Pondoro Game Lodge

Beyond Exceptional. All the staff go beyond to make you feel welcome and special. Chef makes gourmet meals every time and she is very good. One of the best experiences we had ever.

We did a lot of research to try and find a safari that included value, great safari experience, good location, great food and accommodation. We are so glad we found Pondoro Lodge as it meets all the requirements and more. I highly recommend it. Staff are wonderful and our guide was knowledgeable and maximised our safari drives. We saw big 5 almost on every drive up very close and a LOT more. Even from the rooms you can see elephants etc.

There truly are not enough words to describe our time at Pondoro. My husband and I traveled from the United States to South Africa in October 2024 for our honeymoon and spent the 4 most indescribable days of our lives at Pondoro. What we thought would be a once in a lifetime trip VERY quickly became "so when we come back.." The entire staff were by far the nicest, most accommodating, knowledgeable, and all around most amazing people we have ever come across. The food was absolutely delicious. The game viewing was out of this world. Every day continued to get better and more amazing. If you are looking for a private game reserve in South Africa, look no further. We are already planning to go back in the Spring of 2026 and cannot wait to be there. Be prepared for this place to change your life forever in the best way you could ever imagine. Book now, enjoy the memories forever.

Really liked the lodge, it had a nice vibe to the whole place. Accommodation nicely positioned overlooking the Oliphants river. Food was excellent with plenty of choices. Staff were lovely and couldn't do enough for you. Balule reserve is very pretty with lots of variation in terrain and some stunning vistas. My only gripe is that there are too many privately owned areas which means you don't always have traversing rights. This is very frustrating if you're following some lions, wild dogs or a leopard and the guide announces we have to stop because it's someone else's patch. Despite this we had some wonderful sightings aided by the most amazing 'master' tracker Eckson.

The perfect safari Absolutely amazing. We stayed at Pondoro in January in the beautiful Tree Suite with the most incredible views of the river. Every member of the staff was so friendly and hospitable. Our daily game drives exceeded all our expectations with the most experienced guides. The vegetation this time of year was so green and gorgeous. From sun up to sun down we were so well fed by the talented team of chefs. It was all such a dream. I hope we have the chance to return again.

My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Pondoro Lodge and WOW WOW! It was my husbands first time in Africa and on safari and it did not disappoint! The owners have thought of every tiny detail to make it perfect and extremely relaxing. The game drives (morning one at 5.30am and evening one at 4pm, each around 4 hours long) are SO enjoyable and go so quickly, again made very relaxed and enjoyable with their amazingly friendly staff. We saw the big 5 in our three day stay at Pondoro. The food was one of the best we experienced during our two weeks (including our stay in Cape Town too)! The gym is very well equipped and I had a lovely massage which was easy to book once there. We are desperate to come back! Thank you SO much Pondoro, Kate and Max