孟瓦納(Monwana)

I wish I could give more than 5 stars because this place is outstanding and exceeds every expectation! It was my second time here, and I hope there are many more times to come. If you have to describe what it means to go above and beyond, Monwana Lodge is exactly that. I had been away from home for 1,5 weeks already but arriving at Monwana Lodge made me really feel like #cominghome again, making it especially hard to leave. A warm welcome was given by the lovely Nicole, Phidolia, Dan and Fanoti, and was quickly settled in my beautiful, spacious and very luxurious lodge. Everything is extremely clean and well maintained, and even though the new lodges have opened two years ago, it still looks and feels brand new. The private pool, luxurious bathroom and bed you sleep in like an empress, I could’ve stayed forever. A big shout out also goes to Natalie, her team in the kitchen, Robbie and Hudson, for all the very delicious meals and drinks, served with a smile. Together with the rest of the Monwana team, we were also treated to a surprise riverbed dinner with fires and beautifully laid tables, an unforgettable experience! A thank you also to Phidolia for the relaxing spa treatment, and to Dan and Fanoti for exceeding every expectation on the game drives. Waking up early has never been so rewarding! Fanoti’s eagle eye and ears, Dan’s endless knowledge of the bush and animals, they are with right a dream team. The sightings even surpassed last year’s experience and that one had already been priceless. I have found the dynamics in the bush one of the most interesting things, so I enjoyed hearing about it a lot (while also bombarding the team with lots of questions 🙂) To the whole team at Monwana lodge, front of house and behind the scenes, THANK YOU for making this such an unforgettable experience, it has such a special place in my heart and I’ll miss you all!

I loved my stay at Monwana last week! The lodge is beautiful, the food was fresh and healthy and the staff was amazing. I hadn't been to the southern part of Thorneybush Reserve before and the game was terrific. Even saw two honey badgers! I highly recommend this lodge!

The best lodge ever their service is good, the environment is clean the stuff are very friendly I Wann go there again and again, everything is perfect gosh they respect us so much November I'll go there again fory friend birthday we appreciate your work guys keep up the good work

We can’t believe it’s already more than 6 months since we stayed at the magnificent Monwana lodge. It was the first stop on our 3 week honeymoon (we stayed for 4 nights in mid December) and it’s fair to say we peaked very early - it was hands down the most incredible start to our trip we could have ever hoped for! From the moment we arrived (very late due to a flight delay - but they still made us a superb dinner!) everyone at Monwana made us feel completely at home. The food and drink were superb, the accommodation and main lodge impeccably designed and furnished, and everyone we encountered throughout our stay quickly felt like family (so much so, we shed a few tears when we had to leave!). We have to give a special mention to our guide Daniel and tracker Fanoti. We were lucky enough to have them to ourselves for all our game drives and had the most incredible experiences - we saw all of the Big 5 on the first day! (We’re told that is very unusual and so we felt very lucky - some of the animal encounters we had throughout our game drives were just unforgettable!). Daniel also kindly took us out on 2 walking safaris, and made sure to meet us for a drink in the bar before dinner each night; extra special touches we didn’t expect to receive. Everyone made such an effort to make our honeymoon special and memorable. The icing on the cake was on our final evening when returning from our game drive we were taken to a private area, up in the trees, where they’d arranged a candlelit dinner just for us. Our waiter Hudson was superb throughout our stay but this was an extra special way to finish it off. The owners were staying at the same time as us and made us feel like part of the family - thank you so much. We travel a lot and have stayed in some fantastic hotels around the world, but Monwana is hands down the most special place we’ve ever stayed. Please don’t change a thing! The staff really do make all the difference and we would absolutely love to return one day if we are lucky enough. Allan & Lucy xx

