Etali Safari Lodge

This is our unique offering that makes every aspect of your stay with us unforgettable: Exciting wildlife safaris in a vast wilderness area with the big 5, cheetah and African wild dogs. Luxury zen-like suites designed to immerse you in the bush.

Mouth-watering meals catered to every dietary requirement, including kosher and halal. The ultimate pampering in our spa and wellness centre. We believe that those four elements will give you the best guest experience, the one you’ll be talking about for years to come. That is the Etali Experience.

To ensure individual guest attention and privacy, Etali offers only eight luxury suites and one family suite. Our spacious suites are tucked into the granite rock and tamboti trees of the koppies (meaning small hills) on which the lodge is built. Each suite was designed and situated to be set apart for privacy in its own bushveld domain, to immerse guests in the refuge of the bush.

The mix of cool and earthy colours in the decor is peaceful and compliments the beauty of nature. The architectural and design intent was that the suites allow guests to focus on the bush.

The suites have large decks and outdoor showers, and are located in front of game paths where elephants and other animals often cross. In addition to the dawn chorus of birdlife, we frequently hear lions calling or hyenas laughing in the early hours of the morning.

Cooling off in the outdoor plunge pool and sipping a cocktail as you watch the breath-taking African sunset on your own deck is the ultimate indulgence. Nothing beats a long, lingering shower in our inside or outside showers with a bird or little antelope as audience. Or soak away in our partner bath, and enjoy a relaxing bath therapy prepared by our staff.

Extra-long comfortable beds with fine, crisp linen promise an unforgettable night’s sleep beneath the thatched roof. During the winter nights we make cosy fires in enclosed fireplaces to ensure the most comfortable stay.

Family Suite Amenities
The family suite offers two back-to-back rooms with an expansive shared deck, swimming pool and private lapa area with a table and chairs covered by a thatch roof. Except for an outdoor shower, the family suite has all of the other amenities of the luxury suites.

The family suite is perfect for families traveling together, and also for friends staying together as well. We also offer the option of adding one or two twin beds to our luxury suites.

Organic Design In Madikwe
The lodge has a minimalist design, incorporating boulders, trees and other elements from the surrounding hillside.The main lodge appears before you as you walk into the reception area. Walk down a covered walkway with textures of glass, wood and stone to the main inside dining area, lounge and bar.

From the inside dining area, move to the covered outside deck overlooking the Etali Waterhole. Next to the outside deck is our infinity pool, where you can enjoy watching activity at the waterhole whilst sipping a refreshing beverage.

The Wellness Centre is located between the main lodge area and Suite 5. Suite 5 is wheelchair-accessible, and is preferentially offered to guests who have limited mobility.

Cuisine That Guests Talk About
Experience cuisine that guests talk about. Meals at Etali feature the high-quality meat that South Africa is known for, including local game meat, with lots of fresh seasonal and organically grown vegetables, fruit and herbs. There is no set menu as the chefs select the best produce to work their magic.

Food is a core part of the guest experience at Etali and meals are prepared fresh daily in our on-site kitchen. All guests enjoy breakfast, lunch, royal tea and dinner, along with snacks during game drives. Our menu is varied, giving guests the option of savouring different meals.

Varied Bush Dining Spaces
Meals at Etali are served in a variety of dining areas, each with its own distinct character. Our main dining area is a covered deck giving a panoramic view of the Etali Waterhole and surrounding hills. Fresh breakfasts, delicious lunches, royal tea, and our multi-course fine dining dinners are served here. We also offer the option of dining inside the beautiful main lodge area.

Or perhaps a romantic dinner on your private deck is appealing? Just say the word and we will arrange it. Etali has an exclusive site a short distance from the lodge, tucked into the koppies, where we serve bush breakfasts as a special treat.

Boma Dinners
We also host “boma” dinners at our second deck at ground level, giving you an amazing perspective of the waterhole at night.

Our chefs prepare traditional South African meals on the braai (where food is cooked over coals), accompanied by salads, starters, and fresh-baked bread. Dine in our boma, by a roaring fire, under the stars, and see who comes to the waterhole that evening.

Etali Caters To All Dietary Requirements
We have years of experience catering to health and religious-based dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, shellfish or nut or other allergies, kosher, and halal. Etali Safari Lodge is proud to cater to any dietary requirement.

Relax Your Body
The bush relaxes your mind; the Etali Wellness Centre extends that experience to relax your body. Be pampered in the tranquillity of the Wellness Centre or enjoy the sensory pleasure of a massage on your own private suite deck.

Our massages, hot-stone therapy, body wraps, and facials are performed by professional, qualified therapists. You may also enjoy steam therapy in our sauna and our mini-gym facilities.

