Madikwe Game Reserve

Really beautiful area, great accomodation.

Thakadu Camp, warm friendly staff, excellent food, outstanding bush experience, will stay here again

We stayed at the Thakadu River camp. Warm and friendly staff, personalised service, the food was tasty not too heavy, just right. The guide was excellent took us off road closer to the wildlife, always maintaining a safe distance, good bush sense. The entire staff broke out in a song and dance in harmony, to celebrate a friend celebrating his birthday during our stay. Overall credit goes to the resident manager.

A surprising and very well managed park; abundance of wildlife and predators, and also a place for birdwatchers. Bush experience is granted, and some accomodation are really 'in the bush'

environnement magnifique , faune très diversifiée et très accessible

Notre séjour au River Lodge ne peut faire l'objet que de compliments : confort optimal , personnel très aimable , nourriture agréable ...
Le parc est magnifique : nous l'avons découvert grace au guide du River Logdge , à raison de é safaris par jour pendant huit jours , ce qui nous a permis de voir une grande variété d'animaux dans des paysages superbes ; à part un orage , nous avons de plus bénéficié d'une météo très clémente .

It was breathtaking and we created everlasting memories in just 3 days.

We loved this experience. The wildlife was plentiful and we saw 4 of the big 5 - only missing a Leopard. Nonetheless, the Tau Game Lodge was first rate. Their hospitality and level of service was unmatched. The food was delicious and the chef disussed each dish he created at dinner. And the rangers were experienced, friendly and patient.

Madikwe park

Madikwe is a very authentic nature reserve with lots of animals (big five at almost every game drive), beautiful landscapes and very comfortable accomodation (Madikwe river lodge), more excusiv than Kruger Park and enjoyable for everyone (kid's game drives too).

It was amazing.

I thought the experience was incredible all around. The experience in the camp, and our relationships with our guides, as well as the food and the accommodations were all very cool. I really enjoyed that we were staying in more of a cabin-like environment and not in a luxury hotel out there because I felt like we got more into the experience that way. If I had money to blow like that I would definitely do it again.

A life-changing experience that left a bit of my heart in Africa and that I will never forget!

The wildlife of the reserve was plentiful and we were always able to get quite close to most animals on every drive (morning, afternoon, night). The scenery was stunning -- I'll never forget sitting a top the hill as the sun rose and drinking coffee, listening to the sound of the bush coming alive. The weather was perfect in April - not too hot, not too cold. I really enjoyed the guide comments and character and how they shared so much knowledge about the animal's behavior, droppings, tracks, etc.

Creature comforts and lots of creatures

We went to Madikwe Game Reserve in 2009, having been once before on a safari to its sister park Kwandwe some years earlier. I doubt any two game reserves are the same, and it Madikwe was very different from Kwandwe.

Highlights for me were tracking the pack of wild dogs (which are apparently very rare in Africa but were fairly plentiful in Madikwe), watching a pride of lions relax and play with each other next to the airstrip and having a lioness almost brush past my leg whilst I was sitting in the rear seats of the safari jeep.

Overall I'd thoroughly recommend Madikwe (and Kwandwe) to anyone wanting to get a safari experience whilst staying in relative luxury.

Madikwe was a life time expeience, beyound what we had hoped for or expected.

Our stay at Makanyane Safari Lodge was beyond our expectations. The wildlife and scenery of Madikwe left all of us with lifetime memories. The guides were very professional and yet were very real people. We liked the idea of no public driving to disturb the wildlife. Getting within 15 meters of three male lions and hearing their roars left us breathless. We can't wait to return!