50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Awesome
This National Park, I would rate as the 3rd best National Park in South Africa, (after Kruger Park and Pilansberg National Park), in terms of the wildlife on offer, despite that it is larger in size than Pilansberg. Located a mere 70 Kilometers from Port Elizabeth,(which itself is a wonderful tourist destination) it offers opportunities for day visits as well as extended stays in camps. I did the former option.
Security
Travelling is safe and secure, with one entrance a few kilometers from the National highway. This entrance however includes an extensive section of dirt road once you enter the Park. An alternative and more scenic route to the main entrance of the Park involves travelling through countryside and small towns. Inside the Park, security was excellent, with the presence of Rangers frequently seen.
Game
The Game in the Park is wonderful, diverse and appreciable. Opportunities for photography is excellent (from macro/insect to landscapes). The Park offers the Big 5 (Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard, Lion and Rhino), as well as a Marine section (which I did not experience) but which can be arranged. I have seen Lion on all 3 occasions I visited the Park. Only Leopard eluded me. I also saw my first Black Rhino in this Park. But it is the elephants that are the main attraction and any lover of these wonderful animals will not be disappointed. From lone bulls to herds in excess of 50 have been sighted. These have afforded the most wonderful photographic opportunities, especially the young calves. One of the most amazing experiences for me is the close proximity to these animals which you are able to enjoy in Addo.
Several other carnivores have been seen, notably Jackal, which has at times reached epidemic proportions and have had to be culled. Hyena, Caracal and Mongoose have been sighted. One highlight for me was a clan of Suricate (Meerkat) on the move. I also saw 2 male Cheetah, but I have been advised that these were “rogue” animals that escaped from a neighbouring reserve.
Herbivores are well represented, except for the Giraffe, and include magnificent Kudu, Red Hartebeest, Zebra, Warthogs, several smaller antelope. I enjoyed an abundance of Tortoise; primates were represented by the Chacma Baboon and Vervet Monkeys. Addo is home to a unique Dung beetle, the flightless beetle, a wonder to watch.
Bird life is a photographer’s dream, and formed part of the reason for me to visit this Park as a bird lover, and I was not disappointed, and saw several birds for the first time, some of which are endemic to this area. Included are several Raptors, flocks of Ostriches, Sunbirds, Black headed Heron. The latter I watched for half an hour as it caught 3 Lizards in quick succession to my complete and utter delight. I also saw a pair of Stanleys Bastards.
Travel in the Park.
Roads in the Park are very good and well maintained, with part tarred roads, and part dirt roads.
Scenery
Wonderful scenery abounds, with several spots where I was allowed to get out of my vehicle and enjoy vistas, some with benches where you can spend hours enjoying the view and wildlife. As a photographer, this was an added bonus to my visit.
Ambiance and experience
All my visits to the Park have been wonderful experiences, rejuvenating and calming. In my experience it is not as crowded as Kruger. Overall the weather was good. Interactions with Rangers was always pleasant, a reassuring presence. The restaurant in the main camp served excellent meals, though I opted for take-away meals, preferring to sit at a dam to enjoy both a meal and wildlife. Satisfying from both a wildlife and experience point of view is how I describe my experience, and will gladly visit here again. My only regret is that I have not yet stayed overnight in the Park, which I am sure will enhance my experience.
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Stunning Madikwe Game Reserve
I have spent a week in Madikwe region of South Africa in September 2016.
My stay was split between the lodge Royal Madikwe (3 nights) and Madikwe
Hills (3 nights).
The lodges were luxurious and the suite I had in Madikwe Hills was simply
fabulous!
Delicious breakfasts were served on the terrace with a spectacular view on the animals
gathering around the water spot: kind of paradise :-)
The lodges all have wifi, which was really super; nothing else to do in the evening
other than having drinks (all included in Madikwe Hills), surfing and reviewing photos.
It was very impressive to have the lion roaring loudly near my window in the evening.
Was also exciting to see them just about 60m away from my bungalow in Madikwe Hills.
The landscape in Madikwe was quite nice. It would recommend to stay at least
4 nights, so you can increase your chance to spot the leopard.
Also the dry season (winter) is to be preferred because the grass is low and we
can easier observe the animals, which are forced to converge somewhen to the
water ponds.
In Madikwe, the rangers had to track the lions/leopards/rhinos by following
their traces, which made the games more interesting.
In one or two game drives, we couldn't see many animals because they were hiding
themselves from the heat (that's why we need to plan enough game drives to see all
the big five).
You need to have your camera ready all the time as the animal viewing is unpredictable.