Whether you are in need of pure self-indulgence, to detoxify the whole body, or simply relax and unwind from modern urban living, this is where you can feel calm and relief. We offer treatments for both men and women and can arrange for couples’ treatments.

Signature Thlakanya Treatment
In Tswana (the language of the local people), the word “tlhakanya” means to mix and come together. Our signature Thlakanya treatment lasts a blissful 2 hours. The experience starts with a visit to the essential oil-infused steam room, followed by a full body scrub, leaving your skin silk-like and hydrated.

This is followed by a full body wrap of your choice, and a hydrating facial treatment. Our combination of Swedish and warm stone body massage will leave you revitalised with a sense of well-being. With these elements combined, your body becomes “tlhakanya”, holistically balanced from head to toe.

Special Events At Etali Safari Lodge
We love to host special functions! Book the entire lodge and let us design and make arrangements for the needs of each occasion, customised exclusively to your schedule.

Multi-generational Family Travel
Book the entire lodge at a special rate and bring your extended family. Are some people early risers? Others interested in a later game drive? Want to stay out on game drive all day with a picnic lunch? Want to coordinate sundowner stops with your entire family? Do your little ones want pizza every night? Anything is possible. Connect with your family through travel.

Small Corporate Functions, Meetings and Workshops
We welcome small corporate functions, meetings and workshops. The bush has an uncanny ability to allow people to disconnect from the noise of their lives and focus on important decisions. Reserve the lodge and facilitate your team-building, important decisions, and strategy formation.

Equipment such as flip charts, projectors and screens are available.

Destination Weddings
We would be privileged to host your destination wedding in a beautiful location in the Reserve. Our team arranges everything needed to ensure that your wedding is exactly how you dream it, including necessities like Menus, Photographers, Hairdressers, Flowers, and Marriage Officers.

Safaris At Etali Safari Lodge
Safaris at Etali are something special. Every day in the bush brings a new experience. We offer twice daily safaris in modified open Land Cruiser game vehicles, which include a canvas roof for sun protection.

Your safari is led by an experienced guide, who shares a wealth of knowledge whilst driving the vehicle, and a “hawk-eye” tracker, who sits on a seat mounted on the hood of the vehicle to help spot animals and their tracks.

Part of the magic of the bush is that you don’t know what nature will show you. The excitement of tracking a lion, rounding the corner and seeing a “crash” of rhino, or finding a pack of African wild dogs will stay with you forever.

What To Expect On Game Drive
Your first safari starts early in the morning, just before dawn (at 06:00 am in winter and 05:30 am in summer), to ensure that you are ready for sightings during the prime time of dawn. There is nothing like being out in the bush, watching the sun rise, looking for wildlife.

Mid-way through your safari, your guide and tracker will stop and set up morning coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks. The morning game drive lasts around 3 hours and a fresh breakfast is on offer when you return to the lodge.

The afternoon safari starts after royal tea on the lodge’s main deck at 04:00 pm (in winter) and 04:30 pm (in summer). This drive also lasts around 3 hours.

You will drive for an hour or two before stopping for “sundowners”—enjoying drinks of your choice, along with safari snacks, whilst watching the sunset. After sundowners, the “night drive” begins and you experience nocturnal animals by spotlight. Upon your return to the lodge, our staff will welcome you under a bed of stars and escort you to dinner.

Our Guide & Tracker Teams
The quality and experience of our guides and trackers will make your safari. Not all lodges have guide-tracker teams; we believe that two sets of experienced eyes give the best safari for our guests.

Vehicles in Madikwe are allowed to drive off-road for most sightings such as lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo or unusual sightings, vehicles from all lodges in the park are connected via a radio system, and the number of vehicles at sightings are limited to ensure intimate and private experiences.

We offer blankets and hot water bottles when the temperature is cool; cold, fresh water for summer; and we have ponchos in case of rain.

Although guests under 6 years of age are not allowed on game drives, we organise “bumble” drives for younger guests, where larger predators are not sought out. Our guides and trackers are excellent with kids. In addition, we offer babysitting services, subject to availability and for an additional fee.

Walking Safaris In Madikwe
Walking safaris are also on offer. Being on foot gives a different and exciting perspective of the bush. These safaris are led by experienced guides, who carry a rifle and who have been trained in how to approach wildlife to allow guests to enjoy safe and thrilling encounters with any of the wildlife in Madikwe.

Imagine watching an elephant or rhino with your own two feet on the ground—it is unforgettable. Walks also unveil everything from the finer details of the bush to the grand swaths of landscape.

