Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge

Madikwe Hills sits on a hill inside Madikwe Game Reserve, a malaria-free reserve of seventy-five thousand hectares in South Africa's North West province. The main camp holds ten glass-fronted suites built among boulders and Tamboti trees, each with a private deck, plunge pool, outdoor shower, fireplace, and en-suite bathroom. The glass frontage gives unobstructed views over the surrounding bush from inside the room.

Game drives run twice daily — morning and afternoon — with rangers and trackers, and the reserve carries the Big Five as well as wild dog. Two hides beside the main lodge sit next to a waterhole and the pool overflow, so you can watch animals drinking at close range without leaving the property.

For families with younger children, Little Madikwe is a self-contained private camp: a two-bedroom villa with two optional additional suites that together sleep up to nine guests. The camp comes with its own deck, swimming pool, lounge, dining room, kitchen with a personal chef, a dedicated game vehicle with ranger and tracker, and a personal attendant who can also act as childminder. Children under ten are better placed here than in the main camp.

The main lodge has a spa, a fully equipped gym, a swimming pool on the main deck, a wine cellar, and a TV room. Bush breakfasts are served after the morning drive; high tea follows in the afternoon. The lodge accepts credit cards and has a generator for power backup.