Pondoro Game Lodge - Open to Kruger Park

Amazing stay!!

This place is first rate! The lodgings were excellent. The food was the best that we had in 5 stops in Africa. The staff was great, as were the game guides. And along a beautiful view of the Oliphant River, with all sorts of animals seen there!

We came here for our honeymoon. What an amazing experience we had. We had 2 game drives per day with fantastic guides/spotters. The food was top tier - nearly Michelin star level; I had the eggs benedict every single morning. They arranged the most romantic evening dinner in their wine cellar for us. This is probably the best place I have ever stayed.

The most amazing boutique luxury destination in the Balule game reserve (part of Greater Kruger). For an all inclusive hotel I didn’t have high hopes for the food however it surpassed all my expectations and was incredible, including catering for vegetarians. The game drives were incredible and a shout out to Anton and Selby who found us every animal. The small touches like break with coffee/drinks and snacks in the game drives makes it a personalised experience. The rooms have so much space and the beds are incredibly comfortable. The schedule for the days is the same for consistency. We loved meeting other couples and loved that the game drives were with the same driver/spotter and couples for the duration, it really allows you to form great bonds with other people there. Breakfast at the big dining table is also a nice touch. Could not recommend Pondoro more, they truly create the most unique experience and have thought of everything.

This was our bucket list dream trip and Pondoro made that happen. Pondoro facilities and staff are amazing. Attention to detail is one of the many things that stand out. We were in the Tree suite. So cool! Game drives we amazing. Sully and Dion, our guide and tracker worked so hard to find us all and the big 5. If you are reading this and contemplating a stay at Pondoro. Just do it.

The hospitality was top notch. Armand, Johanna, Lize and the staff were absolutely amazing and attentive. The room (Buffalo Suite) was beautifully decorated and had a perfect view. We saw giraffes, elephants, antelope, babboons from our window. Very romantic setting. We also enjoy the early morning and evening game drives qnd were able to see the Big 5 the first day thanks to Ru and Andrei. We hope to visit again!

I have traveled to many countries in the world. This hotel was the best hotel that I have ever stayed. Everyone was so friendly. They went out of their way to make our trip memorable. I definitely recommend staying in this hotel. I have never written review in past. This is the first review that I am writing. I recommend this hotel to all of my friends.

We were highly impressed with Pondoro, both for accommodation and quality of game viewing. Our tracker and guide we’re exceptional. We regularly saw the big 5 (and so many leopards, which we’ve struggled to see else where) and a whole range of additional animals from hippos in the river outside the room to a family of porcupines. Our guide always seemed to manage to get us to the viewing before other cars and positioned us perfectly for photos. It was incredible. The accommodation is fantastic, we were upgraded to Earth, a larger suite with a jacuzzi where we watched hippos from (magical). The room had a lounge area, a huge bed, roll top bath and a indoor and outdoor shower. More than you could possibly need! Service was outstanding, everyone was so friendly and helpful and seemed really happy to talk about the animals you’ve seen (even though they must hear about this everyday!). Their passion was great! Finally I’ll just say that the food and wine was superb - we eat constantly, there is so much tasty food! And they set up beautiful special dinners for you. It’s something I’ll remember for a long time. We were very sad to leave and hope to return. Thanks again to all the wonderful staff that made our stay so special!

This place is pretty special. It's located in a private reserve that is joined to Kruger National Park and it's on a river. Sitting on our balcony we saw hippos, giraffes, warthogs, monkeys, different types of antelope, and crocodiles. They have included morning and evening drives drive each day where we saw pretty much everything. The staff is great, very professional but also very friendly. Do at least 4 nights so that you have time to do several drives, a couple walks, a picnic in the tree hide, and still have some time to relax in the lovely room. The only complaint I have is that they really give you a lot of great food and I think I over ate. I guess that's my fault for not being more disciplined.

Pondoro Lodge is a place to remember. The rooms are private and romantic, with views over the river. We loved watching the hippos from the deck at breakfast time. The safari drives were outstanding. We saw so many incredible animals, including a chameleon.

Great ranger, guide, accommodations, and service/food - the complete package.

The staff was great. the suite was amazing. the wild game viewing was phenomenal. It is hard to look imagine a better African Safari experience anywhere regardless of cost. This was everything we dreamed it might be and more.