This type of safari allows you to connect to nature at a whole other level. We focus on aspects of the bush that are easier to enjoy on foot rather than in a vehicle, like birds, trees, grasses, tracks, animal dung, soil, and rocks.

There are no set routes for these walks; our guides set a pace that is comfortable for the group. Walks are usually done after breakfast, for as long or short as the group would like. You do not want to miss this experience.

Walks are limited to those over the age of 16. Guests who are 60 years or older are welcome on walks as long as they have a medical certificate.

Madikwe Conservation
If you have luck on your side, there are sometimes opportunities to fund and observe the darting of an animal, for medical reasons; to add a collar; or to notch a rhino’s ears. The funds that you pay go directly to the actual darting—costs of which are expensive.

In return, you have directly helped an animal in need, and have the amazing chance to view the procedure up close. Imagine getting a window into on-the-ground conservation and watching first-hand.

Such darting opportunities are only available when there is a need; the reserve does not dart or perform procedures on an animal unless necessary. If you are interested in sponsoring such a procedure, please inquire about pricing and whether a procedure can take place during your visit. This is a special event that few people have the privilege of experiencing.

Families Are Welcome
Children of all ages are welcome at Etali Safari Lodge. We offer a range of kids activities to help keep younger guests entertained while simultaneously respecting the experience of other guests.

Although children under the age of 6 are not allowed in dangerous game sightings, our kids program includes a “bumble” drive where our guides take the kids (with or without parents, depending on how much of a break you’d like), on a drive after breakfast.

The bumble drive is one where dangerous game is not sought out, or closely approached, but our guides make the bush exciting, including by casting plaster-of-paris tracks. We also entertain children with kitchen activities like decorating cupcakes; kids’ manicures and face-painting; arts & crafts; and special kids menus during meals.

Kids activities are included in our rates and are adapted to the individual age and preferences of each child. Babysitting services are available on request, are subject to availability and may incur a small fee.

The Etali Waterhole
A surprisingly large variety and number of animals visit the Etali waterhole daily. Watch a herd of elephants approach the waterhole, the younger ones eager to drink and play. Or a leopard quietly drinking at night as you enjoy a boma dinner.

Or an entire herd of buffalo noisily wading in to the water. Or a giraffe cautiously bending down to take a drink. We’ve seen all of the big 5, plus cheetah, plus African wild dogs, plus about every species of antelope in the Reserve at our waterhole.

At One With Nature
The Etali Waterhole is perfectly positioned in front of the lodge to allow for amazing, close sightings. Located in front of the lodge’s main deck and pool—and even closer to the boma dining area—you can savour breakfast, lunch and dinner, or enjoy a dip in the pool, whilst watching waterhole visitors.

The private decks of three of our rooms overlook the waterhole as well. All of the photos of the waterhole were taken from the lodge main deck, boma, or the private decks of one of the waterhole-facing luxury suites.

South Africa Is The Best Country For A Wheelchair-Friendly Safari
Of all the countries on the continent of Africa, the country of South Africa has the most resources to make your journey as smooth and comfortable as possible, from start to finish. South Africa’s airports, hotels, sightseeing spots, and restaurants are the most suitable for wheelchair users compared to other countries.

Etali Safari Lodge can be easily accessed by road, and is about a 4.5 hour drive from Johannesburg. We can organise a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to transfer you to and from the lodge.

A Wheelchair Safari In Madikwe Game Reserve
Our philosophy is that everyone should be able to experience the wilderness. Our reception turning circle has a ramp leading down to the main lodge area.

All of the main dining areas—the inside main area (dining, lounge and bar), the outdoor covered main deck, and fireside boma area near the waterhole—are wheelchair-accessible. From the main deck, there is a connecting walkway to room 5, which is our wheelchair-friendly suite.

Suite 5 (and all of our luxury suites) have open indoor and outdoor showers, which are all wheelchair-accessible. Suite 5 has a waterhole view. If you would like any furniture in your suite re-arranged or moved, we are happy to oblige.

An African Kosher Safari in Madikwe Game Reserve
Etali Safari Lodge is proud to be one of the few luxury safari lodges to offer kosher safaris. We began our kosher offerings 15 years ago, when one of our guests was looking for a lodge that catered to koshers and asked Etali owner Koos Potgieter what could be done.

That request was how we came to offer our unique kosher safari experience. Let us use our 15 years of experience of keeping kosher in the bush to take care of the details, whilst you relax and enjoy your African safari.

The Etali Safari Lodge Kosher Kitchen
We created a kosher kitchen in our main lodge dining area. The kitchen, including a separate stove and refrigerator, is open to view, so our kosher guests can watch their meals being prepared. We also have separate kosher facilities for our “bush breakfasts” and boma dinners.

