We are excited and proud to announce that this year’s five-star Host Sponsor for Safari Guide of the Year is the outstanding Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa. Located among the iconic Waterberg Mountains in the Welgevonden Game Reserve, Mhondoro effortlessly combines luxury travel with African elegance and immersive experiences in nature. 

Sunrise drive – Image credit Armadillo Media

Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa – Image credit Armadillo Media

Mhondoro Guest Verandah – Image credit Armadillo Media

The five-star lodge is certainly not short of providing a luxurious touch to an intimate and welcoming setting. The staff are warm and generous, instantly making every guest feel at home. The food produced by the expert kitchen team is extraordinary, delicious and exactly the type of nutrition needed after an adventurous game drive or bushwalk! The Mhondoro Spa provides an ideal way to unwind with stunning views of the wild and the lodge waterhole, why not enjoy a massage while the warthogs enjoy a mud bath?  

Guest room – Image credit Armadillo Media

Lunch time spread – Image credit Armadillo Media

Mhondoro spa – Image credit Armadillo Media

Mhondoro certainly has one of the best waterhole hides in the country, putting you and your camera at eye level with any of the myriad mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and amphibians that visit for a refreshing dip or drink. The hide is fully fitted with a mini bar, enticing coffee selection and a catalogue of exotic teas to enjoy while watching the wildlife. Comfy seating and camera rests provide the ideal spot to wait for your perfect shot.

Mhondoro waterhole hide – Image credit Armadillo Media

Mhondoro waterhole hide tea & coffee selection and minibar – Image credit Armadillo Media

Mhondoro is committed to sustainability and environmental protection. Their solar installation means the lodge never runs out of light and has a substantially lowered carbon footprint. More than 45% of the produce used in the Mhondoro kitchen is sustainably farmed nearby, by Mhondoro, meaning that your food is organic, grown with great care and provides employment and development opportunities to local communities. Mhondoro has done away with plastic water bottles and provides each guest with their own, insulated and personalised water bottle to enjoy while at the lodge and to take on any future adventures. The lodge has installed its own water purification system, meaning that all the water in the lodge is clean, fresh, 100% safe to drink and comes directly from the natural springs that give the Waterberg its namesake. Mhondoro also recycles 100% of their water ensuring sustainable management and running of the lodge. 

Mhondoro solar array – Image credit Armadillo Media

Farm fresh, organic food straight to your plate – Image credit Armadillo Media

Personalised, insulated water bottles for every guest – Image credit Armadillo Media

Welgevonden as a reserve is sure to challenge the five finalists, bringing many of them out of their comfort zones. The landscape in its rugged beauty boasts many plant, insect, reptile and amphibian species that do not occur anywhere else in the country. The area is also steeped in historical cultural heritage and is regarded as one of South Africa’s most important archaeological sites with evidence of human habitation going back hundreds of thousands of years.

Rhino on game drive – Image credit Armadillo Media

A sunset safari – Image credit Armadillo Media

There is no shortage of fascinating things to discover! We can’t wait to welcome Safari Guide of the Year to the Waterberg, Welgevonden Game Reserve and, of course, the stellar five-star experience that awaits us at Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa! 

All images credited to the talented Armadillo Media

Check out the Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa location reveal video below, proudly produced by Too Wild Productions