Gondwana Game Reserve Reviews

Very friendly & helpful staff. Game drivers know their stuff and really help you get close to the game. The website mentions tgs hits around d thd watering hole- not a cliche, we had a family of elephants and small group of Zebras come to drink there. Food is excellently prepared, you can even go walking and mountain biking in a closed off region of the reserve. It is 26,000 acres, so you never feel cramped or hurried. Game drives arexearly morning and late afternoon, so ideal times to see the wildlife. All in all an excellent 5 star location. Genuinely sorry to be leaving after two days there, wished we could have stsyedxacfew more days.

Sensational place, impeccable service, spectacular safari, simply amazing experience ....

Had a wonderful stay in a bushvilla. Enjoyed driving ourselves to and from the lodge and seeing the wildlife. Our ranger Eugene was awesome and I really appreciated the care he took driving us around in the wet conditions and his love and respect for nature.

This was our first trip out of Cape Town since lockdown and we didn't feel worried at any point. We were warmly welcomed and spoiled throughout our stay. I look forward to going back in the future.

What a beautiful place, friendly people and you are all the animals. We went through with adventure bikes and rhinoceros was running about 20 meters next to us for a couple of meters and it was amazing

Fantastic game reserve! So happy with our choice, worth the extra drive from Cape Town. There is something for everyone, whether it s romantic trip, serene getaway or family vacation. All the staff are top notch as are the facilities. The food is ok, but I think they can do much better. Really fell flat in comparison to the gorgeous facilities, setting and price point. Our guide Abagail was incredible, she was so passionate about her vocation and to serving others on their Safari experience. She made certain we saw as many of the game as possible. I would also recommend the Chetah experience. It makes for a long day, but worth it. Do dress warm on the winter months, it gets colder than you think. Enjoy!

This resort is just amazingly beautiful! We spent such a great time there, gladly again! Friendly staff, great food, wonderful landscape, stunning animals and hammer houses.

SOUTH AFRICA is wonderful

- Fantastic accommodation with heated bed, luxury bathroom and nature views
- delicious food, huge breakfast buffet and great atmosphere both in the bar and in the restaurant
- we had 2 super game drives and could see elephant lion giraffe zebra's hippos
- absolute hightlight, the whole family of elephants came to the resort pool for dinner ... of course we all had to stay in the restaurant for our safety.
- easily accessible from the Garden Route, but you have to drive about 10 km on gravel road which is feasible with a normal rental car
- We would come back anytime, it was just amazing

Excellent hotel / safari.
You have the choice of staying in lodges (huts) or in a complete house just for you and your family / class (it was our choice).
From the reception / restaurant to your house is by car (with yours or with a jeep), and on the way you already pass a lot of animals.
Speaking of animals: they are bred loose, so it's no guarantee you can see them all. In our case, we were lucky even: we just couldn't see the buffalo. When we went (August 2019) there were 3 lions in the reserve, and they tend not to leave the lair on windy days, but on our last ride they gave the air of grace.

One of the best getaway places I have visited the staff were all friendly without being intrusive...rooms were serviced twice daily yet we never saw housekeeping..amazing

Gorgeous !
Everything was perfect: the accommodation, the reserve and we had a great guide, Marc.
A big thank you for an unforgettable stay!

Here you are in the wilderness, with a little luck you can observe almost all known animals of Africa on the tours. Of course, this only applies to Europeans, we saw lions, rhinos, giraffes, monkeys, zebras, elephants, hippos (2), gnus, impalas and other animals very close. We had a very experienced ranger. The accommodation and meals here are excellent.
I highly recommend this place. That was the highlight of our South Africa trip.

superb game reserve...sitting in the lap of the jungle... and having all the luxuries of a life... a very friendly staff... along with great game rangers...

A beautiful resort, scenic, the service is first class and the rangers try everything to show the guests the wildlife ... it is a special plus for this resort that the animals are not presented to the guests and so it can happen that you can not see all the big five The rangers are able to convey much knowledge about the animals. Rack questions are answered professionally. We have booked this resort and come back in any case. The next visit is planned ... it was a dream come true ...

Super. Megan was very patient and knowledge about all fauna and flora. Bush villa accomodation first class. Would recommend to do B&B option only with a stay in the Bush Villas. One of the highlights of our SA trip.

