Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge

Set within 75 000 hectares of safari park, Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge is situated on a rocky outcrop in the heart of the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve in the North West Province of South Africa.

Ingeniously set amongst boulders and age-old Tamboti trees, the private game lodge is situated in the middle of Madikwe, giving visitors a huge game drive advantage over other lodges situated on the borders of the reserve and offers guests the most amazing South African safari adventure.

Madikwe Game Reserve is home not only to the ‘Big 5’ of Africa (Lion, Buffalo, Elephant, Rhino and Leopard), but also to a wealth of over 66 mammal species, including the rare African Wild Dog, as well as Cheetah, Eland, Kudu, Giraffe and a range of more than 300 resident and migratory species of birds.

Accommodating up to 24 guests in expansive, well-spaced and totally private glass-fronted suites scattered across the hillside, camouflaged by tamboti trees and thatch roofs.

Wooden walkways lit by hurricane lamps criss-cross the grounds and connect the secluded suites to the central open-plan lounge, bar, wine cellar, TV room and dining area up the slope, where cooling fans make slow rotations and the giant twisted trunks of leadwood trees hold up the vaulted ceiling.

Dining options at this outstanding Madikwe lodge includes the main deck, which overlooks an active waterhole, the elegant dining room and the vastly popular open-air traditional boma. Private dinners on the deck of your suite are also offered to couples wanting to spend time together in privacy.

The total dedication and passion of the team at this luxury Madikwe lodge ensure that every guest departs with a memory of an African safari never to be forgotten.

From outstanding wildlife holidays to unforgettable safari weddings and honeymoons – Madikwe Hills offers the complete adventure in South Africa. Please note, we do not accommodate children under the age of 10 in the main lodge, making Madikwe Hills the perfect romantic destination.

A Welcome Sanctuary in the African Bush
We have created a friendly and personal atmosphere at Madikwe Hills, offering as much relaxation and luxury for our guests as we possibly can. Formalities are kept to an absolute minimum.

We have created the perfect balance between quality private-time and an opportunity to be social and meet new people from all around the globe. After the evening game drive we alternate between private dining and communal dining experiences.

On the communal dining evenings your ranger would love to host your table with the other guests that joined you on your drive; it is always enlightening to talk to guests from other countries about their cultures or to pick your ranger’s brain for interesting tales or extra information about the game drives you experienced.

Private dinners, either at the main lodge or on the deck of your suite, can be arranged on communal dining evenings should you prefer to dine on your own.

We have a total of 64 staff members who work on cycles. Three quarters of the staff are always on site and the other quarter are on leave. At Madikwe Hills we will make you feel welcome, at home and part of the family.

SEASONS IN AFRICA
Seasons in Africa, a premier tourism marketing and management company, comprising, luxury game lodges (Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve, Kings Camp Private Game Reserve and Tuningi Safari Lodge), hotels and adventures throughout Southern Africa, Seasons in Africa markets Madikwe Hills to the local and International market.

Each of the properties within the Seasons group not only offers all the facilities one expects, but also warm, friendly and personalised service!

HISTORY OF MADIKWE HILLS
In 2003 the five owners, Louis Kruger, Jack Brotherton, Carl Trieloff, Hector Magome and William Stephens, joined forces and invested in the Madikwe Game Reserve.

Many days were spent exploring the proposed koppie, envisaging which room would go where, where to build the main lodge, boma, spa, gym, reception and staff quarters and how the high wooden walkways would link them.

An architect was hired to draw up plans, but it soon became apparent that one could not build from the original plans in the bush, especially not on a koppie! The plans were thrown into the fire and new plans were drawn up for each unique suite.

Striving to keep all the suites completely private and more importantly, keeping the environment as untouched as possible, each suite was ingeniously fitted between rocks, trees and overhangs which created an amazing feeling of genuinely living within the surroundings.

It took a year and a half to build Madikwe Hills, a very challenging feat… Due to the typography, no truck could get close to where most of the foundations needed to be laid, so the builders carried most of the materials and equipment from a drop off point to the building site.

Hard to comprehend now, walking on the raised wooden walkways (the last part of the project) linking the suites to the main lodge and reception. Madikwe Hills opened its doors to the public in August 2004.

