Accommodation

Top Accommodation in Pongola

The town of Pongola is located in Northern KwaZulu Natal at the foothills of the Lebombo Mountains, just south of Esatwini (formerly Swaziland).

With a great climate, Pongola is home to a number of top accommodation establishments, which includes game reserves, lodges and guest houses.

The local sugarcane and fruit plantations and the Pongola River, which flows just outside the town, make for an impressive sight especially during the summer months.

Besides the natural beauty, Pongola also regularly sees local and international visitors, who come to enjoy its game reserves. The Pongola Game Reserve is home to both luxury accommodation and wildlife, making for a great outdoor retreat.

Tiger fish can be caught in the Pongolapoort dam – this being the only location in South Africa where the fish can be found.

Pongola is also the ideal place to recharge after a long day for those travelling between Johannesburg and Durban.

Home Food and Travel magazine has compiled a list of the Top Accommodation in Pongola for you to consider on your next visit to or when stopping over in the town.

Pakamisa Private Game Reserve – Accommodation Type-Five Star Lodge

I was fortunate enough to spend a night at the Pakamisa Private Game Reserve. Located just outside the town of Pongola, Pakamisa offers a top all-round experience.

A stay includes choosing from their selection of activities as well as enjoying a fine dining experience at their El Prado Restaurant. Their outdoor activities will bring out the inner child in everyone, whilst a game drive is a must during your stay.

Their on-site restaurant is top quality, the combination of great food and picturesque scenery makes for a top experience.

The Pakamisa Private Game Reserve undeniably deserves its position as a top accommodation establishment in Pongola. This 5-Star lodge has eight luxury suites and can accommodate up to 16 people at a time.

The establishment is situated at the very top of a large hill, so the scenery found throughout is breath-taking. The quality of service and attention to detail that I observed from all the staff was impeccable. Read more here…

Call: 083 229 1811. Make a reservation, HERE. To get there, click here. Find out more, click HERE.

Mvubu River Lodge -Accommodation Type-Five Star Lodge

The Mvubu River Lodge has 11 twin and two double en-suite chalets on offer. Located within the Pongola Game Reserve, this 5-Star establishment offers dinner, bed and breakfast services for their visitors.

Each one of their chalets is simple-yet-comfortable, combining the elements of stone, wood, reeds and thatch. A number of amenities are on offer at this top accommodation establishment in Pongola, such as their Hippo Hole bar, TV lounge with DStv, covered open plan lounge and dining area, boma, swimming pool and curio shop.

This establishment has numerous activities on offer for those visiting the Mvubu River Lodge. Guided walks, rhino tracking, game drives and boat cruises are, but a few of the activities one can expect during a stay.

The abundance of wildlife is one of the reasons to choose this establishment as well as the hippos and crocodiles that can also be observed in their natural environment. An on-site spa shows that this lodge is an ideal retreat for those wishing to enjoy a luxurious stay.

Call: 083 607 5981. To make a reservation, click here. To get there, click here. Find out more, click here.

Belvedere Game Ranch -Accommodation Type-Three Star Game Farm

The Belvedere Game Ranch is a family-run accommodation establishment located just outside Pongola, in an area known as Magudu.

The owners, Cobus and Karen, have worked hard to offer their visitors a quality stay as well as friendly service. The establishment covers 1400 hectares and one can expect an idyllic stay.

A variety of game are can be seen including buffalo, giraffe, kudu and zebra, to name but a few. This four star rated establishment also boasts an impressive number of both tree and birdlife, making it somewhat of a bird-lover’s paradise.

Located in the centre of the farm, the accommodation includes six en-suite rooms, each of them being air-conditioned. Visitors can choose if they wish to enjoy a self-catering stay or be treated to full catering.

Their on-site swimming pool is often a welcome relief during those hot Zululand days. The Belvedere Game Ranch is able to host intimate weddings and makes a great overall retreat for those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle and day to day life. Read more here…

Call: 082 316 3223. To make a reservation, click here. To get there, click here. Find out more, click here.