I had the privilege of working with Nicky Arthur Public Relations. Nicky Arthur PR is Boutique Public Relations firm that specialises in Public Relations, Promotions, Social Media and Press events for hospitality clientele and during my time with the firm I had the opportunity of visiting one of their hospitality clientele which was Gondwana Game Reserve, situated near the town of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape of South Africa.

Gondwana is the first authentic free-roaming Big Five Reserve, situated on 11 000 hectors of Fynbos and Proteas. The experience was mind blowing and the scenery was so surreal. The early morning and evening game drives introduced me to life in the wild. Gondwana being a world class tourist attraction area, the game reserve is the perfect place to have a stress free retreat for you and your family or friends. I don t think any review can match up to the world class experienced I had. That being said, I can safely say that Game Reserve is one of my Top Five Game Reserves in South Africa.

Really absolutely gorgeous. The Kwena hats are very nice, just to relax and relax. The food and service were excellent. The mixture of luxury and safari can not be more authentic. The game drives are very exciting, our guide was wonderful!

Hope we come back sometime :-)

Wow experience! The cottages are beautiful, fully furnished. The rangers are very cooperative and are just a call away to pick you up. We were doubtful about the vegetarian food before getting in, but were amazed to see the cooperation by chef, incorporating dishes as per our taste buds into the menu. Delicious food, unexpected in the middle of a forrest. Awesome hospitality and a great experience!

Absolutely gorgeous reserve with beautiful accommodation. We had a great safari where we saw a lot of animals. Dinner was delicious and the staff was super friendly. Would love to have stayed longer!

Absolutely AMAZING!!!

From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, we were treated with respect and a level of service that is hard to find.

Our accommodation was spectacular with everything in place, our field guide was friendly, knowledgeable and treated us to some amazing views of the wildlife and scenery.

I can recommend Gondwana without reservation as I know they will always keep the high standards not only to the guests but also to the Nature with they as passionate about.

Great Game Ressort, rooms and villas are fabulous. Austin was the perfect guide to show us as many animals als possible(and we habe seen the big 5 and more)! All staff is very nice and helpful (although sometimes they could be a bit more attentive). Food was good too.
If you are searching a great game experience on the garden route Gondwana is a perfect choice.

Was there with my family experiencing a camp take over for 3 days. It was an absolutely incredible experience. We had Elephants passing right by our tents in the eve and not to mention the friendliest and knowledgeable staff. Jani, Christian and Andiswa was the best team the we could have had at Pioneer Camp.

These 3 deserve a raise

Having never done Safari before - this was a perfect toe dip into what is the most exhilarating and thrilling adventure through this beautiful reserve.

My wife and I spent two days and night at Gondwana to celebrate our wedding anniversary and the staff made every effort to ensure we made the most of our trip. They left a touching message and a complimentary bottle of bubbly (which we admired and photographed, but didn't break into).

The animals are beautiful, healthy, wild and spread out. The drama unfolds when you meet your passionate ranger and set off in search of the stars from David Attenborough's last, smash-hit, nature documentary.

It was truly epic and we met some lovely people during our time there.

The drive from Cape Town to Gondwana is along the Garden Route (famous for its luscious, green landscapes and rolling mountain ranges.)



Worth noting, they didn't have halal meat available - but had plenty of vegetarian options to savour (and they were great too!)

The service, right from the beginning, from the staff has been amazing. We would definitely recommend this place.

In the off-season, the price is reasonable, but the animals are active but the food and the living environment are good. It is worth a visit.

I stayed with a group of Austrian tourists at Gondwana for two days. Everyone was absolutely delighted with the accommodation, the food, the reserve itself, the many game drives and animals seen as well as the staff. What a wonderful impression of South Africa the tourists will be leaving with, also due to your reserve and the service and care taken! Personally I observed and reported a few minor maintenance issues in my accommodation. I also thought ome of your waitressing staff could be a little better trained - and dinner took long the first evening. But this in no way diminishes a wonderful experience - and treat. Thsnk you for all your wonderful conservation efforts!