Bordering Botswana in North West Province
One of the most luxurious lodges in North West Province, Madikwe Hills is approximately 4.5 hours drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria (last hour is spent driving in the park). Situated near the Botswana border, the Madikwe Game Reserve is the fifth largest game reserve in South Africa.

The reserve boasts a rich diversity of vegetation ensuring a wide range of game while the topography offers ideal game viewing opportunities. Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge is conveniently located in the middle of Madikwe Game Reserve.

Traversing over 75 000 hectares of true, untamed Africa, Madikwe Hills is ingeniously placed amongst the boulders and gently ebb to the pulse of Africa’s drumbeat. If you’re looking for the best lodges in North West, then you’ve come to exactly the right place.

The reserve consists of vast plains of open woodlands and grasslands and is dotted with huge rocky outcrops known as inselbergs. Madikwe is one of few game reserves in the world that was proclaimed a wildlife reserve purely on the grounds of being the most appropriate and sustainable land area for such use.

The Reserve is bordered by Botswana on the northern boundary and the Dwarsberg mountain range to the South. The main Gaborone/Zeerust road to the west and the Marico River to the east with additional land protruding across to the eastern side of the Marico River.

Community Development Initiatives
The Madikwe Game Reserve boasts great beauty and splendour, however it is a place that is still surrounded with poverty. In the late 1980’s the government decided to alleviate poverty in the area.

A land feasibility study was completed and it was decided that the best way of utilizing this land was to establish a game reserve, which was officially opened in 1991.

This opened doors to so many people and was very beneficial to the local communities in the surrounding areas. As the safari lodges were built, new work and employment opportunities arose.

As Madikwe mainly employs people from the local surrounding villages, job opportunities increased. Education and specialisation was the order of the day and lives were improved. Yet one can never help enough.

Madikwe Hills is very proud to play a prominent, active role in the upliftment of the local communities around Madikwe Game Reserve. Madikwe Hills supports Bopa Monyetla, a Non-Profit Organisation.Bopa Monyetla means “Creating Opportunities”.

Accommodation
Uber-luxurious Spacious Suites with Raised Interlinking Wooden Walkways
Searching for luxury Madikwe accommodation? Madikwe Hills Main Lodge boasts 10 supremely spacious and luxurious suites which are very hard to leave.

A cosy living room with huge slate-clad chimney (perfect to snuggle up in front of an open fire on cooler nights) leads into the peaceful bedroom with a gigantic pillow-strewn four-poster bed draped in generous layers of muslin, from where it’s possible to lie and gaze in wonder as herds of wandering animals make their way to the watering hole.

Throw open all the floor-to-ceiling windows and retreat to a sunbed in the shade of an acacia tree, or grab a towel and jump into your own personal plunge pool for the ultimate in relaxed game viewing – you’ll be amazed at what passes by just a hundred feet or so from your deck. The cathedral-like bathrooms are ultra luxurious.

A large deep tub takes centre stage in front of fold-back windows that reveal the same wilderness views and a cavernous step-up circular shower is built into the opposite wall – but that’s not all. Just outside the far door is an open-air extension with a private outdoor shower (with hot water) perfect after prolonged plunge pool dips.

As the sun goes down, there’s nothing better than a candle lit bath open to the elements. Some nights, you may even find a freshly run bath when you return to your room, a trail of rose petals leading the way.

If you are celebrating your wedding or have booked the Honeymoon Suite, you will not be able to resist the claw-foot bath tub built into a well-concealed outdoor corner for secluded soaks under African skies.

There is absolute privacy here, and it really is quite a feat to tear yourself away for your game drives, especially when you are treated to your own private show of elephants in the waterhole below…

If you’re looking for more secluded Madikwe accommodation, two of the lower 10 Suites (room number 9 and 10) from the Main Lodge can be combined with the Private Villa at Little Madikwe forming an exclusive and private camp for small groups and families up to 8 people.

Facilities & Services
A Celebration of Safari Style in the Heart of the Madikwe Game Reserve
Along with a warm and friendly atmosphere, Madikwe Hills offers the highest standard of service, ensuring that each guests’ needs are satisfied during their luxury South African safari stay. The central area is an important part of everyday life at the Lodge.

From the threshold of majestic, age-old East African doors, you immediately feel the cool breeze emanating throughout our central area. Each table in our lounge is stocked with beautiful books, waiting to be read and explored.

