The malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve in northern South Africa, close to the Botswana border, is favoured by those who want a Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) safari – but without the crowds sometimes associated with larger, more popular reserves.
The reserve does not permit day-trippers or self-drive game drives, ensuring the ultimate private safari experience.
The dry Kalahari ecosystem offers an alternative to the lush Lowveld bush seen in the Kruger National Park, and so Madikwe offers some unique and exhilarating safari game viewing and photographic opportunities.
Aside from the Big 5 species, Madikwe offers the chance to see wild dogs, cheetahs, brown hyenas, large numbers of plains game, and about 360 species of birds.
The absence of malaria, plus easy access from Johannesburg via road and air, makes Madikwe an excellent choice for family safaris, and some lodges even cater for child-friendly activities.
From luxury to basic, the range of accommodation means that there is something for everyone.
Madikwe is something of a success story for wildlife conservation, local community economic empowerment and private/public enterprise.
The land and animals are managed by the state, private investors profit from the lodges, and three nearby villages benefit from sustainable jobs and skills advancement.
Read what Africa Geographic safari guest Marc de Chalain had to say about his Madikwe safari:
“We had been in Madikwe for a couple of days and wow, we had seen so much already! We had seen cheetahs on a kill, lions in great light, wild dogs, spotted hyenas, a brown hyena, rhinos, elephants, many bird species and much more.
And then our excellent guide, Francois presented us with a dilemma: Male lions on a kill, or stake out a brown hyena den in the hope of seeing the cubs?
Debate ensued, and we decided to go for the baby brown hyenas. Brown hyenas are rarely seen in most reserves, although regularly in Madikwe, BUT baby brown hyenas are very seldom seen anywhere.
We waited silently and patiently at the den in the fading light, and after a long while the mother ghosted in from the surrounding thickets, approaching the den cautiously and warily. Then a small cub appeared and shortly after, another.
We were treated to an amazing array of interactions between the mother and cubs, as Africa put on one of its most amazing shows just for us.
What a privilege to observe these shy and wary creatures go about their lives in front of us. Amidst a cacophony of shutter releases, the adrenaline and joy we all experienced were tangible.
We had seen Africa reveal herself in a way which mere words can hardly do justice to.”
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