Madikwe Game Reserve

Stunning Madikwe Game Reserve

I have spent a week in Madikwe region of South Africa in September 2016.
My stay was split between the lodge Royal Madikwe (3 nights) and Madikwe
Hills (3 nights).

The lodges were luxurious and the suite I had in Madikwe Hills was simply
fabulous!
Delicious breakfasts were served on the terrace with a spectacular view on the animals
gathering around the water spot: kind of paradise :-)
The lodges all have wifi, which was really super; nothing else to do in the evening
other than having drinks (all included in Madikwe Hills), surfing and reviewing photos.

It was very impressive to have the lion roaring loudly near my window in the evening.
Was also exciting to see them just about 60m away from my bungalow in Madikwe Hills.

The landscape in Madikwe was quite nice. It would recommend to stay at least
4 nights, so you can increase your chance to spot the leopard.
Also the dry season (winter) is to be preferred because the grass is low and we
can easier observe the animals, which are forced to converge somewhen to the
water ponds.
In Madikwe, the rangers had to track the lions/leopards/rhinos by following
their traces, which made the games more interesting.
In one or two game drives, we couldn't see many animals because they were hiding
themselves from the heat (that's why we need to plan enough game drives to see all
the big five).

You need to have your camera ready all the time as the animal viewing is unpredictable.
I could see the leopard only on the last day in Royal Madikwe and also on the morning
I left the lodge for the air strip, but unfortunately at that time i had my tele-zoom already
packed :-/

A big advantage of Madikwe is that we have much less tourists compared to Kruger Park,
according to different people i have met during the game drives.
Always choose a private safari reserve, as your ranger can drive you off the tracks into
the bushes to follow the animals.

In summary i love Madikwe safaris and will for sure return back.
And I loved flying (1 h) from Johannesburg to Madikwe with the small air plane, which
gave some touch of adventure to the safari trip.
My previous safaris were in 2014 in Shamwari near Port Elizabeth, but it was too
easy to spot the animals which looked somewhat too civilized :-)

My Madikwe album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9-dragons/albums/72157678925869625
My Shamwari album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9-dragons/albums/72157642871816915

Madikwe Game Reserve offers an excellent safari experience!

A work trip in nearby Gaborone, Botswana afforded me an opportunity to enjoy a weekend safari at the Madikwe Game Reserve. My group arrived in the early afternoon at the Tau Game Lodge. After checking in, we enjoyed a great lunch. Then we loaded up for a late afternoon safari. We were seeing wild animals in no time. Actually, we could see several from the decks of our cabins without leaving the lodge's property.

We received a great treat when the rangers managed to locate a pair of lionesses with two cubs. It was amazing how close we were to these creatures. Our drive was filled with impala, wildebeest, giraffes, and more. Our Ranger, Steph , was fantastic. She really knows her stuff about the animals as well as the trees and landscape. She has a true passion for nature and wildlife and it shows. She had caught a brief glance at a leopard, and did her utmost to locate it.

The weather was spectacular and just the beginning of the dry winter season. The previous rains were plentiful and the grass was still very tall, which probably contributed to the difficulties finding the leopard, and probably concealed some other animals. Regardless, we still saw plenty of wildlife. Our first day concluded with an amazing dinner that included some delicious impala.

Day two begin with morning coffee, then loading up for another drive. Our first catch was a lone Cape buffalo. The morning was not as productive, but Steph still managed to find us a pair of elephant bulls put on a sparring match. Aside from the animals, the landscape is so beautiful. After we returned to the lodge we had a wonderful lunch before our departure. While heading back to my cabin to pack, I noticed a white rhino by water. It was a lucky catch and allowed me to finish my safari adventure with seeing four of the Big Five! The elusive leopard gives me a good reason to come back.

One great thing about our safari in Madikwe is that it is advertised as Malaria free. I highly recommend the dry winter season, at least during May. It was a little chilly for some, but you can always put on more layers and our lodge had blankets available in the Landcruiser. The vehicles are open top.

With a short weekend stay, we were limited as to how far from the lodge our safari could go. Safaris of a longer duration likely offer a chance at exploring more of the huge reserve. The rangers all communicate via radio, and are good about sharing information with each other so all visitors can get a chance to see rare animals.

I would highly recommend the Madikwe Game Reserve and hope to go there again. The Tau Game Lodge, the lodging accommodations, their Rangers, meals, and people are all first class.

We had an incredible time! Madikwe is the perfect place to go to see a lot of animals in a peaceful manner. It’s not overcrowded; you only see a few other game cars while on the drives which is nice because it may only be you and the animals at times. We saw at least 10 different animals and even group of female lions eating on a zebra! Everyone at Madikwe is incredibly friendly with lots of knowledge on the reserve, it’s history, and the animals. We stayed at the Bush Lodge, and it was an incredible experience. I strongly recommend staying with the Bush family. They are very warm welcoming and professional. The weather in the month of May was great; chilly in the mornings and evenings, but it was bearable with a jacket and pants. Middays were perfect! We had a great time at Madikwe through SafariWithUs bookings.

We loved Madikwe and all it represents. Our wild dog sighting, watching the dogs keep a hyena from their zebra kill, was a special experience.

Madikwe is a game reserve that really does have it all. I have now been there 3 times, have stayed in 3 different lodges and had a different experience each time. Highly recommend.