Philip lives in South Africa and has authored many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Philip lives in South Africa and has authored many Africa guidebooks, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Philip is the author of many Africa guidebooks, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Philip is author of the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Although state-owned, Madikwe operates as a private game reserve. No self-drive visitors are allowed, and all drives are conducted by the private lodges dotted around the reserve. This makes for a very exclusive experience; even more so if staying in one of the lodges that has a private concession within the reserve.
Madikwe is a prime Big Five destination, and you can expect to see most major safari animals in a two-day visit. Lion is easily seen but leopard and cheetah sightings are hit-and-miss. There is a resident pack of wild dog and sightings tend to be superb. Lucky visitors might also spot the rare brown hyena.
Madikwe lies in a transition zone between the Kalahari thornveld and bushveld. The area is dotted with big rocky outcrops and is bordered in the south by the Dwarsberg Mountains. Madikwe dam is a focal point in the reserve and a great place to see animals coming to drink at sunset.
Weather & Climate
Summertime at Madikwe is a hot and wet affair, as it’s also the area’s Wet season (October to April). The rainfall and heat both increase over the first few months, peaking in January with afternoon downpours and an average daytime temperature of 34°C/93°F. Things start to get cooler and less damp in March, kicking off the transition into a dry and generally sunny winter (May to September).
The Dry season (May to September) is the best time to visit Madikwe, particularly the pleasantly mild months at the start and end of this period. In the middle of this season, there can be a biting chill in the air, which means you should wrap yourself up in your warmest clothes for early-morning or late-afternoon game drives. The drier months also coincide with Madikwe’s low season.
Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.
Fantastic rhino and leopard sightings at marvellous Madikwe
4/5
I only stopped over briefly at Madikwe en-route from Jo’burg to Botswana and did not really have immensely high expectations for sightings on what would be our first day in the bush. However, we set off on the game drive the next morning...
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.