Madikwe Safari Lodge

Few places on earth can compare to the soul-cleansing tranquillity and quiet that South Africa’s bushveld offers. Madikwe, which means “Africa in its glory,” is a town in the malaria-free and incredibly scenic North West Province, not far from the Botswana border.

This is one of South Africa’s biggest and most exclusive private game reserves. As you go west into the 75,000-hectare reserve, the forested hills of Madikwe give way to flat savannah grasslands with sekelbos thickets that extend into the drier yellow-sanded Kalahari plains. Africa’s infamous Big Five and many more mammal species wandered freely through a breathtaking array of ecosystems..

Suites

While Madikwe Safari Lodge offers an exclusive luxurious African safari experience, their primary goal is for their guests to feel not only the warm embrace of the natural wilderness, but also to recall the lodge’s thoughtful comforts and the pleasures of excellent cuisine and genuine heartfelt hospitality.

The Madikwe wilderness experience comes standard. What sets the Lelapa, Kopano and Dithaba, of Madikwe Safari Lodge apart, is a unique experience created for each individual guest, so that they can create the exact experience that appeals to you!

Lelapa Camp
With its open guest areas, friendly staff, and overall atmosphere of easy sociality, combined with the tranquil individual accommodation, Lelap camp has something for everyone.

Lelapa, which is Seswana for “family”, invites you and your loved ones to enjoy the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. An experience to be enjoyed by the whole family.

The camp’s luxuriously laid back vibe and attentive hospitality ensures that you feel right at home with all the exciting discoveries of the game reserve, right on your doorstep.

All of Lelapa luxury suites offer stunning views of the Madikwe Game Reserve that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your suite’s private deck, which includes an outdoor shower and a plunge pool.

Four of these suites are best suited for families with young children. Each family suite provides a kids room equipped with bunk beds, gown and slipper sets, bedside hot chocolate as well as an array of toys, games and books.

Kopano Camp
Tucked away in the savannah wilderness, Kopano offers a more personal experience f the Madikwe Game Reserve.

Kopano, which means “small gathering” in Setswana, if just that. Its four luxury suites promise perfect privacy and personal experience. A stay at the Kopano will ensure that you have your own space as well as a space to make memories with others.

Each suite has its own private lounge, viewing deck, open-air showers, and a plunge pool.

Dithaba Camp
The most blissfully secluded of the Madikwe Safari Lodge camps, Dithaba offers an intimate experience of a game reserve getaway.

With draw dropping hillside views of the Madikwe Game Reserve, you can simply bask in the glory of your natural surroundings from the comfort of your luxury suite.

The four hillside, luxury, private suites can accommodate both solo travellers and couples.

Your suite is your personal haven. Enjoy reading by the fire, taking a long bubble bath, or doing yoga on the deck.

Dining

Experiencing the cuisine at Madikwe Safari Lodge is worth the experience on its own! Yet the beautiful surroundings and atmosphere are a perfect accompaniment which only make the pleasure of dining even more fulfilling.

Their chefs introduce local flavours and techniques into international dishes to create a world class dining experience complimented by a selection of South Africa’s finest wines and other beverages, dining at Madikwe Safari Lodge becomes an adventure all on its own.

Safari

This is one of the only places in Africa where you can see Aardwolf, Brown Hyena and Spotted Hyena together in one reserve.

Aside from the excellent opportunity of seeing Africa’s Big-5, the Madikwe Game Reserve is also home to healthy Cheetah and Wild Dog populations, as well as Africa’s Secret-7: Aardvark, African Wild Cat, Civet, Large Spotted Genet, Pangolin, Porcupine and Serval.
The uniqueness of Madikaw lies in its diversity – not only the complexity of biomes but the range of fauna and flora that is a result of the changing landscapes – all which can be covered in a three-hour safari.

The kalahari plains in the western sections of the park transition into more recognizable lowveld savannah and acacia thickets, while the hillsides and riverine sections provide more wooded areas, providing the perfect environment for an extraordinary array of wildlife.

As the golden light of sunrise glimpses over the eastern hills of Madikwe Game Reserve, guests, feeling fresh after morning coffee, head out with their guide hearing melodious birds chirping with the excitement of morning, ready to explore the landscape for sightings.
The fresh chilled air adds to the suspense of what animals will likely be active in the coolness of the morning.
Their expert trackers are likely to get you close enough to big game that you’ll smell the musk or feel the vibration of a roar in your own chest.

No morning outing is complete without a stop for coffee & Amarula as well as traditional South African rusks and muffins.
As the sun starts to drop and the shadows lengthen over the Madikwe plains, the magic that slowly awakens the nocturnal creatures takes hold. Spectacular African sunsets are almost a spiritual experience with shades of blue, violet, pink, orange and red scattered across the horizon. The ideal opportunity to relax with a sundowner and absorb the sights and sounds.

Slowly the first stars start to appear and predators like lion, leopard and both spotted and brown hyena, use the moonlight to search for potential prey. Porcupines, bushbabies, honey badgers and other interesting animals awaken from their daytime retreats to being foraging. Gleaming green and yellow eyes give clues as to the animals’ whereabouts, as do alarm calls from monkeys or francolins disturbed as they take higher positions for safety during the night.