Mhondoro - The Next BIG Thing
If you’re not selling Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villla in Welgevonden Private Game Reserve you should be.
I had the opportunity to visit Mhondoro, KAI’s newest client, for two nights at the end of August and I cannot remember the last time that I’ve been as excited to work with a property. The quality of the accommodation, service, F&B, and amenities are on par with the finest properties in South Africa and the game viewing in Welgevonden is exceptional.
The overall experience offered is incredible and rates start at just R5,000 (+/- US$330) per person per night – that is fully inclusive rack rate! The value in this property makes it a must sell for any Africa specialist.
Getting There
Welgevonden Private Game Reserve is located in Limpopo Province in a region known as the Waterberg. The Big 5 reserve is very easy to access – only about 2 ½ hours by car from OR Tambo International Airport (about 3 hours from Johannesburg and suburbs). It’s an easy drive via nice paved highway that passes through the small cities of Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) & Vaalwater before reaching the gate to enter the reserve. There are plenty of places to stop for restrooms, coffee, snacks, etc. along the way.
The transfer can be booked by your preferred DMC or directly with Mhondoro. If booking with Mhondoro they use a very comfortable Mercedes SUV and the cost is R4,000 (about $275) per vehicle each way – that’s for 1-4 pax.
This compares VERY favorably in both cost and total travel time when compared to other national parks and game reserves in South Africa.
Flights can also be booked (+/-45 minutes from JNB) on a charter basis to the Western Airstrip (about 10 minutes from the lodge), but they are quite expensive.
Once you arrive at the gate you are greeted by your Mhondoro guide and vehicle and move from transfer vehicle to safari vehicle. They have a great set up with snacks, gin & tonic, beers and soft drinks before heading for camp.
Welgevonden Game Reserve
This was not my first time visiting Welgevonden - I visited a couple of properties in the reserve about 6 years ago and my memory of the area was that it offered the most beautiful landscape for viewing game anywhere in South Africa. This trip further reinforced that belief – the reserves aesthetic is stunning!
The diversity of landscapes is magical – Welgevonden boasts stunning mountain ranges, sweeping plains, flowing rivers, water holes and normal bush.
People that know of Welgevonden often associate it with two negative characteristics – there’s not much game and there’s too many camps/lodges & vehicles. I am thrilled to dispel both notions! I must admit that when I visited years ago game was scarce, however the animal population of all species are now thriving! There are over 50 mammal and 300+ bird species in the reserve. We saw 4 of the big 5 during our two day stay and the quality of the sightings were incredible (we did not see leopard, however the other Mhondoro vehicle that went out did have a great leopard sighting one morning). Lion sightings are regular (our guide Ivan said that he’s only had one couple not see lion during a 2 night stay); elephants, giraffe, antelope and other plains game are plentiful; the rhino population is incredibly strong and white rhinos are seen daily; and they have a very healthy and active cheetah population. Welgevonden is also home to rarer species such as brown hyena and aardvark.
During my stay at Mhondoro I also saw my first successful hunt! We watched a female cheetah running at full speed take down a bleisbok and then her 4 cubs joined her for breakfast. Amazing!
One of the best facts about Welgevonden is that there has never been an incident of poaching in the reserve (touch wood)! Thanks to their massive efforts to prevent poaching the game is not skittish at all.
The Reserve is massive – covering 36,000 hectares (almost 90,000 acres) – and only has 20 lodges that are sold commercially (there are also a number of privately owned lodges). Each lodge has only 4 – 6 suites, Mhondoro being the largest with 6 suites & a 3 bedroom villa.
This compares favorably with other popular South African Private Game Reserves such as the Sabi Sands (approx 30 lodges in 65,000 hectares) and Madikwe (about 25 lodges in 68,000 hectares). These reserves have a greater area on which to traverse but also a much higher number of vehicles out on game drive at any given time.
Since Welgevonden is a Private Reserve guests are able to do walking safaris (highly recommended) as well as night drives, however vehicles are not permitted to off-road. This seemed like a bummer at first but really did not negatively impact our game viewing.
Mhondoro puts no more than 6 guests in a vehicle, and in the reserve sightings are limited to a maximum of 4 vehicles at any time. There is a shared radio channel for the rangers to call in sightings – Mhondoro also has its own private channel for their guides to communicate. The private lodges are mostly vacant during the week, keeping the total number of people and vehicles low. When the owners of the private lodges come to Welgevonden on weekends our team of guides visits different parts of the reserve to keep away from any ‘crowds’.
One final and important selling point – Welgevonden Private Game Reserve is MALARIA FREE!
Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa
ACCOMMODATION
The suites at Mhondoro are spacious and well appointed. There are 7 units in total:
3 x one bedroom (2 pax) suites (50 sq. m), one of which is the honeymoon suite - the most private of the three and it has a heated plunge pool.
3 x two bedroom (4 pax) suites (90 - 100 sq. m) - 2 of them share a bathroom so they are very much family units, but there is a 2 bedroom Executive Suite in which each bedroom has en-suite bathroom so this would be ideal for two couples traveling together.
All suites at Mhondoro have a private deck with furniture offering views into the reserve and at least a partial view of the water hole; air conditioning; fireplace; minibar, tea & coffee station; outdoor showers; and a safe.