All of our kosher equipment, including kosher pots, pans, cutlery and crockery, is kept on-site. Etali has long provided its chefs and waitstaff with training on kosher requirements, and we give annual refresher training to keep current with the latest requirements.

Keep Kosher In The Bush
Before you arrive, we ask about your food preferences and any special requirements beyond what is necessary to keep kosher. We’ll source the highest quality kosher ingredients, including kosher wines, beers and liquor, from our suppliers in Johannesburg.

The ingredients are fresh and ready for your arrival so that your personal kosher-trained chef can prepare Kosher meals of the highest quality. When you arrive, one of our kosher-trained chefs will be dedicated to you and will be at your disposal.

Your chef will offer suggested meals and will work with you each day to create a kosher menu that exceeds your expectations.

Etali Beach Villa
See another side of South Africa with us. Visit Etali Beach Villa, our beachfront property on the south coast in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This luxury, modern getaway designed by architect Nico van der Meulen can be booked on an exclusive-use basis only, and offers seclusion, luxury and comfort for up to 10 guests.

The abundance of glass means that every room in the villa—except the garage—has uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean. The Villa comes fully equipped with bed & bath linens and kitchen equipment & utensils. Housekeeping and security services are included, and a personal chef and driver are also available upon request.

Location, location, location. Located on the “Hibiscus Coast,” next to a marine protected area, Etali Beach Villa offers walking access to an unspoiled coastline with a soft fine sand beach.

The Villa is in the small town of Trafalgar, off the beaten tourist path whilst still a 15-minute drive from shops, restaurants, and lots of activities. Etali Beach Villa is the perfect combination of a remote seaside vacation and a holiday with nearby conveniences.

Walk to the Beach Through a Dune Forest
Stroll along our 50 metre path through the indigenous dune forest to the beach. You’ll see and hear a myriad of birds, including Knysna louries, long crested eagles and many seabirds are common. A variety of non-dangerous game is found in the dune forest, including bushbuck and blue duikers (southern Africa’s smallest antelope).

The forest path leads you to a beach that is a marine protected area. You can walk for kilometres along this quiet and tranquil beachfront, between the blue of the sea on one side, and the green of the dune forest on the other.

Just 100 metres away is Trafalgar Beach, a Blue Flag swimming beach on the Indian Ocean. South Africa awards “Blue Flag” status to beaches that meet strict criteria about safety, cleanness, amenities, ecological value, and educational potential.

The water is warm, and the beach is popular for surfers, swimmers, body-boarding, stand-up paddling and snorkelling. The beach is protected by shark nets and lifeguards.

Etali Beach Villa Amenities
Etali Beach Villa has four spacious bedrooms. Every bedroom faces the ocean, and each has an en-suite bathroom and access to decks with sea views. Each room has wifi, air conditioning, a fireplace, a walk-in wardrobe, and an electronic safe.

Two of the rooms have double beds; one room has 2 single beds that can be put together as a double, and the last room has two ¾ beds that can be turned into an extra-large king size bed.

There is a fully-equipped modern kitchen, with separate scullery including a washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher. Etali Beach Villa is booked on a self-catering basis. Housekeeping services are included, and laundry and personal chef services are available upon request for an additional charge.

Your group will enjoy the multiple stunning common areas. There is a game room that includes a billiards table (with table tennis top), sleeper couches, and doors leading out to a beautiful garden and a jacuzzi. A dining room, living room, and TV room (with DSTV and La-z-boy recliners).

A covered, tiled entertainment area with gas braai/barbecue facilities and outdoor dining area, near the infinity swimming pool overlooking the Indian Ocean. Etali Beach Villa also offers two garages, a secure perimeter and remote access control. There is wifi throughout the house.

Activities Near Etali Beach Villa
There are so many activities along the Hibiscus Coast (which stretches about 70km between Hibberdene and Port Edward) that everyone will find things to enjoy.

All along the coast there are nature reserves for walking, hiking, biking & bird-watching (the south coast is a famous birding destination); boat trips and lookout points for dolphins, whales, and the famous sardine run (typically in June and July); water activities like scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing (with lessons and rental equipment available for all).

Avid fishermen will enjoy the many opportunities for angling off-shore, deep-sea fishing and fly fishing.You can partake in any of those activities, and more, within a 20km radius of Etali Beach Villa.

Wildlife In Madikwe Game Reserve
Madikwe Game Reserve stretches over 75 000 hectares (750 square kilometres or almost 300 square miles) of African wilderness. The diversity of life is spectacular and impresses even repeat safari-goers. The “Big 5”—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo—are regularly seen. Both white and black rhino are found in the Reserve.