The bar entices guests to enjoy a pre-dinner drink and fireside chat with your friendly game rangers and managers, while the main deck overlooking the waterhole is the perfect place to while away the day under a cool umbrella.

Our main swimming pool offers cool respite from the harsh African sun, and is a great way to relax with a cocktail in the afternoon. Dinners in our dining room are a silver-service experience of memorable proportions.

Beautiful Teak tables in the dining room await guests to serve up meals of the highest standard. With beautiful artwork on the walls and cutlery and crockery fit for a king, the dining room is the perfect place to spend an evening.

Fine cuisine is accompanied by superb South African wines, which can be found in our extensive wine cellar next to the dining room. The cellar is a treat for the avid wine connoisseur as well as the learning amateur, and our staff will assist you by suggesting the perfect wine in accordance with the menu of that evening.

An intimate, circular room at the Main Lodge has a television with a satellite decoder for anyone who has to watch an important sports game or news. There are also a few books for those who wish to read a bit on the deck of their suites.

For those wanting to keep in touch with family members back home, complimentary Wi-Fi is available in your suite, reception and the Main Lodge.

During the day, guests are welcome to wander up to the reception area to browse through our well-stocked curio shop, where you can select gifts and African memorabilia for your friends and family back home.

The shop is stocked with an assortment of beautiful safari gear. Our winter gear and fleece scarves, hats and gloves are perfect for keeping the chills at bay on your evening game drives.

More than half of the items in the curio shop come from Community Projects, helping and benefiting the communities who make these beautiful pieces of art.

Bush Cuisine
Seducing the Palate Under the Star Studded Skies
Dining at Madikwe Hills is an experience on its own. From the varied delicious cuisine to the unique dining options, you will not be disappointed and will always look forward to the next delicious delight.

Our chef passionately creates a variety of wholesome and satisfying dishes, leaving guests alive to the possibility of fusion food mixed with the finest in African ingredients and decadent local and international flavours.

A culinary marvel in our own right, our chef has perfected the art of combining freshness with flavour and turning simple ingredients into cuisine of great visual appeal with every plate that makes its way from the kitchen.

Our chef acknowledges passion as the secret ingredient when perfecting that ultimate safari dining experience. Traditional Full English and Continental breakfasts served on the main deck are hearty and unpretentious; we like to call it “comfort food with a twist!”

In addition to the English breakfast, there is also a selection of Eggs Benedict, Eggs Onassis, Breakfast Ciabatta, French Toast with Coppa Ham, Cranberry sauce and Camembert slices as well as a Modern style Frittata.

We also have a full Vegetarian breakfast menu. Breakfasts at Madikwe Hills are a relaxed and fulfilling affair to start your day whilst on an African Safari. Lunches under shady umbrellas on the main deck are a highlight of each day.

Our chef and the team have kept a careful balance between old and new and traditional African cuisines, but have stuck to the basics of simplicity, authenticity and freshness, reviving old classics into ‘food with soul’.

Dinners at Madikwe Hills are without compromise, ensuring that style and substance is the main priority. Come and dine under the stars in our traditional boma, fine dining in our dining room, or next to the fire on the main deck.

We cater for allergies and preferences – no need for you to miss out on tasty, mouth watering food just because of allergies. We have Kosher cutlery and crockery, pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Kosher foods can be arranged on request. You will experience a variety of different healthy venison meats (venison is free range and organic!).

Boma Dinners

A traditional and elegant buffet safari dining experience with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Ask your ranger to explain the signs in the beautiful start-strewn sky or enjoy the mesmerizing, hypnotic effect of the boma flames dancing in the fire.

Bush Breakfasts

End an enthralling game drive or invigorating bush walk with a hearty breakfast under the shade of an old Tamboti, soaking up the sights and sounds of the surrounding bush.

Breakfast at Madikwe Hills is the simply the best way to start your day. Bush breakfasts arranged on request for whole main lodge groups or Little Madikwe groups.

Private Dining

The perfect end to the ultimate safari experience! A private dinner on the deck of your suite is offered to couples wanting to spend time together in privacy. The ultimate in romance, private dinners at Madikwe Hills will seduce the senses and soothe the soul.

