MADIKWE GAME RESERVE
Madikwe Game Reserve is currently the fifth largest game reserve and is also one of the lesser- known parks in South Africa. This makes it a hidden gem as it is regarded as one of the best conservation areas in Africa and offers the Big 5 in a 680 km2 park (750 km2 including newly incorporated privately owned land).
The park offers a number of luxurious lodges as well as community lodges in a malaria- free zone.
About 90 kilometres north of the town of Zeerust is Madikwe Game Reserve. It is situated against the Botswana border close to the Kalahari Desert. It is roughly 4.5 hours drive from Johannesburg/ Pretoria. Safari Lodges are mostly located around the eastern and western gate and the land where Madikwe now stands was previously used as farming land. The poor soil meant that farming was mostly unsuccessful and the South African government then decided that it would best be used as a national park to help economically uplift the disadvantaged area. In 1991 the area was declared a reserve and 10 000 mammals were relocated from other National Parks. The park is home to approximately 66 large mammal and roughly 300 bird species. All this flora and fauna is now comprised in an area of vast open plains of grasslands, woodlands, rocky outcrops and single mountains, bordered in the south by the Dwarsberg Mountains.
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.
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 the 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.
