Madikwe Safari Lodge

South Africa’s bushveld offers a soul-cleansing serenity and peace few other destinations around the globe can match.

Madikwe, meaning “Africa in its majesty”, sits in the uniquely beautiful and malaria-free North West Province, close to the Botswana border. It is one of the largest and most exclusive private game reserves in South Africa.

Madikwe’s wooded-hills give way to flat savannah plains, characterized by deep-red earth and sekelbos thickets extending into the dryer yellow-sanded Kalahari plains as you make your way west into the 75 000-hectare reserve.

A beautiful diversity of biomes roamed freely by Africa’s notorious Big Five as well as many other mammal species.

While Madikwe Safari Lodge offers an exclusive luxurious African safari experience, our primary goal is for our guests to feel not only the warm embrace of the natural wilderness, but also to recall the lodges thoughtful comforts and the pleasures of excellent cuisine and genuine heartfelt hospitality.

The Madikwe wilderness experience comes standard. What sets the Lelapa, Kopano and Dithaba, of Madikwe Safari Lodge apart, is a unique experience created for each individual guest, so that we create the exact experience that appeals to you!

Lelapa Lodge
With its open guest areas, friendly staff, and overall atmosphere of easy sociability, combined with the tranquil individual accommodations, Lelapa camp has something for everyone.

Lelapa, which is Setswana for “family”, invites you and your loved ones to enjoy the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. An experience to be enjoyed by the whole family.

The camp’s luxuriously laidback vibe and attentive hospitality ensures that you feel right at home with all the exciting discoveries of the game reserve right on your doorstep.

All Lelapa luxury suites offer stunning views of the Madikwe Game Reserve that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your suite’s private deck, which includes an outdoor shower and plunge pool.

Four of the camp’s suites are best suited for families with young children. Whether you want to spend time as a family or enjoy your own space, all guests can indulge in total, stress-free comfort and convenience.

Each family suite provides a kids’ room equipped with bunkbeds, gown and slipper sets, and bedside hot-chocolate mugs as well as an array of toys, games, and books. While the children enjoy the perks of their stay, you and your partner can enjoy some much-needed alone time.

If you’d prefer a little more company, you can always take a plunge in the camp’s larger guest pool and take in the sights of the animals doing the same at their very own watering hole just across the lawn.

Kopano Lodge
Tucked away in the savannah wilderness, Kopano offers a more personal experience of the Madikwe Game Reserve. If you’re looking for a real getaway from the urban jungle, the Kopano can offer a cosy, intimate environment well off the beaten path and in the midst of this famous and restorative game reserve.

Kopano, which means “small gathering” in Setswana, is just that – its four luxury suites promise perfect privacy and a personal experience. A stay at the Kopano ensures you have your own space as well as a space to make memories with others – all while enjoying the majesty of your natural surroundings.

Each suite has its own private lounge, viewing deck, open-air shower, and plunge pool. From the comfort and privacy of your suite’s raised viewing deck, you can survey the vast plains of the Madikwe Game Reserve, while indulging in an outdoor spa treatment.

Or just enjoy a “deckchair safari”, looking out for zebra, giraffe, elephant and various buck, with drink and snacks within reach.

If you’re the more sociable type, check out the main camp’s living spaces – the dining area, fireplace lounge with library, generously furnished deck, and boma raised above the bush. Lelapa camp’s communal pool is also available to Kopano guests, giving you even more opportunities to observe the local wildlife up close.

Dithaba Lodge
The most blissfully secluded of the Madikwe Safari Lodge camps, Dithaba offers an intimate experience of a game reserve getaway. There are plenty of memories to be made at Dithaba, whether on your own or with that special someone.

With jaw-dropping hillside views over the Madikwe Game Reserve, you can simply bask in the glory of your natural surroundings from the comfort of your luxury suite. Enjoy a game reserve getaway in the truest sense. The Dithaba’s four hillside, luxury, private suites can accommodate both solo travellers and couples.

Your suite is your personal haven. Enjoy reading by the fire, taking a long bubble bath, yoga on the deck, in-room spa treatments, or simply sunbathing on the deck, while taking in the views of the vast plains of the Madikwe Game Reserve.