Little Madikwe Private Camp
The Luxury of Setting the Pace of Your Safari
The ultimate in luxury and privacy, Little Madikwe boasts an opulent self-contained 2-bedroom Private Villa (±390m²) accommodating 4 to 5 guests, with its own game drive vehicle and game ranger, as well as a villa attendant to take care of your every need!

A diverse wine selection, gourmet kitchen and lounge complete the picture. By reserving suites 9 and 10, Little Madikwe forms a completely private camp accommodating up to 8 guests, ideal for families and small group safaris.

This Private Villa also boasts a large swimming pool and offers extended amenities to groups of guests wanting to truly get away from it all on a wildlife safari in Africa. A personal luxury is being able to set your own meal and safari game drive times, making this the ideal, exclusive family escape in Africa.

Your sumptuous gourmet experiences are enjoyed in Little Madikwe’s beautifully decorated and enchanting dining room, and prepared in the state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen by your personal chef. You can even pick up a few culinary tips whilst you watch your meal being prepared!

A villa attendant is on hand to respond to the group’s every need. A dedicated game ranger and game viewing vehicle means that Little Madikwe’s guests can enjoy private game drives at their leisure, for as long or as short as they wish.

Parents need not worry about their young ones disturbing the peace for other guests, as Little Madikwe’s reception room is also equipped with a satellite TV and DVD collection.

Should parents wish to dine at the Main Lodge or enjoy a quieter game drive without the kiddies, a child minder can be arranged at a small hourly fee.

Nowhere else in South Africa can groups be accommodated in such privacy and luxury, whilst being able to experience the ‘Big 5’ in South Africa, with Wild Dog viewing at their leisure – creating a truly unforgettable experience that far exceeds expectations.

Open-air decks, plunge pools, luxurious décor, outdoor showers, fireplaces, air-conditioning, and concertina glass doors that open the room up entirely; are all standard in each suite at Little Madikwe.

Private Group & Family Safaris
An Intimate Affair
Little Madikwe Private Villa or exclusive Camp, welcomes children of all ages (the Main Lodge does not cater for children under 10 years), making it ideal for families wanting to spend special safaris together.

A permanent child minder is on hand for young family bookings, allowing you time to truly indulge in time ‘me time’ as well as family time. A comforting fact for families with young children is that the Madikwe Game Reserve is one of a few game-viewing areas in Southern Africa that is malaria-free.

This secluded environment and outstanding service is also an ideal game reserve retreat for corporate groups needing to get away and focus; whether with the objective of strategizing, or simply spending time relaxing together as a team.

The complimentary Wi-Fi and outstanding, yet discreet, service ensures corporate teams can stay focused on their work. Little Madikwe is also available for private and exclusive safari weddings, or small celebrations, catering for parties of up to eight people.

Activities
An Exceptional Safari Experience in the Madikwe Game Reserve
Traversing over 75 000 hectares, Madikwe Game Reserve is where the plains still team with game and the acacia savannah symbolizes a paragon of beauty. Madikwe Hills is in the middle of the Reserve, giving you a huge advantage on game drives.

The malaria-free Madikwe Reserve is home not only to the ‘Big 5’ of Africa, but also to a wealth of other fascinating creatures, including the rare Wild Dog.

Our team at Madikwe Hills looks forward to showing you Africa’s wonderful wildlife, and to fulfilling your every wish. Wildlife can be viewed on game drives, walking safaris, and from the privacy of your suite deck.

GAME DRIVES & BUSH WALKS
Explore the wonders of the African bush in state-of-the-art open game vehicles with bucket seats ensuring your optimum safety and comfort. Knowledgeable and professional rangers conduct early morning and late afternoon, or evening game drives in search of Africa’s big game and smaller wildlife.

On morning game drives, should you be feeling energetic, you may choose to experience an up-close-and-personal glimpse of the African bush on foot with a gentle bush walk through the bush back to the Lodge.

This experience provides exceptional close encounters with the smaller inhabitants of this wilderness. Due to the heat in summer, winter is the best time for walking safaris.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
Those with a passion for wildlife photography will be able to get various tips from their ranger on taking the perfect safari picture, while on their game drive.

Our rangers are avid fans of photography, many of them having entered renowned international and local competitions with great results. Our rangers will be happy to assist in any way they can.