It has gravel roads...your car's wheels myst be very strong and the car has to have high suspension.
Drive carefully there as there are so many wildlife. However It is such a beautiful game reserve. It is worthy every visit

The location of the Gondwana Game Reserve is fantastic and the Kwena Lodge is great and above all great. We had zebras on the terrace every day. The focus is on the safari. Our guide Colman was "wonderful" and he went out of his way to make our stay unforgettable. Always helpful and friendly, it was certainly fun for him to bring us closer to the animals and nature. With a radiant poem, he gave us a lot of information about the country and animals. Always recommendable!

Stayed here this week for 3 nights. WOW. What a spectacular resort and the staff is impeccable. Everyone is very friendly, caring and willing to bend over backwards for you. The animals are spectacular. So many animals and the changing scenery of the 11,000 hector reserve is just mind blowing. We saw lions, antelopes, hippos, giraffes, wildebeests, elephants, zebras and many many more. I would highly recommend this resort. All of us were totally blown away. I have never stayed anywhere where I was cared for this well. It really felt like my home away from home.

Large reserve with very professional and friendly guides, game drives rich in variety. The food was good, the family suite very large.

There was so much to see on my passage through this reserve. Rhino's, zebras, buck, incredible bird varieties and varied terrain and vegetations. Spectacular

*MUST COME HERE WHEN VISITING SOUTH AFRICA*

First of all I must say this game reserve is breathtaking & well kept. Upon arrival we were treated w/ warm welcomes and smiles from the staff! Every meal was excellent and gives you an authentic taste of South Africa! I went on every game drive and say so many animals in there natural habitats (much better than zoo s, I will never go to another zoo or circus.) my guide KAYLA was so knowledgeable and helpful with accommodating us while out on the drives! And she drives so well and knows the grounds like the back of her hand. She made sure we saw as many animals as we wanted & answered all of questions with a smile!

Also make sure you book a spa service with KIM! I got the happy hipo and the sun downer facial & I felt completely luxurious and relaxed! Her calm spirit and knowledge of skin and massage made my trip complete! I can t wait to come back and get another happy hipo!
My favorite part of Gondwana is the staff! Everyone is so welcoming, happy with such good spirits. Inaz, Austin, Moses, louianda, & literally everyone I encounters from the bar to the restaurant made me feel so special (as it was my birthday) that I will never forget their faces nor this trip!

I must say to anyone thinking of going to Gondwana: BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW! Don t hesitate this once in a life time experience! Much love and blessings to everyone at the Gondwana game reserve!

I as a Wedding DJ get to travel to many exotic places, but this place, Wow.. Simply breathing.

A piece of perfect world. It's hard to say goodbye. A place to relax, to experience animals up close and to do without anything. Excellent care and very friendly staff make the perfect holiday experience. We will be back definitely. Minimum stay is 3 nights or more is recommended. When my contribution was helpful, I am pleased about a

Stunning spot. Beautiful rooms with plenty of attention to detail (towels; amenities; fire made while you're at dinner etc); great views. The food, staff and service were all outstanding. Not that much game to view when we visited, but I'm sure it has increased now.

We had a very lovely days in this resort. We really enjoyed our time and appreciated the services. Thanks to the people and big thanks to our ranger Natasha one of the best.

Gondwana is a wonderful location for a holiday along the Garden Route. The hotel is intimate and so friendly. It also has larger lodges where families can stay and self cater or use the hotel. The animals are amazing and the game drivers knowledgeable, the scenery is just stunning. We have been several times and look forward to returning soon.

A great place to watch wildlife at arm's length. The safari was carried out on open SUVs. We saw the whole big African five safari in a couple of days of stay. Most of all, a lion was struck three meters from our car. Zebras and buffalos are everywhere, as are elephants and giraffes. Liked the same housing, all of good quality. At a low cost, food could be better. The service staff is friendly and helpful.

The most magical place ever been, you stay in houses in the middle of the reserve in a perfect combination with nature and the animals . It's an amazing place and the guides are just great. You will see all the animals living in the wild. They really care about the animals. You will love the place.

We went to Gondwana Game Reserve for a wedding. We stayed in their little bee- hive type huts which were so comfortable with wonderful hot water and a great bathroom and the most enormous and comfortable double bed. The view from our hut was magnificent. The weather was terrible rain, wind and cold but we had electric blankets and were very cosy. The dining room and bar were heated but not with a roaring fire - some sort of gas heating i think. The food was excellent. We didn't go on any game drives partly the weather and the aftermath of the wedding but did want a fynbos walk which we never got sadly. The " big five" are all present in this park which is great if thats all you want to see but very restricting if you want to go and take a stroll and a bird walk on your own as everyone seems to think you are going to be attacked at every turn. Having walked in Mana Pools and Luangwa this is not the case - a bit of care and caution and nothing is likelly to attack you.