You could also come together with other guests to enjoy your sundowners (and the views) on the Star Deck as well as festive bush dinners around the boma fire.

This camp sits as the highest camp in the lodge so guests can enjoy spectacular views of the animals and is perfectly positioned to watch the sun sink slowly behind the horizon in the west of the reserve.

EXPERIENCES
The Madikwe Game Reserve is a national treasure, full of rare and fascinating wildlife – including the famous Big Five!

But the adventure doesn’t end when you step out of the safari vehicles. The Madikwe Safari Lodge offers a wide range of adventures to make your stay one you will be unlikely to forget. This is Madikwe like you’ve never experienced it before!

Madikwe Dining
Experiencing the cuisine at Madikwe Safari Lodge is worth the experience on its own! Yet the beautiful surroundings and atmosphere are a perfect accompaniment which only make the pleasure of dining even more fulfilling.

Our chefs introduce local flavours and techniques into international dishes to create a world class dining experience complimented by a selection of South Africa’s finest wines and other beverages, dining at Madikwe Safari Lodge becomes an adventure all on its own.

Bush Breakfast
Shaded from the sun with specular views of the surround bushveld in the fresh morning air, you will be treated to a private bush breakfast in a unique location within the African wilderness.

In our endeavors to delight and surprise our guests will spot a full-on breakfast buffet, breakfast barbeque or pancake station waiting for them towards the end of their morning game drive.

Bush Dinner
Set in an intimate location in view of the beautiful African sunset and starlit skies, guests are treated to an el fresco bush dinner.

This comes as a surprise after one of the evening game drives as your guide will take a detour to a grassland clearing where tables are set and aromas fill the air, all illuminated by hurricane lamps and a barbeque bon fire.

Boma Dinner
One of the more traditional African bushveld dining experiences is a Boma barbeque (better known to South Africans as a ‘braai’).

This is a warm, social, relaxing atmosphere, as guests gather, as well as their guides, gather around the flames to discuss the day’s sightings and adventures. The air is filled with the scent of fresh bread and cooked meats all cooked on the coals and flames.

Private Dining
An ideal setting for celebrating special occasions. An intimate or romantic dining experience with a loved one, or even to treat yourself as a lone adventurer.

Choose your ideal setting in front of a waterhole, out in the reserve or even in the comfort of your own suite in front of a fireplace to just take in the ambiance and enjoy the exquisite cuisine on offer.

Family Dining
In today’s hussle and bussle society, quality time with the family is always special. We create the ideal child-friendly environment that allows for memories to be made and kept, serving delicious food that allows you to savour each moment.

Our chefs minimize refined sugar for kids, while sneaking in plenty of nutritious fruit and veg, without sacrificing on the treats everyone in the family looks forward to.

Vegetarian or Vegan Dining
With plant-based diets becoming more and more popular, so we at Madikwe Safari Lodge have incorporated several delicious vegetarian and vegan meals into our menus.

There’s no holding back on flavour and variety with our chefs putting love and care into every meal. We’ve sourced the absolute best in produce to ensure the finest quality.

Safari Stops
A three-hour game drive safari can leave you craving little snack or tasty treat to ‘fill the spot’. Would an African game drive truly be complete without the complimentary Amarula coffes, gin cocktails, refreshingly crisp lollies and biltong (traditional dried meat) snacks, all enjoyed in serene surroundings?

Spa Therapy
Africology treatments are designed to assist a stressed muscular system. Our focus is on optimising your blood flow, while ensuring more oxygen passes through your arteries. These are vital elements in re-energising your body and supporting a healthy biology.

With an intention to assist you to re-balance, re-group and function at optimum levels, we know that outcome based treatments are beneficial in a therapeutic, prescriptive offering.

With this in mind, we take into consideration areas of the body that are under stress, or in need of rejuvenation, so that we can create a free flow of energy and mobility. Each of our spa therapies uses natural Africology products.

Africology is South Africa’s leading organic and ethically-formulated spa product brand, at the heart of which lies CEO, metaphysical counsellor, reiki master and aromatherapist Renchia Droganis’s devotion to healing.

