Food for the soul at Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa
It is funny how a two-day trip with an itinerary packed to the brim can still have you return rested. Contrary to the busy city life, an activity-filled weekend at Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa is food for the soul. Here, it’s the people building the experiences that make the memories last longer.
A young boy came running up to us, introducing himself as Alexander, the lion. He was barefoot and carefree, wearing camo pants and he emitted exactly that which we were about to experience over the next two days. The five-year-old Xander’s parents – the CEO and marketing mogul of Mhondoro – were short on his heels to welcome us, introducing themselves as Fritz and Ronel Breytenbach. It was round about lunchtime that we arrived. In front of us stood an old fig tree, which we were later told had been estimated to be about 300 years old. Underneath, tables were beautifully set and Oupa – whom we later became well acquainted with – came forward, offering us an elegant glass of bubbly in the bush.
Then, instead of being ushered to the under-the-tree dining area, we were guided to a large greenhouse. Mhondoro’s chef – imported from the Cape – invited us to pick our produce from the vegetable garden. “And I will make it for you,” Chef Zinobia Martin said. In awe, we stepped gently between fresh herbs and greens, rubbing a mint leaf here and picking edible flowers there. Soon we had baby spinach, rocket, rosemary, the one and only brinjal, radishes and more in the chef’s basket. Dwayne Gonsalves, the farm manager, explained that this was but the start of Mhondoro’s journey to becoming more sustainable.
The al fresco lunch was delightful and fresh and between chit-chats with Xander (who goes to school at the on-site Wilderness School with his younger sister and others) and grown-up conversations among peers, one thing was clear: The heart of Mhondoro is its people.
Living in luxury
The drive to the actual main lodge is quite a distance from Welgevonden Game Reserve’s main gate. In fact, it served as our first game drive for the trip, boasting stunning sunset views and an opportunity to just be in the moment.
Just as twilight set in, Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa appeared in the distance. A couple of bends and turns later we were there, hopping off onto a decked staircase leading to the lodge. We were to stay at the villa – a spacious home away from home, which can accommodate up to six people in its three lavish bedrooms. The villa is perfect for families or groups and comes with a private chef, butler, swimming pool, spa, yoga room, gym, game viewing vehicle with a ranger and housekeeping staff. In addition to this, the lodge can accommodate a further fourteen guests.
Both the main lodge and the villa have been elegantly decorated with both local and international design elements, with the latter boasting a lovely open kitchen where one can watch Chef Zinobia cook up a storm. The villa’s lounge area comes with a lovely fireplace and stack doors that allow for game viewing from the comfort of the couch. Both the villa and the lodge look out over a waterhole and many have been lucky enough to spot ellies drinking water from the villa’s pool.
A large dining room table invites those staying in the villa to spend quality time together, whether it’s over scrumptious home-cooked meals or a game of Monopoly. There is also a porch that laces the villa from the front door right around to the back, perfect for basking in the sun when the weather allows.
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More than meets the eye
Many memories were made at Mhondoro, but none of them would have been the same without its people. Cultural experiences have an immense effect on how one perceives something, and at Mhondoro it was the people who elevated each experience even a little further.
They offer special touches, highlight the small things and read their guests like books. From stargazing opportunities to walking safaris, guests get to submerge themselves in the bush with the guidance of well-trained and experienced people. The Mhondoro experience is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which we can highly recommend, especially if you’re a person who likes to share special experiences with other people.
