Jaci's Private Lodge

Set on an elevated ridge above a permanent riverine in Madikwe Game Reserve, Madikwe Safari Lodge overlooks open plains and waterholes in a malaria-free Big Five reserve on the Botswana border. The lodge comprises three separate camps and one private villa, all sharing the same elevated position where the Kalahari meets the bushveld. Lelapa Camp holds twelve suites, including four family rooms with separate children's bedrooms. Kopano Camp offers four suites in a quieter setting for guests aged sixteen and older. Dithaba Camp sits higher on the ridge with four suites and panoramic horizon views, also restricted to guests sixteen and over. Elela Villa is a three-suite private residence with its own guide, chef, and safari vehicle. Each suite includes a private plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers, air-conditioning, overhead fans, and a viewing deck. Family rooms at Lelapa Camp feature twin or bunk beds in the children's room. You can hear hippos from the terrace at night. Guides lead twice-daily game drives in open vehicles, tracking elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and both black and white rhino. The reserve supports several packs of African wild dog, multiple lion prides, and cheetah fitted with tracking collars. Walking safaris are offered to guests aged sixteen and older, led by qualified trails guides. Madikwe Game Reserve was restocked through Operation Phoenix in the early 1990s and now functions as a self-sustaining seventy-five-thousand-hectare wilderness. Daily FedAir flights land in the reserve from Johannesburg in one hour.