PRIVATE SAFARI VEHICLES & RANGERS
Make your safari experience exclusively yours by booking Little Madikwe where the experience is yours with no mixed groups, no competing for views with other guests, and no conflicting interests.

You have maximum flexibility, comfort and wildlife viewing. Your safari time is yours and you decide the length of your drive, what animals you would like to see and where you would like to traverse (within the allocated traversing rights).

Your ranger will be completely devoted to you and your party – answering all your questions and tailoring each experience to maximize your interests. This is fabulous for photography enthusiasts where the time is yours and the vehicle can be manoeuvred for you to get your perfect shot.

Should you wish to book a private vehicle as a Main Lodge guest, this can only be confirmed a few days prior to your safari as it is dependent on Lodge occupancy.

If three suites are booked in Main Lodge you automatically qualify for a private vehicle. Contact the Lodge or reservations for rates on private vehicles. Remember, Little Madikwe comes with its own private vehicle and game ranger!

Weddings
A Unique & Intimate Way to Celebrate Your Love
There is something about a wedding in the heart of the African bushveld that cannot be forsaken! Small intimate weddings from two up to twenty-four guests are catered for at Madikwe Hills, and we pride ourselves on our meticulous attention to detail. At Madikwe Hills, we like to keep things simple, but exceptional.

Special Occasions
Engagements, Anniversaries & Birthdays, We Will Make it Memorable
Please contact management for more details on these special occasions and what we can offer – would hate to spoil the surprise for your partner by giving too many details here! You need not worry… it will be extra special.

Spa & Wellness
Enjoy a unique spa treatment based on the study of Africa, Africology, which encapsulate the behaviour, experiences and the healing potential of Africa. Set the mind at ease and embrace the energy of the bush.

Experience the soul of Africa, not just through an emotional, but also a physcial wellness. Africology brings ancient wisdom to today’s world, by using some of South Africa’s indigenous healing plants, namely Rooibos, Aloe Ferox, Marula ane African potato.

FULLY-EQUIPPED GYM
The fully-equipped, air-conditioned gym at Madikwe Hills, with treadmill, spinning bike, rowing machine, fitness flyer, weights and bench, dumbbells and barbells and aerobic mats, allows guests to keep up with their fitness regime, or is a place to release the guilt built up after indulging in mouth-watering delights.

Junior Rangers & Kiddies
Truly Memorable Interactive Safari Experiences
The African bush is a unique and exciting playground for the youngsters. An intriguing experience for all ages. At Madikwe Hills we go the extra mile to ensure your kids leave educated and enlightened.

Madikwe Hills Main Lodge caters for children over 10 years, while kids of all ages are welcome at Little Madikwe. From experienced sitters for the babies and fun activities for the kiddies to informative Junior Ranger programmes creating an awareness of this special bush environment, Madikwe Hills creates memorable family experiences.

JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAMME
This is a must-do experience… The Junior Rangers learn all the different interesting aspects of the bush through a range of fun exercises. At Madikwe Hills the Junior Rangers enjoy a hands-on experience by touching elephant dung, looking at tracks, finding out HOW to track.

Learning about termites while standing right next to a large termite mound etc this is an exciting and education experience for all ages.

The Rangers are given “funwork” not “homework”, a booklet they can complete before or during the afternoon drive which is marked and each child receives a certificates stating they are a Junior Ranger of Madikwe Hills.

This programme can be run for 1 – 2 hours in one day, or if the guests are staying for more than two nights it can broken up into two days. The fun never stops at Madikwe Hills.

Madikwe Game Reserve
The Malaria-Free Madikwe Game Reserve is a Wilderness Haven
Madikwe Game Reserve covers about 75 000 hectares of bushland stretching all the way up to the Botswana border, and is one the largest and most popular game reserves in South Africa.

Once farm land (up until 1991), the Reserve has now been restored to its former natural environment with 86 mammals (from mice to elephant), 420 bird species (110 being rare) and 104 tree species.

Predominantly grasslands and bushveld, intermingled with lone mountains and rocky outcrops, the Reserve is home to Cheetahs, Wild Dogs, Leopards, Hyenas, Lion, Elephant, Black & White Rhino, Buffalo, Zebra, Giraffe and various antelope.

HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY
The Madikwe Game Reserve, which is a malaria-free area boasting the ‘Big 5’, is the North West Province’s most extensive conservation area, being over 75 000 hectares in extent. Development of the Reserve and reintroduction of game began in 1991.

Madikwe is unusual in many respects. The rich diversity of the vegetation in the Reserve is a reflection of its complex geomorphology. The vegetation, hydrology, topography, climate, soil and other factors such as the previous farming activities in the area, have a direct bearing on the varied fauna present in the Reserve.

The unusual variety of fauna range from Impala in the bushveld areas, Gemsbok in the dry savannah sections, Bush buck along the Marico (Madikwe) River and species such as Klipspringer and Mountain reedbuck that prefer the various rocky outcrops and mountainous regions.

Madikwe’s Operation Phoenix is the code name for the largest reintroduction of game (10 000 large mammals) undertaken by man in any Game Reserve in Africa.

During the early 1990’s, the relocation of entire breeding herds of elephant, various antelope species, buffalo, black and white rhino, zebra and more recently lion, cheetah, spotted hyaena and endangered wild dog have increased the large mammal population to over 16 000.

Some species such as kudu and leopards occurred naturally in the area; in fact the Dwarsberg kudu bulls are reputed to have the most spectacular horns in the country. The area is also rich in cultural history reflecting times of turmoil and peace.

HISTORICAL POINTS
From the centre of the Dwarsberg range through to Derdepoort runs the famous Mafeking Road (now spelt Mafikeng), which during the 19th century was the main road Northwards from Cape Town to Bulawayo.

Many explorers, traders, hunters, missionaries and of course Mzilikazi and his followers passed this way during the making of South African History. Herman Charles Bosman lived among and wrote about the inhabitants of this area, also travelling along this road.

You can easily visualise his Oom Schalk Lourens sitting under a Karee boom, contemplating the finer points of life, or recovering from some of the alcoholic delights of its berries.

A visit to the historical town of Groot Marico, featured in Bosman’s stories, is essential if only to sample his infamous “Mampoer”, a locally made alcoholic beverage, and to meet its hospitable inhabitants.

A dilapidated Jesuit Mission Station steeped in history and now in need of restoration work can also be found along the Mafeking Road within the Madikwe Reserve.

TOPOGRAPHY
The Dwarsberg Mountain range geologically related to the Magaliesberg range, forming the southern boundary of the Reserve, runs from east to west.

This range has been drastically eroded; with Brandwacht in the highest point in the Dwarsberg range within the Reserve, reaching only 1228 metres, with a slightly higher peak of 1250 metres situated to the west of Brandwacht on the Reserve’s border.

Northwards into the Reserve an undulation plateau covered in dense bushveld vegetation suddenly drops away at the Tweedepoort escarpment to a lower flat savannah plain. Scattered inselbergs dot this savannah bringing relief to an otherwise flat area.

The Tshwene Tshwene group of hills, more or less in the centre of the park reach 1326 metres, making it the highest point in the Reserve.

The Molatedi Gate on the eastern boundary is close to Lotteringskop, and the entrance gate on the western side has a good view of Abjaterskop which at 1144 metres and 1377 metres respectively, are both landmarks referred to later.

WILD DOGS OF THE MADIKWE
Wild Dogs, also known as ‘Painted Wolves’, were once called Cape Hunting Dogs. The Wild Dog is the largest of the wild canids in Africa and is now one of Africa’s most endangered carnivores.

It is estimated that less than 5,000 Wild Dogs still survive in the wild and viable populations are only found in larger reserves and uninhabited areas in Southern and Eastern Africa.

Wild Dogs are extremely gregarious animals and are usually found in packs of between five and fifteen members. Each pack has a clearly defined social hierarchy and is led by a dominant (or alpha) male and female.

Working together in these highly organised units, the Wild Dog is an effective predator, capable of bringing down prey as large as Buffalo. They are also able to defend themselves against their natural enemies, Lions and Spotted Hyenas.

The bonds between all the members of the pack are very strong, all the dogs cooperate in caring for and feeding any pups as well as any sick or injured members of the pack. In most packs only the dominant (alpha) male and female successfully reproduce.

