Madikwe Game Reserve

Pros & Cons

• Excellent wildlife viewing includes all the Big Five
• Large herds of elephant and plentiful white rhino
• Similar exclusive experience to Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, but generally more affordable
• Less busy than Sabi Sands
• Open-vehicle game drives and off-road driving permitted
• Night drives and walking safaris available
• Malaria-free location
• Many upmarket safari lodges to choose from
• One of the best places to look for cheetah and African wild dog
• No self-drive safaris permitted, only expensive all-inclusive packages
• Leopard sightings are not as abundant as in Sabi Sands
• Can be uncomfortably hot in midsummer

Wildlife

Madikwe is a prime Big Five destination, and you can expect to encounter most major safari animals over the course of a three-day visit. Lions are easily seen but leopard and cheetah sightings are hit-and-miss. There are two resident African wild dog packs and sightings can be superb. Lucky visitors might also spot the rare brown hyena.

• More about Madikwe’s wildlife

Scenery

Madikwe lies in a transitional zone between the Kalahari thornveld and bushveld. Although much of the terrain is flat and featureless, the park is dotted with big rocky outcrops and is bordered in the south by the Dwarsberg mountains. The permanent Marico River runs along the park’s eastern boundary. Tlou and Tshukudu Dams are pumped with fresh borehole water throughout the year and are great places to watch animals coming to drink at sunset.

Activities

Lodges and camps typically include two daily guided game drives in their package rates. Morning drives leave shortly before sunrise to maximize the odds of coming across lions and other carnivores on the prowl. Afternoon drives include a break for sundowner drinks and lead into night drives, which offer a chance of spotting nocturnal predators such as brown hyena, aardwolf and serval. Most lodges and camps offer optional guided bush walks, which focus on birds, insects and other smaller creatures.

Weather & Climate

Madikwe has a semi-arid climate characterized by high daytime temperatures and low rainfall. Summer (October to April) can be very hot and doubles as the Wet season. The rainfall and heat both increase over the first few months of summer. Temperatures peak in January and February, when average daytime highs of 34°C/93°F are eased by occasional afternoon downpours. Things start to get cooler in March, kicking off the transition into a dry and generally sunny winter (May to September).

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Best Time To Visit

Wildlife viewing in Madikwe is good throughout the year. The Dry season (May to September) is probably the best time to visit, particularly during the pleasantly mild months at the start and end of this period. In the middle of this season, there can be a biting chill in the air at night, so wrap up in your warmest clothes for early morning or evening game drives. The drier months also coincide with Madikwe’s low season.

• More about the best time to visit

Want To Visit Madikwe GR?

40 Madikwe Safaris

• Madikwe Safaris & Tours
• Tour Operators for Madikwe