Elandela Private Game Reserve and Luxury Lodge

SCAM. This lodge has captive lions in a pen, and NO Elephants. This is why they demand 100% deposit upfront. Avoid this place at all costs, they literature is deceiving and we had to contact prior guests to learn that the lions are captive. This is not the African experience we hoped for, we cancelled.

Actions speak louder than words. This was my 2nd stay at Elandela. The lodge and room was amazing, and AMAZINGLY QUIET. The food and dining room service were great. But the guides make Elandela special. My guide's name was Lucky, and he was amazing. On a night we weren't seeing much, he did not give up in trying to find wild life. At one point he spotted a leopard in near dark conditions about 75-100 feet from the trail. He said he can tell when there's something dangerous nearby by the sound of the birds. I would highly recommend this place to anyone serious about going to the Kruger and Hoedspruit area. If I ever have the chance to go again, the lodge I stay at will never be in doubt.

Our first visit to South Africa and we were beyond impressed. From the minute we were welcomed at the airport to the time we left we felt completely taken care of. The hotel manager (Francisco) was the kindest most genuine person and took such great pride in ensuring everyone was having a great time. The staff at the lake resort prepared delicious meals every day. I still dream about some of the desserts :) The housekeeping staff went above and beyond to ensure all was good in the rooms. We stayed in the honeymoon suites on the lake resort for 4 nights and having the two resident hippos in the lake steps from your door was exciting. The daily game drives were spectacular and both of our guides had a ton of information for us and ensured everyone was able to see the most animals. They were really personable and enjoyable to learn from. I saw more than I ever expected. No leopard for us but possibly next time. We also did a Kruger game drive and it was nice to have that experience as well. Truly an unforgettable experience and I’ve highly recommended this resort to any one I talk too. We booked online direct with the hotel and it was the best deal compared to other sites.

Great location with friendly staff and good restaurant ! Also the game drives here are fantastic. The explanations during the game drives and the overall care; just top! Also the room, bathroom and the decks; everything is in a perfect shape. Many thanks for hosting us Francisco and Great compliment to your devoted staff!

We stayed at the reserve for 3 nights and 4 days from 7th-10th September. Actually we still haven’t checked out, but we can’t wait to share our experience here. Since it’s our first safari experience, we really appreciated the effort taken by the staff to make it extremely comfortable and memorable. The food is of very high standard and they are very careful to take care of any allergies (which was important for our family). Entire staff team led by Francis was super focussed at making sure our needs our met and we enjoy the holidays. Almoha was outstanding in sharing his knowledge, taking care of our meals and also walking back with us to drop us to the room when we wanted. Our hero of the trip has been our guide Lucky - he is outstanding - thanks to him we saw much beyond Big 5. We even got to witness the lion roar in front of us, all thanks to his experience in this field! I would highly recommend this reserve to friends and family. Thank you Elandale From, Shubham, Ranjita and Samaira

As a safari virgin, this experience was truly phenomenal. From the communication on their website to the airport pick up, to the check in process, lunch, dinner and the safari. Everything was truly unforgettable. I enjoyed this property so much, we are looking to book the same accommodations. The food each day was simply delicious. All three guides were very knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to help us see the BIG 5. Improvement: make their website more modern. At first we were a big afraid this could be a fake property but turns out to be it was the best private GEM we could had stubble to. Recommendation: that the honey moon suite if you dont have a kids. The pool area is the perfect area to just watch the animals:

I had an unforgettable experience at Mandela Game Reserve in South Africa. The staff's hospitality was truly exceptional, making me feel welcome and valued throughout my stay. Their knowledge about the wildlife and dedication to conservation added depth to my safari adventures. The services provided were top-notch, from comfortable accommodations to well-organized guided tours. Every detail was thoughtfully taken care of, enhancing the overall enjoyment of my trip. I highly recommend Mandela Game Reserve for anyone seeking a remarkable and well-serviced safari getaway. I would like to highlight that Francisco, the manager, was truly accommodating and great at the service. His charisma was unparalleled.

My husband and I spent 5 nights here as part of a wider stay in South Africa, and for the first 4 nights we were the only guest staying! We had booked a river view lodge but we’re upgraded to lake view on arrival. The room was stunning, tastefully decorated in African colonial style and had an incredibly comfortable bed, jacuzzi bath, separate shower and also an outdoor shower. We could sit outside and watch the hippos in the lake. We were greeted warmly and had superb game drives with Leonardo- whose knowledge and expertise was second to none. We had included a half day trip to Kruger and we also chose to do additional trips to Blyde river canyon and the rehab centre at Moholoholo. Both of these were very reasonably priced. Whilst staying at Elandela we saw lion, giraffe, zebra, jackal, hippo, crocodile, impala, buffalo, rhino, wildebeest, baboons and so much more! Our stay included full board- breakfast was continental style with yoghurt, granola, fruit, cheeses etc and then eggs cooked to order. Lunch was varied - but there wasn’t usually a choice. Dinner included a meat option, fish option or pizza. Some of the food was very good, others it wasn’t as good as we had experienced elsewhere. Service was fine as we were the only guests. Beer and wine prices were very reasonable. We very much enjoyed our stay- Rudolph, leonardo and Lucky - and the guy who worked in the bar whose name I cannot remember were all great.

Our stay at Elandela Lake View was an unforgettable experience. It all started with a warm welcome from the hotel manager Francisco. We were taken on some magnificent game drives with very knowledgeable and attentive guides, Rudolph and Leonardo. We saw 4 out of Big 4 except Leopard. White lions was a highlight. The little attention to detail with coffee breaks on morning drives and a delicious ‘brai’ lunch at Kruger left us with life long memories. The butlers Given and Andries were always looking out for our comforts with meals and drinks. We will definitely be recommending this wonderful lodge to our friends and family, with plans to return. If you're in doubt, just book this amazing place you won't regret