Madikwe Game Reserve

Madikwe Game Reserve is proud to home the Big Five – including the elephant, the buffalo, the rhino, the leopard and the lion. These are five animals which were, historically, the most difficult animals to hunt on foot. Today, obviously a safari is all about protecting and conserving wildlife, and a game drive gives you the opportunity to see these animals in the wild, knowing that your park fees go back into their protection. The reserve has a variety of landscapes – from denser areas around the Marico River Valley, to vast and drier savanna areas around the edge of the Kalahari. This makes for a very interesting safari, with different species in each mini ecosystem. Because of its expansive area, African wild dogs can also be seen in Madikwe Game Reserve – in fact, it’s one of the best places to see them in South Africa.

There are plenty of accommodation options to choose from in Madikwe Game Reserve, most of the lodges offering a 4 or 5-star rating. The lodges here really do have the wow factor, and often have been built or designed by incredible architects and interior designers. That said, there is less choice of ‘canvassed’ or tented accommodation here. Instead, the lodges have a variety of amenities like swimming pools, libraries, spas, private plunge pools, and many more. Obviously, with such luxury comes a price, so you need a healthy budget for a Madikwe safari. As always, our safaris are completely personalized to you, your interests, and your budget, so speak to our safari specialists to find out which lodges would work for you.

There are so many luxury lodges in Madikwe Game Reserve which offer a fantastic safari experience, so it’s hard to choose the best. However, Jamala Madikwe, Impodimo Game Lodge, and Garonga Safari Camp would make it into our top five. Jaci’s Safari Lodge would also be included and this is a great option for families. It has its own family unit, with a private plunge pool and deck as well as a kids loft area with twin beds. It’s important to stay in family-friendly safari lodges if you are bringing children on safari, not only to ensure that the lodge is safe for families, but also to ensure it will be an enjoyable safari. At most of these lodges, there is an option to have a private safari vehicle and guide, which we encourage families to take. This means you can enjoy the safari at your own pace, and the guides are usually very experienced (and patient) with guiding families with young children.

Absolutely – Madikwe Game Reserve is a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to luxury South Africa safaris, but it depends on what you are looking for for your safari. If you’re looking for canvassed or tented accommodation to give you a rustic safari experience, we’d argue that Madikwe Game Reserve isn’t for you. If you’re looking for a more luxurious safari experience, with stunning accommodation to complement a Big Five safari, then yes absolutely it’s worth visiting. Being malaria-free, it is attractive for family safaris, and you can fly into the reserve from airports like Johannesburg and Cape Town.