I could see the leopard only on the last day in Royal Madikwe and also on the morning
I left the lodge for the air strip, but unfortunately at that time i had my tele-zoom already
packed :-/
A big advantage of Madikwe is that we have much less tourists compared to Kruger Park,
according to different people i have met during the game drives.
Always choose a private safari reserve, as your ranger can drive you off the tracks into
the bushes to follow the animals.
In summary i love Madikwe safaris and will for sure return back.
And I loved flying (1 h) from Johannesburg to Madikwe with the small air plane, which
gave some touch of adventure to the safari trip.
My previous safaris were in 2014 in Shamwari near Port Elizabeth, but it was too
easy to spot the animals which looked somewhat too civilized :-)
My Madikwe album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9-dragons/albums/72157678925869625
My Shamwari album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9-dragons/albums/72157642871816915
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about South Africa by noel
I have had 3 visits to this Park, and all my expectations were met in terms of Wildlife, birds and ambiance. There always seemed to be more to explore and experience. The hide is wonderful, as are the vista points. The elephants seem very comfortable with human presence. Highly recommended.
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about South Africa by Thanh
Excellent lodges + beautiful landscape + big five + experimented rangers
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Honeymoon!
Thank you so much for organising such a great safari for us for our honeymoon. The trip was unforgettable, Jeff was a great driver taking us around for the week and we had such a wonderful time. Dusty Roads were really helpful and responsive pre planning our itinerary via email and came to meet us in our hotel the day before to make sure everything was ok. The accommodation booked was wonderful (they even put a word in to a couple of the lodges that it was our honeymoon and they organised something special for us!). We won't forget this trip in a hurry and would definitely book with them again should be we back in the future.
SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari in Krüger Park - what a great experience
We were taken excellent care during our safari in Krüger Park in January 2017 - from first meeting at airport in Johannesburg till return at same spot! Adrian and Lunghi were great guides with enormous competence, wonderful chefs and good company. They took care of exactly everything so that we could enjoy of our safari for 100 %. Booking, arrangements, accommodation etc were professionally organized by Thale. We are so happy that we chose Wild Planet Safari and recommend it warmly! And all Scandinavians: Thale är norska!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly local operator, excellent itineraries
Regional (Maturaf) is based in Zanzibar and they use a trusted selection of guides and lodges for the safaris. We only used them to put together a safari package for us but they can also arrange travel and accommodation in Zanzibar. The safari itself was excellent - our guide Emmanuel was knowledgeable, friendly, flexible and took good care of us. Regional uses lodges from the Tanganyika Wilderness Camps group which were all beautiful venues, highly recommended! Communication is generally good but at times they are slow in responding, best way to get in touch seems to be via Skype. Maturaf was very helpful when we had a problem with picking up our ferry tickets in Zanzibar and went out of his way to deliver them to us in person, plus giving us a few useful local tips! Overall, you can rely on Regional for a fantastic safari experience.
CA
Uganda filming trip
I filmed in Uganda for 2 weeks in December of 2015. All of our needs from logistics, to guides, to accommodation were taken care of by the Silverback Travel Company staff. Our film production was a huge success due to all the small details that they took care of and the high level of professionalism they showed to ensure we had all the necessary resources to help our job run smoothly. Their guides were very knowledgable about the country itself, the wildlife and the culture. I would definitely recommend them for safaris and tourist activities as well as for professional services like film production and professional photographers.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best time ever
I were with my friends looking for some adventures in Botswana for Christmas holiday. Anthony suggested us to visit Savuti. I was uncertain at the beginning but after the 3 days trip I recognised that the propose of Anthony was the best. We saw a lot of different animals and in large numbers. We also camped in the bush for 2 nights: on of my best experience ever. Thank you Tony!
SI
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Looking for a special East African safari?
Looking for a special East African safari?
Having been to East Africa before, we knew what we wanted to see and do. Hallmark Travel Planners had an existing program that could be modified to meet our desires. Working with Mr. Omondi via e-mail was pleasant and hassle-free and we did indeed experience the trip of a lifetime.
Hallmark Travel Planners utilizes experienced driver/guides knowledgeable in the wildlife, geography, people and cultures, of their respective areas. These guides treat you with consideration and respect and are anxious to ensure your safari is pleasant and fruitful. You want to stop in the middle of the road to take a picture and they will stop in the middle of the road while you get that perfect shot. You want to see a specific animal, they will find it for you, often “up close and personal”.
The accommodations selected for us ranged from an isolated tent camp to unbelievable African luxury with each location providing a unique atmosphere enhancing our safari experience. There were no bad choices, nothing second best. We thoroughly enjoyed each and every location.
We highly recommend Hallmark Travel Planners to anyone contemplating a trip to East Africa.