Although persecution by man, susceptibility to diseases such as rabies, and diminishing natural areas have all taken their toll on Africa’s Wild Dog population, there is now a concerted effort to conserve and protect these fascinating animals.

In December 1994, as part of the huge game translocation operation called Operation Phoenix, wild dogs were relocated into the Madikwe Game Reserve.

Three female dogs, captive bred at a breeding station for rare and endangered species, were put into an enclosure in the reserve with three male dogs captured just outside the Kruger National Park.

The six animals formed a new pack and were then released into the reserve. The project was resoundingly successful and today the Madikwe Game Reserve has a viable and thriving population of Wild Dogs.

MADIKWE CHEETAHS
This history of cheetah in the Madikwe Game Reserve dates back to 2012, when 6 males were introduced into the reserve. Four males were from the Eastern Cape, and two were sourced from another reserve. Later that year, one of the two males was killed, most likely by the four from the Eastern Cape.

In 2015, two males were sent to Welgevonden and two were sent to Phinda. That same year, two males from Phinda, two males from Sable Ranch and two females from the Eastern Cape were received.

Unfortunately, one female died after choking on a piece of meal, one female was killed by the males, and one female was caught outside the reserve and sent to Pilanesburg.

In 2016, another female was introducted into the reserve, but after getting out and then recaptured, she disappeared. The next year, three unrelated females were brought in from De Wildt – tagged red, blue and green as per their GPS collar IDs.

In 2018, an unknown female was found in the park, shortly after which she was killed by a leopard. That year, the female cheetah with the green tage died from a lung infection. She did receive treatment from the vet, but unfortunately, it was too late.

In early 2019, one of the males from Sable Ranch was attacked by the Phinda males. The vet tended to him, but he was found dead the next day. The blue and red tagged femals are doing fine so far – blue gave everyone a scare when she got sick in early 2019, but she was treated by the vet and is being monitored.

Weather
A Dry Climate With Very Warm Summers, Experiencing Beautiful Quick Thunderstorms and Cooler Dry Winters
We are privileged in South Africa to have hours of sunshine, amongst the highest in the world. At Madikwe Hills, spring and summer give way to green, lush and thick bush. It is the time of the year where there are many newborn animals.

Autumn and winter can be dry, the bush being less dense and waterholes frequented more often due to the lack of water. The Reserve experiences summer rainfall with the bulk of the rain falling between November and March. Months of no or very little rainfall are May to August.

The southern area, just north of the Dwarsberg range, normally receives over 600mm of rain per annum. The annual rainfall average is less in the northern section of Madikwe with the north-eastern corner receiving less than 500mm per annum.

The varied rainfall naturally has an impact on the vegetation and fauna in the various regions of the Reserve. Generally the summer days are hot and the evenings mild with the winter days being mild and evenings cold.

SUMMER: November – March
This is the rainy season with spectacular thunderstorms that can last anything from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Since our yearly rainfall is only about 500mm, it does not rain every day; sometimes only once in two or three weeks. The days are hot, anything between 25°C and 40°C making the private plunge pools a welcome retreat. The bush starts off brown and bare in November and then soon turns into lush greenery with beautiful wild flowers. Loads of antelopes have their young during this period.

AUTUMN: April – May
The days are still warm, between 20°C and 35°C. No rain is expected in Autumn. No rain means very few bugs and insects. The bush is still beautifully green. Autumn is great for photography, the light is not as harsh as in summer time.

WINTER: June – August
Day time temperatures are comfortable, between 15°C and 25°C. You will not be enjoying your plunge pool during these months unless you don’t mind ice cold water! It gets quite cold on game drive in the early morning and evening.

Night time temperatures can be anything between 0°C and 15°C. The bush turns brown and bare, the trees lose their leaves, making it easier to see the animals.

Animals also tend to visit the waterholes more often (the smaller waterholes dry up during winter). There is no rain and no bugs in winter – not even dung beetles.

SPRING: September – October
In Spring the days start to warm up again but probably not enough for you to enjoy your plunge pool. Temperatures will range from 20°C to 30°C, but early morning and late afternoon game drives will still be cold (wind chill factor).

The bush is at its driest, almost no leaves on the trees, brown grass everywhere making game spotting much easier. Spring is great for photography! Especially the beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Rooms: 10

Price: from 1.470 EUR per night

Source: www.madikwehills.com