Safari isn’t just safari anymore... and game lodges aren’t all alike. Every visit really does need to be special and every moment something to be remembered forever.
The Lodge is sent in the malaria free Madikwe Game Reserve. It is an old farmhouse that after years of family laughter and happiness has been transformed into an inviting and relaxing residence that encourages guests to kick off their shoes and unwind.
Perhaps it’s in the people who make you feel so warmly welcome, at the bar after your game drive, at the brunch table, or in the Boma for dinner under the stars. Guests are cared for and their needs are attended to. As an owner-managed Lodge, the personal touch is an integral part of the service provided.
Perhaps it’s in the sense of the Bushveld. The dust of the elephant herds, the closeness of the rhino, the fleeting glimpse of the leopard... or the massive power of the buffalo coming down to drink at the waterhole within meters of the front lawn.
It could be the luxuries you enjoy. The sumptuous Bushveld cuisines or the service so close you only have to lift a finger. Or maybe it’s more about the whole experience than a single sighting. More about the memories you made while were one with nature as you pulled the Bushveld around your shoulders like a blanket, and in a strange, familiar way you felt completely at home.
That’s why people come back to this Lodge. Again and again. For most guests it’s just like that, like coming home – even for the first time.
The lodge is your home in Big Five country. An informal style, intimate atmosphere and caring staff make you feel welcome, relaxed and part of the family.
Accommodation:
Guests are accommodated in six en-suite rooms. Four of them have private verandahs where you can sit and contemplate the world, once overlooks the garden and waterhole with another having the soothing sounds of a water feature outside the sliding door. All the rooms are part of the main lodge so there are no unnecessary long walks to and fro.
The rooms are tastefully furnished with percale bed linen and fluffy towels. The rooms have air-conditioners and fans, hairdryers, coffee and tea making facilities. The bathrooms have separate baths and showers and a variety of toiletries. The lodge provides 220v electricity and cell phone signal should you really have to make any calls.
Meals:
The Chefs, who together create a wonderful culinary repertoire, where it is breakfast in the garden, afternoon tea packed with treats or a fire-lit dinner in the Boma under the stars. Dietary requirements can be accommodated upon prior arrangements.
Facilities:
Enjoy relaxing in the large shaded garden overlooking the best waterhole in Madikwe. Lounge at the pool while staff takes care of your every need. Enjoy a friendly game of cricket, rugby or soccer on the lawn. Two game drives are conducted daily under the expert care of your guide, take a walk through the private nature trail which is within the electrified boundaries of camp.
The Reserve:
Madikwe Game Reserve is a malaria free Big 5 game reserve. Imagine over seven hundred and fifty square kilometres of untamed Bushveld the way it was long before man interfered.
The Reserve, situated in the North West Province of South Africa and run by the North West Parks and Tourism Board, reclaimed over seventy five thousand hectares of farmland and turned it into a wild life sanctuary that has become home to a wonderful variety of Africa’s animals.
Guests visiting Madikwe have the opportunity to witness this wonderful interaction of game in one of the finest conservation areas in the continent. The reserve has one of the largest elephant populations, all the predators, as well as the endangered wild dog, black and white rhino, buffalo and general plains game. Bird life is abundant.
Photographic opportunities are endless, not only from the raised vantage of your vehicle whilst on game drives but also from the shaded serenity of the garden. The water feature and feeding log ensures a steady flow of wonderful bird life during the course of the day.
On Safari:
Game drives are conducted throughout the year at optimum viewing times when game activity is generally at its peak, i.e. early morning and late afternoon into evening. The morning safari departs at sunrise and the evening drive leaves late enough in the afternoon for guests to enjoy a bush sunset and the opportunity to view nocturnal animals after dark. The spectacular southern night skies, especially vivid during the winter months, provide guests with stunning views of famous constellations such as the Southern Cross, Orion in summer and Scorpio in the clear winter evenings.
Summers are traditionally very hot and wet with winter being dry and cold. Hats and sun block are an absolute must as are sweatshirts and jerseys. The varying layers of all these are dependent on the time of the year!
Seasons differ vastly in the African Bushveld, but no one season can be rated above another, for each has its own unique appeal. Spring (September) and autumn (April) are very short seasons and usually provide milder weather conditions and subtle changes in vegetation. Summer (October to March) tends to be hot, but the bush looks wonderfully green and lush.
Many mammals produce their offspring in the height of summer (December / January) and the youngsters are a special treat on safaris. Winter (May to August) brings with it drier, more temperate weather conditions and the bush takes on a stark but beautiful appearance. At any time of the year, your encounters with the wild at the Lodge will be very special and memorable.
*Rates:
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R 3150 per person sharing per night (until 30 April 2011)
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R 4550 single rate
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R 2750 per person sharing per night (May 2011 – August 2011)
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R 3950 single rate
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R 3375 per person sharing (September 2011 – April 2012)
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R 4550 single rate
Rates include:
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Accommodation, all meals, coffee and teas.
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Welcome drinks on arrival and on return from game drives.
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Two game drives daily.
Rates exclude:
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All drinks from the bar, Curio shop purchases
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Health and Beauty Treatments, Use of telephone or internet
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Gate entrance fees / Landing strip fees
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Laundry service and babysitting charges
Please note that travelling time from Johannesburg to Madikwe Game Reserve is approximately 3.5 hours by road. There is a scheduled Federal Air flight that flies in and out of the Reserve daily. Should you wish to charter a plane to suit your own time frame this can be arranged through Madikwe Charters. Road transfers can be arranged from within South Africa and from Botswana. These can be booked through our reservations.