Gondwana was an absolutely great experience. Both the accommodations and food were outstanding. Our guide during the game runs was extremely informative and willing to go the extra mile to help us try and see lions. This is truly an experience I will never forget!

Exotic, luxury and adventure. Great venue, great staff and fantastic nature.

Absolute bliss. Gorgeous rooms, beautifully, tastefully & comfortably decorated in pure luxury. Magnificent wildlife & much more

Attention: it takes about 20 minutes on bad roads to arrive there just to learn that the safaris are reserved for hotel guests.

Great.. Got to see all the big five animals... Will come again... Lodges are very spacious

An incredible experience that is worth every penny. A large infinity pool in the middle of the valley, the individual huts around and incredibly friendly service, fine cuisine, great wines, everything you need.

Full of fun, the service exceeds 6 stars hotel, special thanks to the ranger Paetrick..

Large reserve with rich wildlife. We've seen plenty on two game drives, including elephants, rhinos, hippos and lions. Our ranger (Natascha) was very nice and competent. The landscape is diverse and beautiful. We were two in a stylish, huge house in the Red Rock part, really in the middle of nature. The kitchen of the restaurant was good too. So, you can not expect more for the money - it's not quite cheap.

Incredible place, great service and stunning hotel. Worth every penny. "

THE best luxury weekend wildlife experience for the whole family that is an easy drive from Cape Town. Although easy to access, it loses none of that remote bush feeling. Civilization seems left behind. You get First class service all around from staff that are invested and proud of what they can offer. This is the real deal when it comes to game drives and animals. Get closeup to the wildlife on the game drives while friendly, well trained guides make you feel at ease. A definite treat for the whole family. Extremely well run and highly recommended for a short break.

Great work they do in the park with animals and nature. Congratulations to all

Wow! What an experience, we all loved it! Stayed in a private villa some 15 mins drive from the main camp. A bit scary trying to find our way home in the dark on the first night after a family of elephants were roaming freely by the restaurant. Animals everywhere and our guide Coolman was amazing and made the experience wonderful for us. (You did it Coolman! We take it easy!) Even our daily self drive from villa to camp and back brought us in front of all the wild animals. Food was very good. Staff and service first class. First safari for us but even people who were with us in our group who had done safari's in more exotic locations seemed pleasantly surprised.

A very impressive reserve! The nature is fantastically beautiful, the service and the whole area totally beautiful - almost over the top. Gondwana pays close attention to the protection of animals - both among themselves in species as well as in front of humans. Apart from the leopard, we were able to see all the animals on several safaris.
Our ranger Brian always gave us all the information about the animals and a safe feeling. Would come here again and again-just great !!

Stayed here for 3 nights, and had one of the best safari experiences of my life. Our guide - Kulumane (Coolman!) - was incredible. Taught us so much about the animals we saw and spoke so knowledgeably about every aspect of the reserve. We came for the game drives, and because our experience was so good, I'm giving it 5 stars. We saw lions, elephant, giraffe, rhino and buffalo (to name a few) in 5 game drives. Accomodation was very nice too - we stayed in one of the Huts. Really comfortable, and we were visited by some zebra one morning, which was amazing. The only downside to this place is the food. Far too complicated - another place trying to do haute cuisine and failing. Would suggest sticking to the simple things on the menu like steak!

Very nice 5 star game reserve. Managed very professional with excellent kitchen and game drives. All rangers are very kind and knowledgeable. 2 drives per day are included.

We had a marvelous Fynbos villa. It is expensive but worth once in a lifetime.

Great although the neighbours were quite noisy but otherwise I enjoyed it.

Best place to ever go see real live animals and great hospitality plus great service

A worthwhile experience, not too far from Cape Town. And we rested!

Great stay in Kwena Lodge... absolute luxury in the bush. Amazing game drives with Khulu, he is great fun, very knowledgeable and got us close to all the animals.