Elegant Lodge Pongola -Accommodation Type-Three Star Guest House

Offering quaint, yet comfortable stays, the 3-Star Elegant Lodge Pongola certainly deserves its name.

This double-storey guest house is situated opposite the Pongola Golf Course and is a popular destination for those travelling through the town. The outside area is a great place to sit back and soak in the natural beauty of the surrounding areas.

The outdoor tables are rustic in appearance and make for a great place to enjoy a good book and a quality cup of coffee or glass of wine.

Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis. There are two luxury double rooms with a shower and bath, five double rooms with showers and eight single rooms with showers is what the Guest House Pongola has to offer.

Each of their rooms come equipped with a flat screen television with DStv, Wi-Fi, air-conditioners and a coffee station to name but a few. Read more here…

Call: 034 413 1047. To make a reservation, click here. To get there, click here. Find out more, click here.

Guest House Pongola -Accommodation Type-Three Star Guest House

The Guest House Pongola is a peaceful lodge situated in the heart of the town. I spent two nights at this establishment and it definitely left a lasting impression.

Besides the comfortable stay and delicious food, the friendly nature of both the manageress, Michelle, as well as the other guests made my stay enjoyable. I was served hearty breakfasts at both their indoor and outdoor dining areas.

Relaxing by their swimming pool or sitting on their charming outdoor furniture is how I spent a large portion of my stay.

This 3-Star rated establishment consists of 12 rooms with seven within the house and the other five are located outside. Each room is tastefully furnished and are on a semi self-catering basis.

The Guest House Pongola has secure parking and Wi-Fi is found throughout. The tropical plants found in their garden are a sight for sore eyes. Read more here…

Call: 034 413 1047. To make a reservation, click here. To get there, click here. Find out more, click here.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

About us

Actually, Home Food and Travel offers a lot more than just reviews of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities. We also visit great destinations, receive advice from interior designers and stop to smell the roses and taste the coffee.

Our team of journalists are seasoned travels and love visiting the myriad of exciting places around South Africa. Whether it is off the beaten track or in the heart of the top attractions of the country, we’ll be there,

Home Food and Travel advice on finding the right accommodation

So what is the right accommodation? Well more often than not, it’s your travel budget that dictates the type of accommodation that you choose.

Expensive is not always better. Our team at Home Food and Travel will tell you that they have camped in areas with limited ablutions and had a wonderful holiday. They have also spent a night in a five star hotel only to be disappointed because their expectations exceeded the experience.

The reason for your travels will also affect your choice. A business trip requires different amenities to a beach holiday.

Our articles, reviews and experiences can certainly help you make your decision.

Restaurants with a good mix of service, food and ambiance

To my mind a great restaurant offers three things – excellent service, great food and a wonderful ambiance. Of these, service is the most important.

No matter that the food is delicious and the setting delightful, poor service can ruin the occasion. However, great service combined with mediocre meal and a plane jane restaurant can still be a pleasant night out.

We’ve eaten in restaurants that are really dirty but with incredible food and couldn’t help but give a rave review. We’ve also hardly noticed what we ate because the setting was just amazing.

However, the best restaurants come with the best of service, food and ambiance.

Spas are the ultimate relaxation aid

How do you know when you have had a great spa experience? The answer, of course, is when you doze off on the treatment table.

Well that’s our theory anyway. It also doesn’t take a grand location with enormous facilities for a spa to be really good

A small, personal spa that is owner run can result in the best massage you have ever experienced. However, the grand spas in five star hotels offer unsurpassed facilities in an environment that just makes the stress in your shoulders and neck melt away before you even finish checking in.

Adventure!

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junky to enjoy an exciting experience. In fact, what are commonly termed adventure activities usually have incredibly high safety standards and unblemished safety records.

Ziplining, bungy jumping and shark cage diving are all very safe. It’s just that our mind tells us we are craaazzzzyyyy to be doing this.

On the road to great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities

If you’re driving, be safe and make use of all the wonderful farm stalls that populate South Africa’s open roads.

If you overhear somebody asking a lot of questions or see someone taking photos of empty bedrooms chances are it’s one of our Home Food and Travel team members.

We’re out looking or those great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.

See you on the road!