wildlife activity at the waterhole.

A cardio session on the treadmill, an invigorating cycle on the home trainer, a total body workout on the cross trainer, or improve your strength with the weights. Go wild!

CURIO GIFT SHOP
If you’d like to take home a piece of Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa, our collection of African products offers mementos for yourself or souvenirs as gifts, catering to all ages. The Curio Shop stocks traditional African jewellery, luggage and interior design ornaments.

Our collection also includes modern South African design classics like the handcrafted Pichulik jewellery, a bespoke range of handcrafted necklaces and accessories made in Cape Town.

Also for sale is the Rain Africa collection used in our spa treatments and guest bathrooms. Rain products are made from indigenous plants that have been used since antiquity by African healers.

Rain Africa creates handmade bath and body products using natural African ingredients. They are responsibly handmade with love and care for their customers, craftspeople and the environment.

BIG 5
Welgevonden Game Reserve is home to over fifty animal species, including Africa’s world-famous Big 5: African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard and rhinoceros. Our rangers are experts in tracking these magnificent creatures during the early morning or late afternoon game drives.

Sometimes, the Big 5 may even be spotted at the waterhole right in front of the Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa. For the perfect photo opportunity, walk through the 65-metre tunnel to the underground waterhole hide and experience a personal, yet safe encounter with the wildlife drinking or bathing at the waterhole.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Visitors to Mhondoro may expect a warm and temperate climate with three distinct seasons, each offering something unique. Winter runs between May and July. This is the dry season with warm day temperatures of about 23oC, dropping to about 3oC at night and early morning.

This is considered an excellent time of the year for game viewing as the grass is shorter and less dense, and animals may be easier to spot.

During Spring, from August to October, the weather remains dry but with an occasional dramatic thunderstorm, and temperatures are very pleasant, ranging between 27.6 oC during the day and 8.6oC at night. Game viewing remains the same as in the winter season.

The Summer rainy season stretches from November to April when it is hot and humid at around 30oC during the day, with minimum temperatures rarely dropping below 15oC. December and January are the wettest months.

The reserve is green and lush and it’s the best time of year for birdwatching as the summer migrants have arrived. This is also the calving season for many of the antelope species. Expect many heart-warming sights of newborns and mothers feeding their young.

BUSH WALKS
Welgevonden Game Reserve is home to over 50 different animal species, including the Big 5. The diversity of habitats leads to a wide range of wildlife, and crossing the grassy plains you will see an abundance of antelope, from the largest eland to the diminutive duiker.

Big cats like cheetah, lion and leopard are also regularly seen close to where the antelope are. Sightings of rare and unusual species such as brown hyena, aardwolf, pangolin and aardvark are best seen at night.

Over 300 bird species are found on the reserve, including the rare blue crane which breeds in the southern section of the reserve, early in the year. Our rangers will tell you all about the wonders of the wilderness on bush walks as they take you up-close-and-personal with nature.

Taking no chances with your safety, they will guide you on safe encounters with Africa’s renowned Big 5 –lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhino –or with the many other species living within the reserve, such as giraffe, kudu, and warthog.

Or how about looking out for the fascinating so-called ‘Little 5’ that can be found in the reserve too –elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, rhinoceros beetle, buffalo weaver, and ant lion? Guided bush walks provide the perfect opportunity to explore the flora and fauna around the lodge at close quarters.

HONEYMOON SAFARI 
Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa is the perfect destination for newlyweds. What more can you ask for than a few days of safari, fine dining and wellness, in an environment offering a tasteful mix of African chic and contemporary design?

Let us spoil you while you indulge in all that the luxury Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa has to offer. The Main Lodge and Mhondoro Villa can also be booked on an exclusive-use basis for private, tailor-made weddings, accommodating up to 24 guests.

The Honeymoon Suite offers the perfect romantic getaway. Accommodating a couple, the intimate building boasts a spacious bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and both an indoor and an outdoor shower.

Its uniqueness is in its private viewing deck with a heated spa pool and daybed, ideal for game viewing, reading or leisurely afternoon naps.

It is located furthest from the Main Lodge, providing secluded privacy that makes it the perfect spot to raise a glass of champagne and enjoy the uninterrupted view of the animals, or to watch the stars at night.

KIDS PROGRAM
Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa caters for families and is known to be child-friendly. Little travellers can enjoy the swimming pool and the safe, secluded playground with its protective elephant fence, or explore the variety the bush has to offer during a Kiddies bush walk.

