Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge

There are 10 luxurious and elegant suites at Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge. Glass-footed, these suites can open fully up to the nature which surrounds them. Comfortable beds are placed looking out over the sweeping landscape, and are covered in crisp bed linen and plush pillows. All suites come complete with a spacious ensuite bathroom which includes a large freestanding bathtub perfect for a relaxing soak after a long day exploring. There is also a unique outdoor shower on the private decking.

The decking sits outside the front of the suite and includes a sparkling plunge pool for guests’ private use. The pool is perfectly placed so guests won’t miss a thing whilst they are cooling down in the afternoon’s heat or enjoying an evening dip while the sunset tones flood the plains with golden light.

For a completely private experience, Little Madikwe Private Hills Camp can be booked for exclusive use. This is a 2 bedroomed villa which is perfect for families which comes complete with its own chef, guides and safari vehicle. Children under 10 are allowed here making it the ideal accommodation for families with younger children. The villa is traditional, yet luxurious and elegant and comes complete with a spacious lounge area, kitchen, and a large bathroom which includes a walk-in shower and deep bathtub.

A spacious decking is the ideal place for the whole family to spend time together, playing in the large sparkling plunge pool or gazing out over the seemingly never-ending horizons keeping an eye out for meandering animals, wandering past the villa.

Meals can be enjoyed in the traditional dining room at Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge, or can be enjoyed poolside on the decking outside the main lodge. Wherever you choose to enjoy your meals, rest assured the food will be delectable, inspired by cuisines around the world. Dinners can be tastefully paired with fine wines from the wine cellar.

The traditional safari experience of bush breakfasts is offered to guests after the morning game drives. Enjoy a refreshing and filling breakfast in the heart of nature, surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of the bush.

Head out on an early morning game drive and experience the bush come to life as the sun rises. With a knowledgeable and friendly guide, you will be taken to all the prime viewing spots for the best chance to see some of the incredible animals of the reserve undisturbed and in their natural habitat. Game drives are also offered in the afternoon for a different, but no less exciting, experience of the park.

Guests can make their way to the luxury spa at Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge for an afternoon of self-indulgence and relaxation. Take care of your mind, body, and soul with a gentle treatment while surrounded by the beautiful wilderness of the reserve.

If exercising is your thing then there is a fully equipped gym available for guests’ use, enjoy a quick workout while surrounded by the wonderful nature of Madikwe.

The library at Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge offers the perfect place for guests to unwind and recount stories of their day with a drink. There are plenty of books to browse in the comfort of a traditional armchair.

Gather around the fire pit in the evening for an after-dinner drink under the stars or enjoy a refreshing dip in the large glistening swimming pool in the afternoon, to escape the heat of the day.

Madikwe Game Reserve is located in an area with high poverty and thus takes part in community development initiatives to raise the quality of life of the people in the local communities. Many of the staff at Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge are employed from the local community which helps to increase the job opportunities available. One of the initiatives which Madikwe supports is Bopa Monyetla – which means ‘Creating Opportunities’ – which is a non-profit organisation aiding in the education and training of local children which allows them to have an enhanced skill set going into adulthood. By supporting Bopa Monyetla’s ‘Rhino Soft Toy Project’ Madikwe has helped villages all around the border of Madikwe Game Reserve.

Managed by the North West Parks and Tourism Board, Madikwe Game Reserve has many conservation initiatives which help to protect and preserve the wildlife within. The NWPB has a herbivore population management programme which has the ultimate aim of repopulating the numbers of indigenous game as fast as possible. The reintroduced animals will then be able to reproduce and re-populate the reserve to its natural numbers.

There are various numbers of predators which are indigenous to the reserve, yet needed their numbers supplemented by the introduction of more to balance the ecosystems. Cheetahs have been released, as well as Wild Dogs. Lions have also been introduced but in smaller numbers to allow for the prey species to increase at a natural speed. The reserve is continually monitored by the NWPB which measures the flora, fauna, erosion and other natural processes to help measure the success of the management programmes.

One of Madikwe’s main properties is to save their heritage and preserve the species within the reserve. There is currently a programme to notch and microchip the rhino population, however, the cost of this is very high. Guests of Madikwe can help to make a difference by donating to the initiative. Also available to guests at an extra cost is to participate in finding the rhinos and chipping them, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and an excellent way to see conservation first hand.

With a strong love for the environment, Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge have various eco-friendly initiatives which help to lower their carbon footprint and protect the environment. In an effort to use less electricity they have installed low energy heat pumps to all the suites for the provision of hot water, the pumps in their swimming pools run on timers to use less electricity, all light bulbs are LEDs, and all cleaning products used are made with eco-friendly ingredients which won’t harm the natural environment. The bush animals aren’t harmed by the water treatment as their septic tanks are treated with bacteria which is environmentally friendly, and all guests are given a reusable aluminium water bottle instead of using single-use plastic bottles.