We had a great time with friends and visited Monwana for 3 nights. Monwana was rebuilt around 6 months ago, and the lodge and rooms are stunning with high quality finishes. The central lodge is spacious, with plenty of inside and outside places to relax. The bar is very central and the wine cellar below. The view is over a water hole where were regularly saw game come to drink. The heated (in winter) communal pool is off to the one side. We loved our room which is spacious and well appointed. Wonderful to have a luggage room so that the bedroom remains uncluttered. Two desks for those that need to work while away. Plenty of plug points to keep everyone happy. Outside is a (in winter) heated pool and we had a slight view of the water hole. A double shower inside and another outside, plus a bath, and two basins made for a comfortable stay. The game vehicles are designed for a maximum of 6 guests with a large box between each row of seats. Wonderful to see they were empty except for a set of binoculars for your use and a pen and paper. Most lodges fill these with ponchos which Monwana keeps under the from row of seats. A double usb point for each row of seats was welcomed. We had Almero as our guide and Nic as our tracker. Both were exceptional and freely imparted their knowledge which us. Being quite keen birders, they helped us to compile an impressive list for our stay. We enjoyed some great sightings and really enjoyed their company. Thanks too for keeping our water bottles full. Our butler was Hudson, who was always keen to help us with a friendly smile and ready laugh. We wanted to bring him home with us. The guest team were wonderful and saw to any needs not met by our guide and butler. Jess was there to welcome us and show us to our rooms. Nicole took over for the weekend and Sarené was always on hand. A special part of our stay was when Colin took us for a back of house tour. We were particularly interested in how the lodge dealt with power, water, refuse and staff. We were not disappointed. An exceptionally professional set up and you should not miss this tour. Definitely the best back of house set up we have seen. Our food was fresh and very tasty and the variety was great. We had dinner on the deck between two fires on our first night, opposite the bar with a roaring fire the second night, and in the cellar on our third night. We had a wonderful bush breakfast surprise on our last morning. There is a lovely spa and the treatments were super. One of the best lodges we have visited and we would highly recommend Monwana.

I have been on safari to the Kruger on 3 occasions-two times to the Thornybush lodges on the Thornybush Estate-14,00 hectars of wonderful bush.We have sampled three lodges before-all excellent-but this was by far the best that I have ever stayed in.Why? Several reasons, firstly the staff-this is a small lodge which adds to the joy of staying -and their tag line is Coming Home-and the welcome made us feel that-like coming home.They were professional and friendly.They work together like an oiled mashine-their training is first class. Jess who welcomed us showed us to our wonderful room-a separate hut a walk from the main building with its own terrace, pool and a view over the water hole. Large bathroom with indoor and out door showers and of course air conditoning. Natalie the chef produced wonderful meals-and is happy to accommodate any speckific requests.She produces mouth watering meals-breakfast lunch and dinner-even breakfast in the bush! The main reception, restaurant and bar are situated in a wonderful designed triangle-hard to explain-but it contains great views, quality furnishings and a cellar bar to choose your wines-with a glass floor looking into that cellar. The lodge was rebuilt last year and the design, imagination and pure quality are a credit to Thornybush. The game-Our ranger and tracker-Daniel and Fenouti were exceptionally good-they tracked hard and we saw some magnificent sights-there were so many high spots and memories-but a heard of 7 rhinos, a brace of lions up a tree (!) and several leopards.Also being shown some spectacular bird life was amazing-have never had this highlighted before on any safari.They both are so knowledgeable and made each drive so special. I loved our stay and want to go back as soon as we can organise. This is a special placed and I sit here -rain and blowing a gale- here in England-Guess where I am dreaming of.......?!