The spacious Family Deluxe Suite and the exclusive-use Mhondoro Villa are perfectly equipped to accommodate families. Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa offers a Kiddiesprogramfor young children. It also includes a welcome pack with a children’s activity and workbook.

Kiddies activities include insect walks, animal track moulding with plaster of paris, track and sign ID, clay animal sculpture making and star gazing. Cookie baking & decorating with the pastry chef is available at an extra charge, as well as archery for older children (R 150 / € 9 * per person).

Regret children under 6 years of age may not be accommodated on scheduled game drives when other guests are joining. Bumble game drives may be arranged for families with small children at a rate of R 600 / € 37 * per bumble drive, subject to the availability of a vehicle and a ranger at the time.

The drives are tailored to cater to our smaller visitors and can vary in duration, to include child appropriate facts and sightings. The Family Deluxe Suite accommodates four guests and it has two bedrooms and a shared bathroom plus an extra toilet, lounge and dining area.

It is the perfect accommodation for families especially with it’s spacious, private viewing deck overlooking the waterhole. The Family Deluxe Suite is in a separate building, yet all the facilities of the Main Lodge are within short walking distance.

The Mhondoro Villa is also perfectly suited for exclusive family or small group bookings where every desire has been anticipated.

The exclusivity of the Mhondoro Villa means that all meals and selected local drinks are included, and it comes with its own private pool, a private gym, spa and yoga room, as well as a private game viewing vehicle with ranger, a private chef, a private butler and housekeeping staff.

The Mhondoro Villa accommodates six in stylish comfort. It boasts a magnificent master suite and two additional bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms.

To accommodate a bigger group, the adjacent Family Suite may also be booked with the villa, accommodating two adults and two children, to dine up to 10 guests in the Villa.

RHINO TRACKING
While accompanied by your experienced Ranger, you’ll embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience in search of the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum); a highly endangered species that is protected within the Welgevonden Game Reserve.

Due to the varied terrain, rhinos can be tracked on foot and observed in their natural habitat. The male white rhino weighs in at more than 2,000 kg. As grazers they are perfectly at home in the beautiful valleys and plateaus of the Reserve.

Our rhino population is in excellent health and in good numbers with a few youngsters born each year. There is an excellent chance of seeing a “crash” of rhino, which is the collective noun for these large pachyderms. You may even catch a glimpse of a juvenile or a new-born still learning the ropes from its mother.

Rhinos are highly persecuted and poached for their horns. As a rhino sanctuary, Welgevonden is proud of its world-class anti-poaching programme, designed to ensure that our rhinos are protected and remain as safe as possible.

During this unique excursion, you will learn more about the current and historical status of these ancient animals. Your ranger will also share educational details relevant to the species’ protection status, its physiology and behaviour.

ROCK ART EXCURSION
South African rock art is a precious historical asset. At Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa we are proud to offer a guided excursion to the two rock art sites located within Welgevonden Game Reserve.

Both sites, named Onverwacht and Vanderwaltsdrift, contain layers of San Bushman ‘fine-line’ paintings, as well as later finger-painted images. The images date back hundreds of years, with the oldest paintings likely to be thousands of years old.

It is suggested that the San moved around the Waterberg around 2500 years ago, followed later by the arrival of Bantu speaking tribes from West Africa, arriving to trade with their cattle and sheep, as well as grains.

Participants in the interpretive rock art excursion are accompanied by a qualified armed guide from Mhondoro, and will be required to walk about 500m to the rock art sites.

Guests will view both rock art sites and learn more about the artists, the state of trance, why the paintings are painted in the different ways, and much more.

The rock art excursion is included in the accommodation rate at Mhondoro as an optional part of the safari game drives. It may also be booked by day visitors by prior arrangement (subject to availability), including a bush picnic with cold drinks and house wine.

SAFARIS
The rich and varied Waterberg region offers a diverse variety of unspoiled habitats. More than 50 mammals, 300 bird species and 2,000 plant species can be found within these habitats. The savannah areas of the Waterberg consist of rolling grasslands and a semi-deciduous forest.

The mammal population in Welgevonden Game Reserve, situated within the Waterberg region, boasts all of Africa’s renowned Big 5, as well as cheetah, giraffe, crocodile, hippo, brown hyena, honey badger and a whole lot more.