Guided by her wisdom, we promise wellness experiences to rejuvenate the body, quiet the mind, and revitalise the spirit.

Intonga Amasatchi
Full-body experience. We know that the body has memory of all emotional experiences. An inability to let go often expresses itself in the body through low immunity. Intonga Amasatchi is a deep-tissue and stress-relieving treatment.

Skillful movements are performed with the hands, and differently-sized wooden sticks are used to stretch tight muscles and release toxic overload from daily stress.

Symbolically, the stick or staff represented wisdom and direction to the healer. Created from yellowwood, the traditional healer knew that the energy of earth was a valuable tool

Bespoke Yoga Massage
Harnessing the powerful and tested knowledge of Indian yoga, this massage works with meridians of the body as well as the muscles. Pressure is applied on the meridians to activate the body’s natural energy lines, before limbs are stretched and massaged.

Chakra points are also stimulated and Africology’s Bespoke Massage Oils are used to enhance the experience. The client chooses from our selection of massage oils, according to their physical condition and mental state.

Celebrate Memorable Moments
There is no better way of demonstrating your love and appreciation, than marking those milestones than the inspiring, intimate and adventure filled setting that is Madikwe Safari Lodge.

Nature has created the perfect picturesque surroundings for you and your loved ones to celebrate the occasion. Whether it be a birthday, engagement, wedding, honeymoon or anniversary, we provide the ultimate setting, spiced up with excellent food, service and a sprinkle of spoils.

Celebrating Magical Milestones
We measure our successes through our accomplishments and each achievement is deserving of a celebration to look back and acknowledge those moments that lead us there.

The style in which you choose to celebrate is up to you, while the arrangements of making your vision come to life is left to us, allowing you to enjoy every moment!

The Perfect Wedding Day
Celebrating your wedding day is one of the most important and rewarding day’s in a couple’s life.

Madikwe Safari Lodge offers a variety of wedding packages to take care of all arrangements, from accommodation, catering, décor as well as a dedicated professional wedding coordinator to ensure no details are overlooked, while you get to relax and absorb the magic of your special day.

Your Romantic Honeymoon
The African bushveld, in particular, the irresistible charm of Madikwe creates an unrivaled enchantment and romance.

We treat our newlyweds to the ultimate combination of secluded intimacy and alluring adventure. Each occasion is personalized to your own desires and suites and game drives are enhanced with special surprises.

Madikwe Safari Experiences
The uniqueness of Madikwe lies in its diversity – not only the complexity of biomes but the range of fauna and flora that is a result of the changing landscapes – all of which can be covered in a three-hour safari.

The Kalahari plains in the western sections of park transition into more recognizable lowveld savannah and acacia thickets, while the hillsides and riverine sections provide more wooded areas, providing the perfect environment for an extraordinary array of wildlife.

This is one of the only places in Africa where you can see Aardwolf, Brown Hyena and Spotted Hyena together in one reserve.

Aside from the excellent opportunity of seeing Africa’s Big-5, the Madikwe Game Reserve is also home to healthy Cheetah and Wild Dog populations, as well as Africa’s Secret-7: Aardvark, African Wild Cat, Civet, Large Spotted Genet, Pangolin, Porcupine and Serval.

You’ll have Madikwe’s wide open pristine savannahs pretty much to yourself, as small groups of safaris are led by a personal professional guide during your stay.

Each sighting has a maximum of three vehicle capacity, while Madikwe also makes allowances for off-roading & tracking through the bush to ensure you get the best possible view of any major sighting.

Morning Safari
As the golden light of sunrise glimpses over the eastern hills of Madikwe Game Reserve, our guests, feeling fresh after morning coffee, head out with their guide hearing melodious birds chirping with the excitement of morning, ready to explore the landscape for sightings.

The fresh chilled air adds to the suspense of what animals will likely be active in the coolness of the morning. Our expert trackers are likely to get you close enough to big game that you’ll smell the musk or feel the vibration of a roar in your own chest.

