Founders Lodge by Mantis

We had a really fantastic 3 night stay at Founders Lodge. The staff were all, without exception, outstanding, welcoming and friendly. It truly felt they were all passionate about the property and the service provided. Our guide on the game drives, Juvan, was outstanding. His knowledge of,and passion for, the animals really shone through. He really went out of his way to make each game drive a brilliant and memorable experience. Our room was super, with a view over to the waterhole and hide. Waking up to views of a passing giraffe or rhino is definitely memorable. Founders Lodge is highly recommended.

Second to none - Founder’s Lodge has been absolutely wonderful. Craig and Glynnis are just the best hosts. Service is personalised and personable. Food was delicious. Your experience really matters to them. The guiding was terrific and we saw Lions, Giraffes, Black Rhino, White Rhino, Warthogs, Impala, Springbok, Kudu, Buck, Zebra, Mongoose, Gennet and much more. Watch the animals from your bedroom as they visit the waterhole. Beautiful pool overlooking the waterhole. Enjoy a Braai/Barbeque with other guests. With over 28,000 hectares there’s a huge expanse of land and animals for you to discover. We cannot recommend Founders highly enough.

This was a really wonderful experience for our first safari. The accommodation was lovely with a stunning view and super clean. In addition, the food was amazing and I can’t speak highly enough of all the staff. Every single person made it their business to make us feel special and we really appreciated it. Our guide, JV ,was fab. He had such passion for the animals and was so knowledgeable. Plus his tracking was amazing. Thank you all for a brilliant stay.

What an exceptional place, and what an exceptional experience. It’s a small hotel with about seven rooms, so you are pretty much introduced to all the staff on arrival. The initial vibe of the rooms is colonial, but there are some great modern touches, like the swimming pool, and the underground hide, that allows you a view of the waterhole. We got face-to-face with rhinos while they were drinking and rolling in the mud. Accommodation is spacious and comfortable, with generous complimentary snacks and drinks in the room. The morning and evening game drives were customised as there were only a few of us in a vehicle. The highlight was seeing a cheetah hunting, but we also saw a couple of male lions, rhino, zebra, giraffe, impala, kudu, buffalo, etc. sadly,no leopard, but they did look for them for us. The game drive is about 3 hours with a comfort stop part way through, which includes drinks and snacks. After the drive, the team join you in the bar for a drink so there is plenty of time for questions. The food at the hotel is excellent, but they do have a limited menu on any given night, so make sure you let them know any dietary requirements. They also did a ‘romantic’ meal for us, which was a little ill-judged, as we were in the library surrounded by candles on a sifflingly hot evening! Breakfast, on the other hand, was generous and extensive. It was also served outside so we could watch the rhinos wander past on the way to the waterhole. From the grounds you can see rhinos, giraffe, zebra and warthogs. All in all, a fabulous place and well worth a visit.

Where to start with this review…. This place is heaven. From the moment we stepped foot out of the car (after taking the wrong road!!) we were made to feel like royalty. We were met by Glynns and some of the other staff and were given a tour. We were shown down to the water hole and Our kids were amazed by this part, to be able to sit in the peace and quiet and wait for whatever animal was going to show up was fantastic. The food here is to die for, you most definitely won’t go hungry and your clothes maybe a little tighter going home !! The amazing staff Cynthia, Ntombi and Nazi just could not do enough for you, such beautiful people. Our guide Cillie, this man has the patience of a saint. Every game drive was different, he went above and beyond for us. Spent time with my son showing him where things were in the distance when none of us could see!! Explained everything in such detail, all the questions we had and he was so full of information for us. He was brilliant. Glynn and Craig, you guys are fabulous , you made us feel so welcome from the moment we arrived until the time we had to leave. This has been a dream come true and we will remember this forever. Hopefully we will see you guys again xx

I stayed here for a few days my wife and my six year old son and only left today - had to write a review immediately to say thank you and how wonderful things were. Really couldn’t see how things could be better. People so friendly. Room beautiful. Awesome wildlife!