Welgevonden Game Reserve also contains the world’s biggest concentration of the highly endangered white rhino on private land.

The Reserve’s renowned anti-poaching unit has ensured that not one of these gargantuan grazers have ever been lost to poaching – which is an incredible feat on a continent where the practice is endemic.

The wildlife and wilderness habitats make Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa perfect for safari game drives. Our private rangers are professional and knowledgeable and can tell you everything about the flora and fauna of the African bush.

Their love of the wilderness is contagious and their anecdotes are plentiful, informative and thoroughly riveting. Game drives take place in the early morning, before breakfast, or in the late afternoon after tea.

During the morning game drives your ranger will choose a pleasant spot for a refreshing cup of coffee or tea and pre-breakfast nibbles. On the afternoon or evening game drives, you can toast the magical bush sunsets with a sundowner accompanied by snacks.

You might find yourself magically atop a mountain ridge, amazed at the majestic beauty of the African landscape, while holding a glass of South African wine or a gin & tonic in one hand, and a typical African snack, like biltong (a local version of beef jerky), in the other.

Our rangers will take you on adventures in their 4×4 game viewing vehicles, giving you the perfect opportunity to spot the Big 5 – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino – or at other times, to track the Little 5 – elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, rhinoceros beetle, buffalo weaver and ant lion.

You may also encounter giraffe, kudu, warthog or large herds of zebra and antelope along the way, to name just a few of the many species found around the lodge.

STARGAZING
For many, just being on safari in Africa is a romantic experience in itself. The opportunity to be in the wild, absorbing the atmosphere and breathing in the pristine natural air is glorious on its own.

Adding in our star deck to this experience, as an exceptional vantage point to gaze up at the vast Africa night sky, will take romance to a whole new level.

As your own private viewing deck of the infinite constellations, with very little light pollution in the area, you can look up into the Milky Way from where, on a clear night, you should be able to see about 2,500 stars.

You will be able to spot the Southern Cross constellation with its two stars of Alpha and Beta Centauri, often referred to as the ‘pointers’ to help stargazers locate the asterism of the Southern Cross.

The elevated wooden star deck has custom-made seating, with seatbacks angled at 45 degrees to allow for comfortable star-spotting. Our high-powered telescope is linked to a sophisticated computer programme that enhances a thrillingly detailed search of the cosmos.

WATERHOLE HIDE
Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa offers the unique opportunity to have an eye-to-eye encounter with wildlife from an underground waterhole hide. The hide is connected to the Main Lodge through a 65-metre reinforced concrete tunnel.

This makes Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa the first and only luxury lodge in South Africa to offer close up, intimate encounters with wildlife while within a safe structure.

Seize the moment without having to wait for a ranger or a scheduled game drive – just walk down the tunnel when you see animals approaching the waterhole.

Being in the hide is as if you are amongst the wildlife, yet in a completely safe environment and without disturbing them. It is a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity!

Amongst many other animal species such as baboons and warthogs, elephants are regular visitors to the waterhole and you have the rare opportunity to observe these fascinating giants of the bush at close range and at your leisure.

WELLNESS RETREATS
Without even noticing, everyone is taking toxins into their body, either through chemicals sprayed on food, through additives in our food, through cosmetics, air pollution or medicines. Stress also acidifies the body and as more toxins are entering it than it can handle, they end up getting stored by the body.

This manifests in all kinds of symptoms such as fatigue and digestive problems. Having been built to dispose of waste by itself, but no longer able to do so effectively due to the amount of polluted substances being consumed, our bodies can definitely use some help to regain their natural balance.

With our Yoga & Wellness Retreats, you can help your body to function optimally again and to gain more energy as you take the time to thoroughly cleanse your body by using juices that are specially formulated, organic and packed with vitamins and minerals.

THE YOGA & WELLNESS PROGRAMME

To get the maximum health benefit from juice fasting, we recommend a special diet three days before starting the fasting programme. In those three days, the diet advice will be ‘no sugar, meat, coffee and alcohol’, and smaller portions will give you a better start to the yoga & wellness programme.

After the three fasting days, we recommend three days of building back up to a normal diet. Again, we advise the same diet recommendations as the first 3 days before fasting.

By following this regimen, your body will take most benefit from the yoga & wellness programme. Besides the three juice fasting days there is also a choice for healthy food.

Website: www.mhondoro.com

Rooms: 5

Price: from 912 EUR per night