Mantis Founders Lodge

Craig and Glynis have created something truly magical at Founders Lodge! The setting is stunning with beautiful views across the game reserve and rhinos, zebra, sable to mention a few strolling to the waterhole about 100m from your veranda. The service is exceptional with nothing being too much trouble. They went out their way to accommodate our children and make them feel welcome. The food was delicious and eating in different parts of the lodge at each mealtime added to the experience of being in such a stunning place. The team were super friendly and professional and made Founders feel like a home from home. Cilliè, our guide, was really knowledgeable and great at answering all our questions! The waterhole hide is a great spot to go and relax and get really close to the animals. And the icing on the cake for the children is that the action is live steamed on You Tube so it feels like we’ve brought a little bit of Africa home to the UK. This morning the children were watching warthogs at the waterhole!

We just spent 3 glorious nights at Founders Lodge and cannot fault a thing. The stay includes 2 games drives a day (with a stop for drinks on each drive), and wow, the drives are just amazing! We saw so many animals (hippos, cheetah, giraffe, buffalo, tortoise, zebra, rhino, hyena etc) and cannot belive how close we got to the lions and elephants! Our guide, Marthus, was super knowledgeable and friendly, and really tailored the drives to what we wanted. We will never forget getting so close to the elephants, thank you so much! The stay also included a walking safari, which was an incredible experience. We loved every meal and you will never go hungry here. Each meal is a customised experience and the staff choose a different location on the property for you to enjoy each meal. Led by Glynnis and Craig, all the staff couldn't do enough for you, are really friendly, and make founders feel like your home. There is also a wonderful hide by the watering hole where you can watch the animals from close up without them seeing you, which is an unforgettable experience. We will definitely be back!

The Lodge is Amazing 🤩. They have the friendliest staff. The managers made sure to make us feel welcome and the Contemporary Suite is so beautiful with all the luxury amenities. They cater to your evey need and would highly recommend. ❤️ The animals are just outside your door and the new Hyde is my favourite feature. Dont even get me started on the food its amazing, hats off to the chef. 🔥

Wow, Founders Lodge is an amazing place. Craig and Glynis are the most welcoming hosts and the lodge is just beautiful. Our meals were served each day in a different part of the lodge with outstanding food. We were unlucky with the weather but this did not take anything away from our time here. Cillian our driver was so knowledgeable and was happy to answer all our questions. We will definitely be returning 2 nights was not enough!

What a welcome from Craig, Glenys and their team. From the start we felt that we were special guests. Glenys quickly arranged for us to have some lunch as we had had a long journey and the afternoon game drive had been delayed slightly so that we could join it. We stayed in the Heritage suite which was comfortable with an outside terrace from where we could watch rhinos, zebras and warthogs. We assumed that a suite would have a separate lounge area which this room didn't. This wasn't a particular problem except that there was only an upright chair by the dressing table to sit on if you wanted to be inside but not be in or on the bed. We asked for an easy chair which was quickly provided. There is a lovely guest lounge, library room and bar area with comfy seating by a fire. leading into the breakfast room with bifold doors. There is also a full size snooker table for guests use, a swimming pool and a small gym. The food was excellent, served in a variety of locations either with other guests or as a couple. But, what we really came for - the game drives. Initially, we were a little disappointed as we had to drive around an hour before seeing any wildlife. We soon realised that this was a different experience to other safaris we had been on. Shamwari is huge. Nature is unpredictable but we quickly appreciated the varied landscape as well as the wildlife this reserve offers. We had many memorable moments and Scoob, our guide, was very knowledgeable and always wanted to ensure we got the best view possible of the animals and birds. The personal service at Founders is second to none. It fully deserves the 5 star rating it gets. The only negative is the drive to and from the main road. We knew in advance that it was 15km gravel road. Driving cautiously to avoid all the pot holes and poor road surface took us about 45 mins. Be sure to add this to the rest of your journey time. Apart from this, you will have a wonderful time at a place not only"where it all began" but where nothing is too much trouble.

We had a great experience at Founders Lodge Shamwari. World class hospitality and absolutely luxury all the way. We were fortunate to see the Big Five as well. Our rooms were beautiful and the staff were really amazing. We will forsure be back !

We stayed for one night - a family of 5 and had the most incredible experience at Founders Lodge. We had a great game ranger and we were fortunate to see the big 5. The rooms were spacious and well appointed - pure luxury with exceptional service. Oh a d the food was exceptional too! Word Class!

We have been staying for 2 nights for our pre-honey moon trip. Everything, I mean everything is just perfect! The game drives are amazing and exceptional ! I just want to say thank you to everyone at the lodge for that unforgettable experience.

We had the most wonderful 3 night stay at Founders Lodge. Glynnis and Craig (and their entire team) were amazing hosts - so friendly and welcoming, and real perfectionists! The fabulous meals were all served at different spots around the Lodge, so we had a range of views and rooms to enjoy throughout our stay. The food throughout was delicious. The Lodge is set overlooking an amazing landscape, and there were always views of rhino, warthogs, giraffe etc etc to enjoy from there. The new hideaway, which overlooks the waterhole, allows remarkably close-up viewing of the animals as they drink and bathe. The two game drives per day across Shamwari were brilliant, and we enjoyed the company of our great guide, Martus. We saw pretty much everything (apart from the elusive leopards), and always from a fantastic viewpoint with very few (if any) other vehicles nearby. The highlight was seeing a recent kill of a baby giraffe by lions one afternoon, and the next morning seeing the same lions (with cubs) fully tucking into the remains of the carcass. Not pretty, but fascinating! The abundance of elephants and rhinos was a joy to see, and we probably had better viewings of them on this safari than we've ever had on others we've been on. I'd really recommend visiting the Born Free Sanctuary while you're there, too. The whole vibe of Founders Lodge, and its staff, is so relaxed and charming (but run like clockwork by Glynnis and Craig!). We really hope we're able to go back there again some time. Thanks so much to everyone for looking after us so well (and for making the dinner with the special guest happen!!).