The hugely successful Madikwe Game Reserve is currently the third largest game reserve in South Africa. Madikwe is one of our best kept secrets and a very good option for a wildlife safari in South Africa package.

Madikwe Motswiri Private Lodge

Madikwe Motswiri Private Lodge

Experience Madikwe Game Reserve on a Wildlife Safari

Madikwe is a prime malaria free wildlife reserve safari destination with a choice of excellent game lodges. Most of the almost twenty private safari lodges in Madikwe are small 5 to 10 roomed five star luxury game lodges offering a genuine South African safari experience, with great safari packages.

Madikwe is situated in the North West Province and is bordered by Botswana in the north and only a 3½ drive from Johannesburg. In Madikwe you will have the chance to see all the major species, not only does Madikwe Game Reserve boast the 'Big Five' but it also has the 'Super 7' this adds cheetah and wild dog to the traditional five; leopard, lion, buffalo, elephant and rhino along with almost all the plains antelope species, making Madikwe an ideal South African wildlife safari destination.

Due to the temperate climate Madikwe is an all year round destination, but the late winter months of August to October are the most popular.

For a great safari in South Africa visit Madikwe

To get the most out of your visit to Madikwe a three night four day stay is recommended.

Madikwe is run as a “private” reserve so there are no public vehicles allowed so all your game drives are on special 4x4 open safari vehicles driven by field guides and on tracks and gravel roads. This allows much better animal sightings, you get closer to the animals and there is nothing more exhilarating than sitting on an open vehicle a few meters from a lion with no other vehicles spoiling the sighting.

Early morning and late afternoon game drives are conducted from the private lodges optimising the best time of the day for game viewing. Fully inclusive safari packages including accommodation, meals and open vehicle safaris are offered at several world class five star lodges within Madikwe.

Madikwe Game Reserve safari

Operation Phoenix is one of the largest game translocation exercises in the world. More than 8,000 animals of 28 species have been released into the Madikwe Game Reserve including elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, cheetah, Cape hunting dog, spotted hyena, giraffe, antelope and other herbivores. Operation Phoenix began early in 1991 and was completed in 1997.

Madikwe Game Reserve is already seen as one of the country's "new South Africa" success stories in the area of upliftment and poverty eradication. The development of Madikwe is all about stimulating local economic development, some of the lodges are actually run by the local community.

Madikwe functions through a system designed to benefit the three main stakeholders involved in the reserve. These are the North West Parks Board, the private sector and the local communities. All three work together in a mutually beneficial "partnership in conservation."

Some of what to expect

The Madikwe area allows a closer look into the diverse wilderness of the African Savanna, known for its toughness.

In this region you can explore an unbelievably wide range of mammals, like the zebra, giraffe, lion, wild dog, elephant and the white rhino, just to name a few examples. Drive with experienced guides who are regularly in contact with each other, to guarantee frequent sightings of the animals.

Go on a Game Drive in one of our three open- vehicles and experience the most thrilling adventure of your life!

Two or three-day safaris can be arranged if you have the time.


This is a Malaria free area.


Let Go SAfari design a Big 5 holiday for you!

Allow our experience to work for you

We did the 2-day Safari at Pilanesberg. Go Safari were able to accommodate our special needs in terms of scheduling, and reacted quickly to a major last minute change. We were also able to fit in our tight schedule a quick side trip to Sun City from Pilanesberg at a reasonable price. Glen and Susan made sure that the trips to Pilanesberg and back were informative and entertaining by telling us about South Africa, the animals we would watch at the park and the history of Pilanesberg. Overall, a great experience, and looking forward to a new "adventure" in my next visit to Joburg.

JM Spain


How to Get to Madikwe Game Reserve:

A scheduled air service operates daily to Madikwe from Johannesburg International Airport. This 40 minute flight is the easiest and most popular way to get to Madikwe.

Being only a 40 minute flight private aircraft charters are also very popular and convenient.

From Johannesburg it is approximately 350km and is a very pleasant three and a half hour drive. Scheduled and private road transfers are available.

See where Madikwe is on the map.