Madikwe is also home to cheetah and the endangered African wild dog. The lodge has participated in sponsoring the re-introduction of wild dogs and female cheetahs to the reserve, working closely with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).

Both spotted hyena and brown hyena are also found in Madikwe. We have regular sightings of both species of hyena—another Madikwe highlight.

There is an abundance of giraffes, zebra, blue wildebeest, impala, springbok, and warthogs. Baboons will entertain you, and you may get a glimpse of mongoose, caracal, honey badger, or even the elusive pangolin. More than 60 species of mammals call the Reserve home, as do 400+ bird species.

Madikwe Climate
Madikwe Game Reserve is located in a semi-arid transition zone between the savanna and the Kalahari Desert. It is a malaria-free area, making it one of the few “Big 5” wilderness areas without malaria in all of southern Africa.

Winter / Dry Season: May-September
Daytime winter temperatures are moderate; the mornings and evenings are chilly, staying just above freezing. This is a great time to visit because animals congregate around waterholes, including at the Etali Waterhole.

The Reserve turns beautiful shades of yellow and brown, with spots of green. Warm up during the evenings next to fires lit in your suite’s fireplace and inside the main lodge building.

Summer / Wet Season: October-April
Daytime summer temperatures are hot, often cooled by spectacular thunderstorms that are accompanied by stunning cloud formations and rainbows. Refresh with a dip in your private splash pool in between game drives.

Summer mornings and evenings are comfortable and pleasant. Many animals give birth in December and January, and there are lots of young impala, zebra, wildebeest, warthog and giraffes. The rainy season is marked by lush vegetation and the arrival of migratory birds from the northern hemisphere.

History Of Madikwe Game Reserve
Madikwe Game Reserve made history when it was created, and continues to make history to this day. The Reserve is the result of a bold and successful initiative from the early 1990s, when the South African government decided to transform a large portion of farmland near the Botswana border into a game reserve, to uplift the economically-depressed area.

The land, whilst not suitable for farming, was perfect for wildlife because it is located in a transition zone where a variety of species, including rarer species, naturally occur. The private sector partnered with North West Parks Board and began the reintroduction of wildlife to the new reserve in 1992.

Dubbed “Operation Phoenix,” it was, at the time, the largest translocation of wildlife in the world. As part of this Operation, entire breeding herds of elephants from Zimbabwe, black-maned lions from Namibia, buffalo, black and white rhino, along with various species of antelope were all relocated.

Some species, like kudu, leopard, brown hyena, caracal and black-backed jackal were already in the new park land. The ultimate aim then, and now, is to have a wildlife population representative of the species that previously occurred in the area, with a balance between predators and herbivores, and between rare and common species.

The Reserve’s most recent efforts include working with Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to diversify the genetics of cheetah, African wild dog and lion populations by receiving and sending some of those animals to and from other protected areas.

Etali Safari Lodge has been a significant supporter and sponsor of these efforts, which have most recently resulted in the first cheetah cubs being born in the Reserve in more than a decade.

Madikwe continues to make history to this day. A South African non-profit company called Madikwe Futures Company NPC acts as the representative body of the concessionaires in the Reserve.

In a “first” in conservation, Madikwe Futures has partnered with North West Parks Board to provide critical funding, skills and resources, and to actively assist with the oversight and operations of the Reserve.

Madikwe Futures Company, for example, is installing a state-of-the-art access control system in the Reserve, restoring the area to its original terrain, and providing critical anti-poaching services.

Etali’s own Koos Potgieter is Managing Director of Madikwe Futures Company, and is one of the founders of the company. Find out more about Madikwe Futures Company at the link below.

Reaching Etali Safari Lodge
There are a number of ways to reach Etali Safari Lodge: self-drive, road transfer, scheduled flights, chartered flights and helicopter charters. Road transfers from Johannesburg or Gaborone, Botswana can be arranged with one of our preferred suppliers via our Reservations office.

Scheduled flights depart from Federal Airlines offices at the Atlas Road entrance to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Approximate flying time from Johannesburg to the eastern airstrip in Madikwe is 60 minutes.

Your guide and tracker team will greet you at the airstrip and take you on a game drive back to the lodge. The drive takes about 20 minutes if done directly, and often longer to enjoy wildlife sightings. We can also arrange for private chartered flights to land at the Madikwe Eastern airstrip, or a helicopter charter to land at our lodge’s helipad.

Website: www.etalisafari.co.za

Rooms: 8

Price: from 974 EUR per night