Pondoro Game Lodge - Open to Kruger Park

The best experience I had so far. Difficult to replicate. The lodge is amazing, the staff is incredible and the games are unbelievable. Thanks to our guides for everything. It’s been a dream.

The property was beautiful, very clean and nicely decorated. You can view many of the animals from your room or the restaurant deck. Amazing river views.

The morning drive was a bit too early.7am would be better. Dinner was served too late. We found it difficult to eat dinner and still get enough sleep if we have to wake up at 5:15am for the morning drive.

We stayed in the Earth suite which has the bath outside and inside. The suite is beautiful, spacious and comfortable. The quality of the food is very good. The place is run very strategically so there is no space for consumption outside their food an drink system. E.g. You come back from the afternoon/evening game drive no earlier than 7.15pm. Dinner is served on the dot at 8pm, so after you rush to freshen up, that leaves you maybe 10 minutes at the bar - which controls/limits alcohol consumption to maybe 1-2 drinks per day. It is not all inclusive. At the bar, there are more than 5 different types of whiskey on the shelf, but only the the cheapest whiskey is included, the rest at an extra cost. This applies to other types of acohol also.

A sign that was placed on our bed the first night stating "welcome to MY room" from the housekeeper. Lack of cleanliness of the common swimming pool, our outside bath, our outside seating and our outside patio. It is not all inclusive. At the bar, there are more than 5 different types of whiskey on the shelf, but only the the cheapest whiskey is included, the rest at an extra cost. This applies to other types of acohol also. The place is run very strategically. You come back from the afternoon/evening game drive no earlier than 7.15pm. Dinner is served on the dot at 8pm, so after you freshen up, that leaves you maybe 10 minutes at the bar - which controls/limits alcohol consumption to maybe 1-2 drinks per day. Game drives are too long 3-4 hours in the early morning and 3-4 hours in the late afternoon/evening. Lunch and dinner is a set menu - choice of two starters, 2 mains and 2 desserts. The problem is is that the starter choice is made from the same ingredients e.g. the choice was corn soup or corn fritters. I felt as if I had been placed in a system, everything was set and at a specific time.

I liked everything, the game drives , the resort , the food. It is luxurious and down to earth at same time . We saw the big five several times and much more (including a pack of baby wild dogs). We were very sad to leave

Nothing . We liked everything

If you're planning a safari in Kruger, look no further, this is THE place to stay. First of all, the staff, are absolutely exceptional. Our tracker was Eric and our guide was Rul, this is a dynamic duo, they made our first safari unforgettable, it was so amazing that I have a sneaking suspicion that if we ever go somewhere else, nothing will live up to the experience we had at Pondoro. We saw all the animals we wanted to see, including the Baby Big 5. The food, was incredible and every menu was so well thought out. The room was amazing, the outdoor jacuzzi tub was very enjoyable on a hot day and we had so many animal sightings right from our terrace. In fact, upon returning home and describing our experience, several people have told me this is what they wish their safari was like.

Not a single thing I can think of to be honest, everything was great, even the other guests and that's a rarity!

Great staff, excellent service. Location is spectacular and safaris were great

Long time to get there

A truly fantastic experience. Chalets were very spacious, comfortable, well stocked, surrounded by wildlife and offered great views onto the Olifant river below. The main lounge/ dining area and bar was very well furnished and inviting. The staff were amazing, always smiling, attentive and ready to go the extra mile for superlative service. Food menus were delicious and different everyday. Game drives were always a unique experience, and due to the healthy populations of so many animals, offered great pictures. The highlights had to be the giraffe greeting us as we walked out onto our chalet veranda after check-in, the 14 rhino we saw over 4 days (including a female black rhino with calf), the 3 young male lions with their off-shoot new pride, the wild dogs trying to retrieve an impala carcass from a water hole, the male inyala that confronted us as we exited our room one day, the hippo stretching it’s jaws as it fed on the bank of the river, the spotted eagle owl perched at the top of a tree at sunset, the very young elephant attempting a false charge and finally the female leopard stalking a steenbuck at night. The game driver and tracker were extremely knowledgeable about the animals, the birds and the fauna and always surprised us with different drinks and snacks during our breaks. Pondoro definitely has a winning formula! The location itself on the river is a safari experience; we saw elephant, giraffe, hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck, nyala, baboons, kudu, impala and many birds just from the relaxing environment of our veranda. The staff’s attention to detail is what stands out most, including helping me celebrate my 60th birthday with sparkling wine, song, dance and cake to make it a really memorable occasion and an incredible 5 nights at the lodge. Special mention also to the Black Mambas all-women anti-poaching unit which we visited, and with whom Pondoro has an active participation with. All-in-all 5 ++ stars.

Nothing