Madikwe Reviews – Page 4 – Reviews 31-34 of 34

massarma –

IT

Visited: December 2011 Reviewed: Mar 22, 2012

35-50 years of age

A great safari experience in a malaria free zone

Overall rating

4/5

Wildlife:

Bush Vibe:

Scenery:

Birding:

Madikwe is a great destination for wildlife observation with a number of excellent and comfortable lodges. The wildlife is very impressive especially for large mammals. Lions, rhinos (both white and black) , giraffes, wild dogs, buffalos, elephants are relatively easy to see and you have the time to observe their behavior. The park is pretty large and you do not have the feeling of being in a 'large zoo', on the contrary; this despite the fact that the Game reserve is fenced. The part which is missing is a large river and the related wildlife such as hippos and crocodiles. We have seen and had the time to follow two wild dogs packs and two male lions roaring just in front of us (really unforgettable). The park is not accessible with your own car and that makes the experience really much better even if a bit more expensive. No traffic at all and very little chance of queuing to see wildlife.
Accommodation at Rhulani was very comfortable and they have a large pond where we had the opportunity to see rhinos, wild dogs , zebra, elephants and more when in the evening they came for drinking.
Scenery is the typical SA bush so do not expect large trees or a thick forest, it is not the landscape everybody loves.
Guides are friendly, helpful and very technical.
Final remark: it is a malaria free area and you do not need to worry about it or about yellow fever.
On balance the reserve I would recommend in South Africa.

2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Ravisyd –

AU

Visited: December 2014 Reviewed: Apr 19, 2015

50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari

Thakadu Camp, warm friendly staff, excellent food, outstanding bush experience, will stay here again

Overall rating

5/5

Wildlife:

Bush Vibe:

Scenery:

Birding:

We stayed at the Thakadu River camp. Warm and friendly staff, personalised service, the food was tasty not too heavy, just right. The guide was excellent took us off road closer to the wildlife, always maintaining a safe distance, good bush sense. The entire staff broke out in a song and dance in harmony, to celebrate a friend celebrating his birthday during our stay. Overall credit goes to the resident manager.

2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Kimberly –

US

Visited: March 2016 Reviewed: Apr 5, 2016

Email Kimberly | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Beautiful place, lovely people, not quite the game experience of East Africa

Overall rating

4/5

Wildlife:

Bush Vibe:

Scenery:

Birding:

We loved our trip to Madikwe. Having been to Kenya and Tanzania, South Africa felt "tamer." We saw tons of wildlife, but not to the amazing levels seen in East Africa. I think that South Africa is a great choice for safari beginners, those who don't want to do malaria precautions. The wildlife is certainly in Madikwe, but it takes more patience.

2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Torrey –

US

Visited: January 2009 Reviewed: May 9, 2012

Email Torrey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari

An adventure of a lifetime!

Overall rating

5/5

Wildlife:

Bush Vibe:

Scenery:

Birding:

Madikwe Game Reserve exceeded my expectations. We saw the Big 5 on the first day of our safari. I was surprised how high the bushes were, I thought it would be flat. However, our guide drove on tiny trails right through the sharp bushes and we came across lion families, feeding lions, a leopard, baby hyenas, many giraffes, elephants, zebras, and other wonderful animals. The stars in the night sky were unlike I've ever seen. Without any lights around for hundreds of miles, the moon shone brightly. We had lightning and thunder storms every night that rocked our tent cabin and was an incredible experience. The accommodations were great. Mosetlha Bush Camp provided gourmet vegan options and the staff was very caring. Very small camp with private accommodations. Our jeeps had covers, so we did not get burnt by the sun during our 2 5-hour safari trips each day. I would love to do it again!