Gondwana Private Game Reserve

Third time here and absolutely love it. It had had an refurb since we were here last year. New owners apparently. Rooms are very comfortable. Game drives were, as always, amazing. There for 3 days and only once had drinks on the evening game drive. There is supposed to be a break on morning and evening drives, coffee, snacks in morning and alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink and snacks on evening drive. But have to say that when we went last year and stayed half of time in huts and half in ECO camp we did not have a single break morning or evening during our time in ECO camp.

Wow, for our first game reserve experience Gondwana ticked every box. Our ranger, Felix, made sure that we were treated to the full five star tour. We were lucky enough to get close up to all of the animals we hoped to see. The hospitality, food and ambience exceeded our expectations, we will definitely be returning. When we return we will take a larger car with better ground clearance, as the track into the lodges is not suitable for a small budget vehicle ( unless you are happy to potter along at 10-20 kmh!!).

We had the best 3 days of our entire South Africa trip at Gondwana. We stayed in a 4-bedroom villa around 15 mins away from the main Lodge - this journey really wasn't a problem. We had our own car but most of the time we asked the porters to drive (as we did see a lot of animals en route!!) All game drives were exceptional and we couldn't have had a better ranger - he was incredibly knowledgable and always made sure we got the best shot/got as much time out with the animals as possible. We saw 4 of the Big 5 which was incredible considering this was our first ever safari trip! We got lovely sundowner drinks with stunning sunset views. All meals were exceptional and we were blown away at how amazing they were. Service was quite relaxed (slow at times) but this wasn't a massive issue as you really want to make most of the time relaxing. The villa itself was stunning and we could have easily stayed another day or so just relaxing in the property and using the lodge pool. Couldn't recommend this place enough - 4 hour drive from Cape Town honestly feels like nothing once you get there!

What an extraordinary experience! Had the time of our lives. Villa was beautiful! (Although you stay there very little) Food super taken care of, nice staff! Then the guide of our safari, Hennie, was the cherry on our cake! He made it one big adventure. He knew how to tell everything, showed us everything. A ride with Hennie means everybody happy, no need to worry and relax! Also the sunrise is absolutly stunning. You pay a lot of money, but what you get in return is really worth it!

What a stunning place. If you are around the garden route and want to have a real wildlife experience, this is the perfect place to go. The rooms and villas are extremely spacious and luxurious equipped. All the staff is enormous friendly and helpful. Especially Sma in the Restaurant and David our Guide will be kept in our memory. What needs to be said is, that you will most likely see 4 out of the big 5. A Leopard is most unlikely to see, as they are really very shy animals. But maybe you are the lucky one ;)

I want to start by saying that my low review has nothing to do with the game drive or the accommodations, but instead the management and their inability to provide a solution to a problem that was their own fault.||I booked this stay for my girlfriend’s birthday 6 months ago. (Her birthday was never acknowledged during our stay here by the way). In my package, I booked and paid for a 90 minute massage for the 2 of us. ||When we arrived to Gondwana, we asked about our spa treatments, but we were told by management they did not have us booked. They told us there was change in their booking system during July 2023 when we booked, and they had never transferred our spa reservation over, although they still had confirmation of our purchase. We asked for a resolution because we had been looking forward to these spa treatments. They offered us 60 minute massages during our afternoon game drive, which we obviously didn’t want to miss (plus the package I bought included 90 minute massages, not 60 minutes). The only other solution that was offered was for one of us to receive a massage on the morning of check out—Also not a good solution.||We asked if there was any other compensation that we could receive for the inconvenience, but we were only offered a refund for the spa treatments. What makes all of this so frustrating is that they admitted this issue was their own fault when they failed to transfer our reservation in the booking system, but due to a lack of resolution, it felt like it was our fault for being uninformed and unprepared.||We chose Gondwana because we heard it was the most prestigious game reserve in all of the Cape, but the lack of care for an inconvenience in our travels that was their fault has left us extremely disappointed. For a place of this caliber, they could do more than just offer a “sorry.” This is a very expensive stay, and you would think that would equate to caring about the guest, but it doesn’t.||I want to mention that our game drive guide, Ruan has been nothing short of incredible. We’ve loved every minute of our game drives, along with the service at the restaurant and the luggage and housekeeping crew. But that is their job, to provide excellent service, and management should be held to the same standard.||Unfortunately, with the lack of care of our reservation from management, what could have been a once in a lifetime time experience is left feeling flat.

My experience at Gondwana was truly magical. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by everyone. The bush villa where I stayed exceeded all expectations; it was impeccably clean, felt like a home away from home, and offered breathtaking views that were simply out of this world. The staff members were incredibly attentive and made my stay even more enjoyable. While the dinners at Gondwana could be improved in terms of taste, the desserts were absolutely delightful. I want to express my gratitude to each and every member of the Gondwana team for their exceptional hospitality and service. Thank you for making my time at Gondwana unforgettable.

Honestly, this is the trip of a lifetime. I'd firstly like to to mention our guide Ania who was amazing. Her knowledge was outstanding and she really went above and beyond to make our game drives special. Her enthusiasm was exceptional and she managed to ensure that we saw the incredible wildlife here in the reserve (including a live lion hunt!) We stayed in the Kwena villas which are luxurious and modern whilst also keeping a typical African character that really help to enhance your sense of being immersed in nature. The facilities are incredible too with an amazing pool, drinks and the food/restaurant are top class. I would also like to mention the amazing spa which is a fantastic addition. To summarise, I really cannot recommend Gondwana enough, it really was an experience of a lifetime and provides memories that will last forever.