Guests can expect exceptional African luxury and hospitality at Monwana Game Lodge because the owners designed it to feel like your home away from home. From the moment I arrived at Monwana, I knew that I was about to experience the exceptional. The lodge is designed as an oasis of light and space where guests can take refuge from the heat of the day and the dryness of the environment. The interior decor doesn’t blend with the outdoors to bring the outdoors in, instead it frames the vista as every room opens to a panoramic view of the outdoors. Another example of the luxurious hospitality at Monwana, upon arrival, we were escorted to enjoy refreshments overlooking the lodge’s waterhole. Monwana is more concerned about making your comfort a priority than confirming your personal documents. The heat demanded something more refreshing than a sugary cocktail or hard liquor, so I welcomed the Bitterlekker aperitif that I was offered. The non-alcoholic, slightly bitter, herbal/citrus beverage was the perfect tonic. The accommodation at Monwana is unsurpassed. My needs are very simple when travelling because all I need is a clean bed and a clean bathroom- anything else is a luxury, but I am a water sign so I do love a great bathroom, so I was thrilled to discover that in addition to a very generously sized bathtub, my suite boasted twin showers overlooking the waterhole and an outdoor shower. Additionally, my private patio had a plunge pool – which I believe is also called, more appropriately, a cocktail pool! It is the wildlife that sets Monwana apart from other game lodges. Game drives are an opportunity to see wild animals interacting in their natural habitat. You can neither predict nor anticipate what you may see. I always say that when you have the opportunity to go on a game drive, you take the opportunity because no two game drives are ever the same. Fortunately, our guide, Almero Klingenberg, and his tracker, Nic Sithole, were expertly trained and experienced to make the most of our sightings. They were equally generous when identifying the different wildlife and sharing their encyclopedic knowledge. Nic even spotted a chameleon camouflaged in a tree from a moving Land Cruiser! Monwana prides itself on offering its guests fresh, healthy, non-contrived food that speaks for itself. Produce has been sourced from sustainable and ethical suppliers and prepared by Executive Chef, Natalie Stevens. Chef Natalie presents a selection of daily menu options based according to what produce is freshest on the day. You can work up quite an appetite on safari, and you need to eat! An amuse bouche preceded our meal. Chef Natalie prepared a cucumber gazpacho, served in a shooter glass, topped with smoked salmon served on a sliver of melba toast. It worked beautifully to refresh our palates and set the tone for the following courses. I ordered the Venison Fillet for my mains which were served with shimeji mushrooms and a red wine jus. I couldn’t imagine g

We have traveled around SA for 3 weeks. Monwana Lodge was far away the best place we have stayed so far! The staff (=the Monwana family), the surrounding including the interior and of course the Game Drive experiences are magic! The food from Chef Natalie is even better then the menus which you will get at the Michelin Star restaurants in Capetown or Johannesburg! Same about the service - Evalyn (the waitress) was so attentive, we haven't seen that before anywhereelse in the world. About the Game Drives all we need to mention is that the will make you addicted to get up in the early morning again to see what will happen during the next unforgettable and unique drive! Daniel and Ishmael (Guides) are doing a great job.

Wonderful Memories! My family’s visit to Monwana created amazing lifelong memories. The resort itself is over the top beautiful from the grounds, comfortable dining-bar/family room, deck viewing the watering hole, to the luxurious suites. ‘Coming Home’, their tag line, is how the staff makes you feel. While having lunch at Monwana you might be visited by a herd of elephants, impalas or see a graceful mother Egyptian goose swimming with her babies. While safely being led to your room in the evening you might hear the roars of Lions calling out to each other. All this magic is topped only by the wonderful staff who become your extended family. The little touches as remembering everyone’s favorite beverage (especially the kids), little notes on your bathroom mirror at night, facts of animals and insects put on your bed in the evening and safari happy hours all show an unmatched attention to detail. Our ‘Butler’ Evelyn was over the top taking care of all the details to every meal, coffee and happy hour. And, the chef put together healthy, amazing meals which could (or not) be as exotic as you choose. Last but not least our Safari Guide and Tracker…. Rogan and Ishmael! Ishmael, with over 24 years of tracking experience was amazing to watch perform his skills and never leave us disappointed. The respect between Rogan and Ishmael shows in how the two work together through hand signals and very little words. Rogan’s ability to read animals to get us the best view was amazing and his knowledge of animals, botany, lizards and bugs is unmatched. Over our safari rides we saw more animals than we could have expected including the ‘big five’ and to top off all our rides we saw the ‘big five’ on our last afternoon ride! Thank you to Rogan and Ishmael! Amazing experience created by amazing people!