Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge
MADIKWE HILLS
PRIVATE GAME LODGE -
MADIKWE GAME RESERVE
 In
the early 1940’s the Marico district was declared the poorest
province in South Africa. Thus the Parks Board decided to create
the MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, situated in a malaria free area, not only
to conserve the fauna and flora, but also to provide a sanctuary
to visitors from afar, as well as a more favorable environment to
the local people.
At the edge of the Marico River and under
a grove of Tamboti and Marula trees alike, you will find yourself enchanted
by a world of intrigue and majestic beauty. MADIKWE HILLS
is where the plains still team with game and the acacia savannah
symbolizes a paragon of beauty. BLACK RHINO roam freely amongst
the BIG 5 – Giraffe
gallop across the plains at sunset and zebra call out to one another
in the early hours of the morning, after enduring a night of the “savage
beast” upon the plains – LION.
Traversing over 75,000
hectares of true, untamed Africa and set in magnificent koppies
amongst boulders, the malaria-free MADIKWE HILLS gently ebbs
to the pulse of Africa’s
drumbeat.
After a mere 45 minute flight from Gauteng,
or a scenic four hour drive, you will be met by our warm and friendly
staff in the main reception area. It is here where you can select gifts
for your friends and family back home from our curio shop, which
boasts a breath-taking view of the boulders and rocks of MADIKWE
HILLS – open landrovers with bucket seats and fold-down
armrests stand ready to take you on safari. Your knowledgeable
ranger with his friendly disposition, will ensure that your
experiences are not but a “whisper on the winds of a
timeless eternity”.
Accommodations  For
images of Madikwe Hills, click Madikwe
Hills Images
Madikwe Hills offers eleven ultra-luxurious glass-fronted suites complete
with their own verandahs and private plunge pools, each ingeniously
placed amongst the boulders. The unusual, yet subtle décor
integrates natural elements with colours highlighting Africa's ambience.
Your
suite has been designed for complete relaxation and comfort, each
boasting soft sofas, voluptuous mosquito netting and cotton picot linen.
Overhead fans and air-conditioning are a welcome respite from the harshness
of the African heat. Salute the timelessness of Africa with a gin & tonic
from your fully stocked mini bar.
MAIN CAMP consists
of Eight large luxury air-conditioned suites, complete with private
plunge pools, under-floor heating, mini-bar, fire places, outside showers,
and great views.
LITTLE MADIKWE HILLS consists
of the Presidential Suite with 2 x bedrooms and two additional suites
which form a completely private camp. Little Madikwe Hills can
therefore accommodate a maximum of 8 guests.
MADIKWE HILLS FAMILY SUITE is
ideal for families with children under the age of 10 yrs, as
the Main camp is geared towards children over the age of 10 years.
Rates include:
* Luxury accommodation
* Laundry service
* Two game drives per day
* Three meals daily
* All beverages excluding premium wines from our wine cellar
* Tea & Coffee
* Optional walking safaris
* Road transfer from the Madikwe Airstrip to the Lodge
Facilities
& Activities
A library full of verse and history awaits those yearning
for knowledge of the African continent. Fables of Scorpio and Orion may
be told by your ranger of Greek mythology, whilst dining in a rustic
boma where dramatic and exotic flames dance to the uneven beat of life’s
drum. Perhaps you will discover the navigational skills of the Southern
Cross before dining in the sophistication of silverware. Breakfast on
the deck is an absolute must!
For the energetic, Madikwe Hills offers
a fully equipped gym and health spa. For the businessman…. Internet
connection! Children of all ages are most welcome and are accommodated
with their own game activities and where needed, Nannies can be arranged
to baby sit.
Facilities and Activities include:
* Open air veranda
* Lounge, bar & dining room
* Boma
* A Library
* Fully equipped gym
* In-house therapist
* Well stocked curio shop
* Fully stocked wine cellar
* Open vehicle game drives
* Walking safaris
* Bush breakfasts
Dining
Along with a warm and friendly atmosphere,
Madikwe Hills offers you the highest standards of service and fine
cuisine accompanied by superb wines from the wine cellar. The
unique boma offers the traditional and elegant experience of dining
under the African stars.
Wildlife
& Environment
Madikwe Game Reserve
The 75,000 hectare Madikwe
Game Reserve is South Africa's second largest game reserve. The
reserve is a joint venture embracing the North West Parks and Tourism
Board, the private sector and local communities.
Madikwe
is situated in the North West Province
of South Africa, some
eighty kilometres north of the town of Zeerust. The Dwarsberg range of hills forms
the southern boundary of the reserve, while the border of the neighbouring
Botswana forms the northern boundary. The Marico River, the only
perennial river in the reserve, runs along the eastern boundary
and the main Zeerust-Gaborone road forms the western boundary of
the reserve
Established in 1991, Madikwe was the site of operation Phoenix
- the largest translocation of game ever undertaken - with over
10,000 animals reintroduced into the reserve. Madikwe Game Reserve
is more than just an incredible malaria-free safari destination,
it is an internationally significant conservation initiative.
Madikwe Game Reserve has an astonishing
array of wildlife. Elephant, rhino (black and white), lion, leopard,
buffalo, wild dog, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, hippo, brown hyena,
spotted hyena, springbok, eland, kudu, wildebeest, warthog, crocodile
and Chacma baboon are some of the larger species to be seen.
Smaller species include rock dassie, African civet, genet, bush
baby, porcupine, and aardvark. Numerous antelope
species also roam the reserve.
Lions laze on Madikwe's wide plains, as zebra and
blue wildebeest keep a wary distance. Both black and white rhino
can be seen in Madikwe and herds of buffalo wander through the
wooded areas of the reserve. The elusive leopard may be spotted
sleeping on the limb of a tree, while comical warthogs forage in
the undergrowth below.
The Madikwe Game Reserve is a bird
watchers' paradise, with over 340 species listed here. These
include many species of raptor, such as the Martial Eagle, the
African Fish Eagle, the Secretary Bird and the Pale Chanting
Goshawk. Spotted Eagle Owls are common here, as is the tiny Pearlspotted
Owl.
Wild Dogs
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.
 Top  Return to Map of Madikwe Game Reserve Return
to Map
of North West Reserves Return
to Map
of North West Province
For
tourist information and activities in the
North West Province, click More
North West
For further information about South Africa, click More
South Africa
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