No morning outing is complete without a stop for coffee & Amarula as well as traditional South African rusks and muffins.

Evening Safari
As the sun starts to drop and the shadows lengthen over the Madikwe plains, so the magic that slowly awakens the nocturnal creatures takes hold.

Spectacular African sunsets are almost a spiritual experience with shades of blue, violet, pink, orange and red scattered across the horizon. The ideal opportunity to take relax with a sundowner and absorb the sights and sounds.

Slowly the first stars start to appear and predators like lion, leopard and both spotted and brown hyena, use the moonlight to search for potential prey. Porcupines, bushbabies, honey badgers and other interesting animals awaken from their daytime retreats to being foraging.

Gleaming green and yellow eyes give clues as to the animals’ whereabouts, as do alarm calls from monkeys or francolins disturbed as take higher positions for safety during the night.

Bush Walk
There is a lot to love about vehicle-based safaris – you can cover more ground and potentially see more game, however, being on foot in the African bushveld is an adrenaline pumping experience that affords guests the opportunity to take in the finer details often missed on a game-viewer.

It is an experience that truly awakens the senses being fully immersed in nature, being able to smell, hear and physically touch the surroundings. You are literally walking in the animals’ footsteps!

Seeing any of the bigger mammals on a vehicle is a very different experience from seeing them on foot, which can only be described as exhilarating. You will form a deep connection with nature and an appreciation for the natural miracles that occur every day.

Birding
Madikwe Game Reserves diversity of flora and condensed biomes, as well as unique location attracts over 350-species of bird to the region. An absolute birders paradise!

A weekend visit in summer is likely to render 180 to 200 species, while a winter visit could yield around 120 to 150 species during your stay. Specials that occur in the dry plains on the reserve include Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Kori Bustard, Temminck’s Courser and White Stork.

Double-banded Courser and Burchell’s Courser have also been recorded, while the Bronze-winged Courser is commonly seen during the summer months in the more wooded areas.

The aptly named Southern Pied Babbler is an ever present and commonly seen around the lodge, along with other bushveld species such as Paradise Flycatcher, Acacia Pied Barbet, Green-winged Pytilia and several Waxbill species.

Madikwe is an haven for raptor species, with several species of Eagle, Goshawks, Vultures (several endangered) and Goshawks regularly seen.

A Family-friendly Adventure
Madikwe Safari Lodge is a malaria-free big-5 game reserve & one of South Africa’s top family-friendly safari destinations. Being a family-owned lodge, we strongly believe in quality family time, creating unforgettable memories in nature that get passed from generation to generation.

Our experienced child-minders also allow parents to enjoy some relaxing time to themselves, while children are treated to an array of activities, both fun and educational.

The Eco House
Lelapa’s Eco House is the base for our kids’ activity programme. While parents are welcome to join, this is kids’ territory, with a plethora of activities to keep young minds engaged and stimulated.

This is also a tech-free environment (no phones or screens) as we reignite the love of nature and the beautiful wonders of the outdoors.

Kids Safari Club
The Safari Club is a fun-filled adventure that transforms kids into mini-guides, as our children’s activities crew, explore the lodge in search of animal ‘spoor’ tracks, as well as surprise treasure hunts and other activities, like rock-painting, cupcake decorating and fun dress-ups, all of which happens around the Lelapa pool area.

As the sun dips over the horizon, the kids all join us chef for pizza making and movies under the stars

Family Suites
Lelapa’s family suites provide comfort and luxury for every age group – rooms are designed to allow for ample personal space while still encouraging togetherness. The kids en-suite bedroom is a cheerful place packed with games and toys to let the imagination run wild. Parents may end up feeling a little jealous!

Family Dining
Every mealtime in Madikwe Safari Lodge is one to look forward to. The experience for kids is no difference as our chefs prepare an array of healthy delights for kids.

Dishes are not only tasty for kids but are creatively plated to delight young adventurous minds. Chef’s do their best to minimize sugar with loads of tasty fruit and veg, but of course, no meal is complete without a choice of treats!

Website: www.madikwesafarilodge.co.za

Rooms: 12

Price: from 767 EUR per night