Amazing time at Gondwana. We were made to feel really welcome and I'd recommend specifically asking for the ranger, Ludwig (LJ). He gave us the best 2 days. We saw all the animals and even a Lion kill. We stayed in the Kwena Huts which are absolutely stunning, the food is also fantastic - I couldn't recommend this place enough.

We were in the eco camp and I can only say that it was an indescribable experience every time should have done.

Luxury Safari experience, many animals - though not all Big 5 (Leopard and Buffalo is missing; cheetah only in separate territory). Free roaming animals within very large fenced territories. Very good accommodation, excellent food, friendly personell and ranger, in addition to animals: very nice Fynbos landscape.

Great whole good accommodation o Good food and excursions over the ordinary

Really excellent experience. Got to see 4 of the Big Five over the course of four game drives/ 2 days. Our guide Felix did an awesome job of getting us close to Lions, Cape Buffalo, Rhinos, Elephants, Hippos, Giraffes and all the various antelope species. Accommodations were very luxurious and the food was awesome. This is a must do experience. Please note that there is an additional conservation fee of around R350 per adult and R175 per child per stay, which is quite reasonable as this is a nature conservancy with the goal of continuously improving the habitat and ensuring species success.

My family and I have been twice. Both visits were exceptional..... amazing guides, brilliant game, stunning Bush Villas, incredible food. We look forward to our next visit!

My wife and I had an incredible experience at Eco Camp. Not only did we have some once in a lifetime experiences - elephants coming into our camp, lions and cubs within a few feet of the jeep, feeding the buffalo, and so many more - the staff is what made this stay memorable. Brenden and Stevie were great guides - very knowledgeable and passionate about conservation and educating guests. Ask them questions and you will learn a lot! Abo served up three delicious meals every day - we were very well fed. Manga worked all day to keep our camp spotless. We will definitely be back. Thank you all for a great time.

Its very special in my heart, I love it and living wild is my life...

very kind and amazing place with excellent service. very attentive staff. Lucky to see so many animals - good Safari feeling! even for those where being to Safaris before. I highly recommend the Cheetah Tour.

Such an amazing experience doing the pioneer trail. Tu Hahn and Marcus were amazing guides with infectious enthusiasm and passion for Gondwana who went out of their way to ensure guests were comfortable and enjoying themselves. They went above and beyond and as someone who also works in hospitality I can say they epitomized great service and making one feel at home far away from home. They also took us out on several game drives. Several close encounters with animals which made for an exhilarating trek.

The decor was beautiful and well thought out at each different camp site.

The food was amazing and plenty (and my partner and I are tough critics being professional chefs).

Would highly recommend Gondwana for any adventurous travelers! Once you do a walking safari youll never be able to go back to a drive safari! I'll revisit Gondwana one day.

We stayed at full board in one of the Kwena lodges and it was just perfect! The game reserve is beautiful, the loges a dream, the food incredibly good, the massages highly recommended, the staff very friendly and they're trying hard to see the Big 5.

Very nice place. Many animals seen. Very friendly staff. Cleanliness is still up. For the parking we had to pay 200 Rand per day !!? Therefore 1 star deduction. Overall, but really to be recommended. The exits to the animals are really cool! leader very nice and informative. So far our best hotel in South Africa. Should you afford.
If the information helped you, I'm looking forward to a like

Gondwana is such a magical place. We've spent the last two days here and it's been a luxury safari experience I'll never forget. Thank you for making our stay so special Gondwana Team!

Wildlife scantuary mostly Elephant Reserve park in Kenya. Covering huge area with green surroundings. Elephants mostly all tuskers are preserved here.

Amazing hotel! We had a huge 3-bedroom-villa where you have to drive 2-3 minutes to the main building. It's very private and we got many Zebras visiting us. Pool is beautiful and offers wonderful views. The Game Drives were perfect and we saw 4 our of the "Big 5" and our Guide was very motivated and friendly. Staff and food was very nice too, but breakfast has some room for improvement. A stunning place and I would love to return.

Visited in late Nov. 2015. Great place with great experiences like elephants in the village, lions, giraffes, hippos etc. Great guide Eugene. Is the money worth.

Very interesting. 5 stars with a difference. The safari is of course the focus. And that's great. We had a passionate ranger and it was very informative. Giraffes, lions ect. at a few meters away. Zebras on the terrace. The animals are very relaxed. Everything was very successful. 11,000. Ha country. You are really in nature. Not a zoo.