The waterhole hide

Mhondoro is known for many unique elements and quality experiences, but for close-quarter game viewing, none are as impressive as the underground game viewing hide! I was very excited when I heard about the underground hide at Mhondoro. What I experienced exceeded my expectations!

Descend into a Secret World of Wildlife

This hide allows guests the exciting opportunity to secretly drop down into a tunnel rigged with motion sensor lights. As you enter through large wooden doors, a sign reminds you to be silent and keep calm. You then start to descend, steadily dropping into the earth. The darkness unexpectedly becomes lit as you slowly and stealthily “meander” towards this secret shelter designed to view animals from incredibly close quarters.

An Unparalleled Wildlife Viewing Experience

The tunnel stretches 65 meters, with walls lined with images of animals encountered while the tunnel was being built. Pictures of elephants frequenting the water, belly-deep warthogs wallowing, and zebras drinking a mere few meters away catch your attention as you follow the path down. As you reach the end and step out of the tunnel, you are literally walking shoulder-deep in the center of a waterhole! Almost immediately, your view extends to 180 degrees, and if your timing is right, you can literally see an elephant’s foot at eye level.

My very first experience in the hide was witnessing two rhinos walking from the distant tree line straight towards the waterhole. We were standing on the deck when we saw them coming closer. We immediately took the opportunity to go down into the tunnel, hoping to see them drink. Within a few minutes, we were already at the edge of the water, excitedly waiting in anticipation for them to appear. These very large and rare pachyderms slowly walked up, looked around, and without hesitation, proceeded to drink. Welgevonden has an extremely successful anti-poaching record, with several programs designed to keep these animals safe. It was a pleasure to see them up close, knowing they are well looked after.

A Must-Visit Safari Experience

To call this just a wildlife hide doesn’t do this piece of engineering genius justice. It’s more like a mini journey into the earth’s crust towards a secret hideout where animals can be heard, smelled, and experienced at incredibly close proximity. This is probably the most impressive hide I’ve encountered on safari. This “secret underground cave” was designed and built using modern building techniques. It’s so close and easily accessible from your suite that if you see animals drinking at the waterhole, you can be photographing them within minutes.

Mhondoro’s underground hide provides regular wildlife sightings. It’s a great activity for the whole family or perfect for a quiet session with a good book. Viewing animals at such close quarters is a magical experience and offers amazing photographic opportunities.