Mongena Private Game Reserve — Hotel in Gauteng

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...

Where does one even start.

Reception: Njabulo and the reception staff dealt with our entire stay, from our booking, to specific requests and enquiries, with the utmost professionalism. We felt so welcomed by the Mongena staff and our experience throughly exceeded all expectations.

Accomodation: The rooms at the lodge are impeccable. They were wonderfully furnished, clean and serviced discretely every day without disturbing our quiet private time. Views of the resident Nyalas, Zebras & Springboks out of every window and from our patio made the experience of being in the bush all the more special.

Food: The Kingfisher restaurant was phenomenal. This experience was considered at every turn. Our table was reserved for us at each meal, beautiful views over the water for breakfasts and lunches with romantic candle lit and cosy intimate tables in the evenings. Every meal and cocktail that we experienced were beyond delicious!! The service from Salaminah, Donald, Betty, Edward & Joesph was superb.

Game Drives & Sightings: Having only ever done self-drives at Dinokeng previously we weren't sure what to expect on our daily morning and evening game drives. We were blown away! Wess & Juls spoilt us with the most unforgettable experiences. We experienced once in a lifetime sightings of the big 5 including Black and White Rhino, Elephant, Leopard & Buffalo. We also were fortunate enough to spot some of the amazing birds species, a truly remarkable serval sighting and many many other antelope and plant species to name a few.

Boat cruise: Like a gift that kept on giving... we enjoyed an extraordinary sunset boat cruise. We were spoilt with Hippo, Crocodile and more stunning sightings of the beautiful bird species in reserve.

This holiday surpassed our expectations on every level. Our experience made our 8th wedding anniversary a truly memorable one. We cannot wait to for...

Each day at Mongena was a lovely experience. We didn't sleep over there but we were treated the same way I imagine guests are treated. We had the pleasure of coming here on three separate occasions: twice for food and once for a game drive.

On our first night in Dinokeng we had dinner at the Kingfisher Restaurant. Didn't know where it was but had no trouble finding it in the dark after being directed by the friendly and helpful staff at reception and on the premises. Nice little place with good food overlooking a small body of water.

The game drive at Mongena felt like proper one you always see in movies, with a tracker and overseas tourists with binoculars and khakis. Our guide was a real nice guy and didn't mind answering any questions and telling us all kinds of stories about his time there. We had coffee and rusks before departing and about two hours into the drive we stopped (in a quiet part of the reserve) for another cup of coffee and a rusk. Blankets were provided as it was a freezing morning.

The buffet at their Tshukudu Restaurant was a feast of hot and cold and savoury and sweet. For R145 per person you can select from all kinds of cheeses and biscuits, fresh fruits, cereals and of course traditional breakfast foods like sausages, different kinds of toasts, eggs (made just how you want it), bacon, baked beans, savoury mince, and more. A variety of sweet pastry rounds of this excellent breakfast buffet. Coffee, tea and juice are included in the buffet and doesn't have to be ordered and paid for separately.

The main road between the main entrance and the gate is a runway. When not available there is a dirt road.

Friendly staff, excellent food and (I'm sure) lovely accommodation make Mongena one of the best places to stay at...