Mongena Private Game Lodge

This lodge is pretty but the front desk ladies are terrible. We dealt with a lady “Asa” that kept telling us what was discussed at check in, when she was not even present. As a travel agent I travel a lot, and I know how things should work and do not complain unnecessarily. ASA was unfriendly and unhelpful. The manager on duty knowing there was a problem with our bill, walked past us instead of checking in and resolving things. I will most definitely not recommend my clients here.

I was expecting guests from overseas and was looking for a two day getaway not far from Johannesburg, Mongena Private Game Lodge was recommended to us by Jesse Lemmer of Jayule Safaris. When Jesse told me the lodge was a mere hour and a bit drive from Johannesburg and offered 4* accommodation, including all meals, games drives and a sunset cruise I became very interested. When he mentioned that the lodge was home to the Big 5 I was convinced and made a booking immediately. The route to the Lodge was via the N1 highway and once we took the turn off to Mongena I was delighted to see that the road to the reserve was also tarred and the gravel road into the lodge was only about 350m. The lodge itself is amazing. The accommodation was fabulous. Spotless , roomy, air -conditioned, with great wi-fi throughout the camp, and Nyala and Springbok roam around the camp freely. The Kingfisher restaurant serves a light lunch and is well presented. The dinner and breakfast are also served at Kingfisher and are really of high standard. The restaurant is situated overlooking a small dam, and the only downside is that it is not particularly accessible to those who have difficulty in climbing the steps to reach it. That being said, the staff are so helpful and friendly, and we saw the waiters jumping to assist a guest in making his way up and down the steps. The cruise is a must. The Ranger had timed it for us to witness the sunset over the dam as we enjoyed the drinks and snacks provided on the boat. The game drives (we went on two) were not a disappointment and we were able to see, apart from others, lion, elephant, and rhino... Three of the Big Five on one drive! Thank you, Chris our ranger, for such a treat. Mongena Private Lodge is a must for anyone who wants a relaxing, close to home, reasonably priced 5* Bush Experience. I highly recommend it and thank Jayule Safaris for their recommendation.

I will begin with my only negative comment about this otherwise amazing experience. The lodge is listed as wheelchair accessible. However, the only restaurant is up a flight of stairs. Restrooms are not easily accessible around the property and when it rained, it was difficult to balance an umbrella while navigating pathways not always level. This lodge is beautiful, with wonderful staff. We loved the game drive and highly recommend our guide, Christopher. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and found both a female and male lion, in different areas. We were able to get amazing photos!

Kingfisher Resturant stunning food. But the service is slow and has been on all the occasions I have been ( 3 times) Game drives - 100% worth the money. Rangers are helpful, insightful know their "stuff" Its calm and not over crowded. Closest I have been to game Clean and spotless. Beautiful rooms. Rooms are large- bathrooms are more than enough. Staff - arrogant and unwelcoming. It says on the website day visitors but there are limited facilities to have a sandwich while you wait for your drive. Some staff are helpful . Others are not. Staff have different ideas about the " rules" This is a missed opportunity in my mind as the day visit is a treat - if you could have a snack and drink while you waited. The Resturant service is too slow. Boba dinner is limited, not every night and there is no coffee station. If you are staying over there is only the restaurant and no take out service or menu. Limited menu times, what can be made when .... means you cannot have a snack. I would say try - I think it has the potential to be outstanding. Just a pity about the attitudes but if you can overcome arrogance and it's this way only - or you are wrong. It's worth the night and the day visit.

What an awesome day trip from Johannesburg! We went on an absolutely brilliant Game Drive. Our Guide, Rene, was world class (I’ve been on a LOT of game drives). She was full of brilliant info, great jokes and such a vibe! Highly recommend this as an outing with the whole family. We saw awesome sightings and just loved feeling like we’d been away for the whole long weekend.

Stayed in an A/C chalet en-suite November 21 - December 2, 2024. Clean, comfortable, quiet. Animals wandering the grounds are charming. Zebra, antelope, springbuck. Food is good. Special diets accommodated. Snacks and drinks on the game stop beautifully presented. Food in general beautifully presented. The most impressive aspect of the experience was 1) the profound respect the rangers have for the wild animals and 2) the depth of knowledge with which they spoke about them. Moving moments: the indigenous entertainment: the call and response of the African song. The dance. The music. The grounds are appropriately maintained. Many of the indigenous trees and shrubs are loaded with thorns. (Who brings flip flops on a safari?)