1 x three bedroom villa (up to 6 pax) - this 541 sq. m. villa is without question the finest villa I’ve ever seen at a safari lodge. The master bedroom is spectacular and the two en-suite deluxe rooms are also incredibly comfortable. The lounge and kitchen are stunning and the outdoor space, inclusive of a private heated swimming pool, is well decorated and inviting. The villa even has its own gym, yoga room, and spa.
Villa bookings include a private chef, a butler, and a private vehicle and guide.
TEAM
Anyone working in the safari industry knows that a superb staff is essential to making a good property a great one. The staff at Mhondoro is truly special. The management couple, Fritz & Ronel are warm and sweet, setting the tone for the balance of the team. Everyone working at Mhondoro has a smile on their face at all times, and not only is nothing too much trouble but they are great at anticipating what you might want/need. The overall staff/guest ratio is 1:1 and there are 4 guides (3 on duty & 1 on leave at any given time); we got to spend time with all of the guides; each were great and the head guide Ivan is extraordinary.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
I’ve had the privilege of staying at some of the top safari properties throughout Africa and I can safely say that the F&B delivery at Mhondoro is on par with any other lodge at which I’ve stayed. Everything from the welcome drink to the sundowner experience is superb!
The daily breakfast spread is excellent, complete with a selection fresh smoothies. After enjoying your continental breakfast – along with an extensive selection of teas & Nespresso coffees – the chef greets you with a basket of organic eggs collected from their farm that morning asking you to select your eggs and write your name on them. He then expertly prepares your chosen eggs and the balance of your hot breakfast selection. Lunch is delicious – it’s served family style to the table on a platter and consists of four delectable dishes including at least one salad and one protein (below right was melon & quinoa salad, little pizzas, grilled calamari, and duck skewers). Dinner is served a la carte and you have several menu options from which to choose. Each meal is also served with homemade bread which was phenomenal and different with each meal - onion bread, garlic, rosemary, etc. (I left with the recipe).
The beverage selection was also outstanding. In addition to the previously mentioned smoothies and coffee & tea, all of your standard juices and soft drinks are on offer. Even the welcome drink, a fresh pink lemonade, was delicious. Mhondoro also boasts a great bar with a wide variety of beer, gins and whiskeys (some of the liquor comes at an additional cost) and their included wines (a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot & cabernet sauvignon) were top quality, however they have an extensive wine list of some of South Africa’s finest labels at reasonable prices if you desire something finer.
Something that I found incredibly impressive is that the water from the taps is drinkable anywhere at Mhondoro. They invested in a massive filtration system so you could fill your reusable water bottle with water from the sink in your room! (guests can see this set up during the back of house tour)
On one morning game drive we came around a corner as we prepared for our coffee stop to find the pastry chef with a griddle set up preparing fresh crepes with all the fixins as a snack before returning to the lodge for our full breakfast. This was such a memorable experience. We also enjoyed a boma dinner – the quality of the food served was the best I’ve ever had at a boma and the choir was excellent! Every guest of Mhondoro gets the surprise crepe stop and a boma experience at least once during their stay.
FACILITIES
In addition to beautiful accommodation, excellent game viewing, superb staff, and incredible F&B, Mhondoro offers far more to their guests. The owner spared no expense when building the lodge and in addition to all that I’ve covered in this report guests staying at Mhondoro can also enjoy:
Waterhole & hide – I’ve been to many lodges with hides and the setup at Mhondoro is far & away the best I’ve ever seen. The water hole is incredibly active and there is a very comfortable hide that’s connected to the main lodge by a very nicely constructed 65 meter tunnel. We saw at least 10 different mammal species drinking at the waterhole during our two day stay and Mhondoro even offers private dinners in the hide!
Heated pool – the main lodge pool is very inviting, and often finds elephants drinking from it if they want a change up from the waterhole…
Gym – a large well-equipped gym is available to guests and looks out over the pool & waterhole.
Spa – Mhondoro features a beautiful spa offering a full range of services, including couples treatments.
Stargazing – the guides are well versed in astronomy and Mhondoro has a separate viewing deck and a massive telescope if guests are keen (I saw Jupiter & Saturn amongst other things!).
Wine Cellar – stunning selection of South Africa’s finest offerings.
Shooting Range – take aim with either rifle or bow and arrow during a rangers target training.
Kid’s Paradise – there is an outdoor play area, indoor kids playroom with games, books and video game systems and more. Child minding services are also available.
In Conclusion
As I said in my intro, if you’re not selling Mhondoro Safari Lodge in Welgevonden Private Game Reserve you should be!
I fully expected Mhondoro to be a great property, otherwise KAI would not have taken it on as a client, however the overall experience during my short visit far exceeded my lofty expectations.
I thought that Mhondoro would cater to a specific, select market but that’s not the case at all. I think anyone and everyone would LOVE Mhondoro and it can be the primary safari experience in an itinerary. Given the proximity to Johannesburg and therefore ease of access (both in time and expense), the excellent game experience and extremely competitive pricing there is no reason that Mhondoro doesn’t become the next big thing in the safari world…