Travel Report Welgevonden (South Africa)
Welgevonden Game Reserve and Mhondoro Lodge
The Welgevonden Game Reserve is one of the malaria-free reserves in South Africa. Which (unfortunately) makes it particularly interesting for families with small children. There are a total of 67 lodges in Welgevonden, which is quite a lot. Of these, 24 are run commercially. We chose Mhondoro because this lodge has a hide with a waterhole where you can take very good pictures of the animals at lunchtime or in the early evening.
Where to find Mhondoro Lodge in Welgevonden?
What you should definitely think about
Local currencies: South African Rand: “ZAR”, but US dollars are also accepted everywhere and gladly in the lodges. If possible, take small USD bills with you for tips. Money can easily be withdrawn from any ATM. Otherwise, credit card payments work everywhere.
Vaccinations: Coming from Germany, no vaccinations are required. However, the standard vaccinations are recommended, see Foreign Office suggestions. Malaria prophylaxis is not absolutely necessary between May and October, but of course everyone has to decide for themselves.
Luggage: The photo equipment should definitely be taken on board, so pay attention to the cabin luggage dimensions (!) Otherwise, any type of suitcase or bag will do.
Clothing: The onion principle, functional clothing and sturdy shoes are best.
In the lodges in Africa you can usually have your clothes washed free of charge – as in Mhondoro – or for a small extra charge. You often get them back the same day. This saves a lot of luggage.
Arrival at Mhondoro Safari Lodge in Welgevonden
Coming from Johannesburg, you first drive past the Maingate of Welgevonden and about 2 km later you will see the entrance to Mhondoro on the left-hand side.
However, this is not yet the lodge, but the associated farm. It is also the pick-up point for safari guests, where, depending on the time of arrival, lunch is served, which is really excellent. In addition, the normal arrival formalities such as passport details etc. are dealt with here. The rental car is also handed in here. We continue with a guide in a safari car, who takes us to the lodge. The drive there takes another hour or so. The lodge itself is located in the middle of the animal reserve and not near the road, as we thought at the beginning. The farm is an organic farm and many of the vegetables, salads etc. are grown directly here, from production to mouth, so to speak.
Mhondoro Lodge
Mhondoro is one of the most luxurious, but unfortunately also the largest lodge in the entire reserve. The lodge can accommodate over 30 people in total, most of them in chalets. But there is also a villa. Unfortunately, this also makes the lodge child-friendly, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, as children are usually too loud, especially in the hide, making it difficult to spot animals.
Otherwise, the lodge has everything you would expect from a five-star lodge.
Mhondoro Chalets
The individual chalets have a five-star standard and leave nothing to be desired. There is a telephone with which you can communicate with reception if necessary. There is also a well-stocked minibar, a Nespresso machine, tea maker, plenty of sockets and USB ports, air conditioning and a fan, mosquito nets and most chalets have their own small saltwater pool, which is also heated, as well as a relaxation deck and a viewing deck. The room is cleaned and tidied twice a day and you have the option of handing in your laundry free of charge. This will not be delivered directly to your room the next day. There is also a safe. During lunchtime, it is wonderful to either lie down on the viewing deck or simply on the bed and watch the African nature and the animals passing by on their way to the waterhole.
The view of the waterhole from the terrace, which you also have from your own pool, is something very special. The service at the lodge is very good and you want for nothing. The food and drinks are also of the highest standard.
Overall, the atmosphere at the lodge is very relaxed, so you can really enjoy the time between game drives. There is also a sauna and a fitness room available, which is quite fully equipped. If you want to store, you can do so in the lodge’s own store and for those looking for even more relaxation, there is also a spa area where you can book treatments.
The bar area, which is called the “Cabinet of Happiness” in the lodge, also leaves nothing to be desired.
Mhondoro SPA
In addition to a fitness center, Mhondoro Lodge also has a spa area. There is a sauna and a fitness center but you can also book treatments. We tried the full body massage as well as the back, neck and foot massage and have to say that it was really excellent and also very good value for money. Definitely recommendable.
Meals and Times at Mhondoro
In Mhondoro, breakfast is served around 10:00 a.m. directly after the first safari drive. You can choose the time for lunch yourself, usually between 1 and 2 pm, but it can also be earlier or later. In any case, the meeting for the game drive in the evening is at 3:30 pm.
Dinner at Mhondoro
The food is à la carte and you choose what you want for lunch. The alternative is a barbecue in the boma, which also takes place regularly. The food overall at the lodge is very good, sometimes even outstanding.
Game Drives Mhondoro
Mhondoro is completely surrounded by an electric fence so that you can move freely within the lodge as there are no dangerous animals such as lions or similar. This also means that you do not necessarily have to be taken to or from your room by a guide. Accordingly, there is no need to wake up in the morning and you can set your own alarm clock.
The first game drive starts at 6:30 in the morning and we meet in the main house shortly beforehand. Coffee and a few cookies are provided in the room, but you can also get these in the main house. As a rule, the morning game drive lasts between two and a half and three hours and there is a coffee break.
The second afternoon game drive starts at 3:30 pm. There is no high tea or similar at this lodge. On the second game drive there is another stop, this time for the sun downer, and you have a choice of drinks, such as gin tonic or similar. There is also a small selection of snacks. Depending on the sighting, you will be back between 7 and 8 pm. You can freshen up at the lodge and then go for dinner.
The safari cars can theoretically be filled with 9 people. If possible, however, no more than 6 guests are placed per vehicle, which is a positive thing. The sightings in Welgevonden are very good, especially if you want to see rhino, as Welgevonden has one of the largest rhino populations in South Africa. Here you can still see the animals with horns, which is very nice and will hopefully remain so in the future, as Welgevonden attaches great importance to the protection of the animals.
Is it possible to combine a trip to the Welgevonden Reserve with other safari areas?
Yes, you can. Here is an example of the route we took:
Day 1: Munich -> Johannesburg -> Welgevonden
2nd-5th day: Mhondor Safari Lodge
Day 6: Polokwane (Protea Marriott Hotel)
Day 7-9: Hoedspruit (Safari Moon Luxury Bush Lodge or Unembeza)
Day 10-14: Makanyi Lodge Timbavati
Day 14: Makanyi -> Hoedspruit -> Johannesburg -> Munich
See our other travel reports for the lodges mentioned.
Conclusion Mhondoro in Welgevonden
Mhondoro is definitely worth a visit and should we visit Welgevonden again, we will definitely come back. The lodge and the super friendly and courteous staff and the food, which is really top class, make the visit worthwhile. In addition, the fact that it is a malaria-free area is of course also an advantage. The animal sightings are of course a matter of luck, but basically the Big 5 can be seen and in many areas the area is also very beautiful, but also small compared to the private reserves in Kruger Park and the concessions there. On the positive side, however, the area continues to expand. All in all, you can’t go wrong enjoying this great lodge for a few days.
Want to order a calendar from our photo tour?
as of 18,90€, Sizes A2-A5
What photo equipment for Welgevonden?
The photographic equipment we took with us is listed below. You also have the option of ordering the photographic equipment we used directly via our Foto-Store and requesting further technical details. There are also lots of extras available there.
Cameras:
- Z8 (Nikon)
- Z7ii (Nikon)
- Iphone
Lenses:
- Z 70-200mm f/2.8 (Nikon)
- Z 24-120mm f/4 (Nikon)
- Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 (Nikon)
All in a Lowepro Runner 450 (Backpack)