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.

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

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.

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.

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.