Very good , friendly , food good and varied . Trackers and guides on safrai game drives excellent. They founf lions lepards and even achettah in the most remote places .all credit to them

In Pondoro the staff makes you feel at home. They are soo friendly and helpful. The owners are there too and make sure your stay is perfect. The food is delicious and they always present it very creatively. The rooms are very pretty. Our ranger and tracker were excellent at finding all the animals. We saw lions and leopards 3 days in a row, you really get very close to the animals. We save the big 5 many times. I would definitely recommend this hotel. They really go out of their way to make you happy. One night they organized a surprise candlelight dinner at the river bank which was wonderful.

Where do I start...! Best week of travel in my life... Everything about this place is exceptional. Right in the heart of the Balule private game reserve on the banks of the Olifants river nestled amongst the trees. I was in the Buffalo suite, right up the end, and it was simply amazing to say the least, huge and beautifully appointed. All the staff, Janni, Tania, Lillian and all the other staff are superb. They really make you feel at home. Liza and Robbie where only there a few nights of my stay as they where off collecting yet another well deserved hotel award. Rul and Andres are a top notch Tracker / Ranger combo and pull out all the stops to get you up close and personal to all the animals and are so knowledgable about all the wildlife and nature in the area, and do it with a cheeky sense of humor. They really made the whole experience special. The food is top notch, dining room staff are great and the dining deck is superb, just watch your muffins at breakfast as the Vervet monkeys love them if you leave them unattended. We got surprised on two of the nights by amazing dinner set up down by the river which blew me away. They really know how to make the experience special. Great wine and beer list too. If I could rate it more than 5/5 I would. Can't wait to come back again soon.

From the first contact from our transport from airport, to our sad goodbye, this was an unforgettable experience. Perfect location on the Oliphant River, where we could watch elephants from our chalet (and restaurant). Game drives were fun, interesting and a highlight of our whole trip to S.A. This lodge provides it all - friendly, professional service, comfort, great food, and best of all the opportunity to see and experience magnificent wildlife.

Exceeded every expectation we had - they were already high. Personal touches mixed with impeccable service, beautiful rooms and an overall excellent safari experience. I have stayed in other lodges and can say nothing comes close to Pondoro.

Absolutely fantastic place! The owners and staff go over and above to ensure you are taken care of from the moment you arrive. Eric and Ramson were our ranger/tracker team for the game drives and we couldn't have asked for better. They were so nice and really concentrated on ensuring we saw all that we could. The early mornings are rough but what you see when you are out makes it all worth it. We booked the suite and highly recommend the extra money for your stay. Huge room with a large balcony looking over the river. You will need to be escorted to and from the main lodge but this is due to the fact that they keep the area free for the animals to get to the river. Better for the animals and better for your viewing. We were able to spend the afternoons watching elephants, impalas, etc just outside our room. Unbelievable experience. The chalets are smaller and within the fenced grounds of the hotel so no escorts needed but the privacy of the suites are well worth it! Should also note the food - Delicious!!! You will not go hungry! Great staff, beautiful grounds - We didn't want to leave!

The Pondoro Lodge was perfect! Great service, great rooms, delicious food! I'm usually very picky with hotels and I absolutely loved this one! The game rides are also great. Highly recommend it. Don't bother going anywhere else.

Das Prädikat "ausgezeichnet" ist fast zu wenig im Vergleich mit anderen Lodges. Lodge-Besitzer und das gesamte Team tun alles, um für den Gast ein außergewöhnliches Urlaubserlebnis zu gestalten. Danke an Liz, die Ranger Ray und Rud mit ihren Trackern, die erlesene Küche und das gesamte Service-Personal. Wir bekamen ein Upgrade und waren im Chalet "Rock" bestens untergebracht. Das Essen war sehr abwechslungsreich und geschmackvoll serviert - für Senioren eher zu viel; Mittags hätte ein Salat gereicht. Bei den Game Drives haben wir unter anderen viele Elefanten gesehen, auch ein Rudel von ca. 20 Löwen streifte um das Safari-Fahrzeug. Ganz zum Schluss klappten auch die intensiven Bemühungen der Tracker und Ranger mit einem freien Blick auf einen im Baum hockenden Leoparden das Big-Five-Erlebnis in 3 Tagen komplett zu machen. Herzlichen Dank dem Pondoro-Team für drei unvergesslich schöne Tage