Madikwe Game Reserve is a prime safari destination with an excellent
choice of accommodation venues and fun outdoor activities for
travellers of all ages and tastes.
As one of the largest game reserves in South Africa, Madikwe is home to
a spectacular diversity of fauna and flora, including the sought-after
Big Five. This rich biodiversity is in part thanks to
Madikwe’s unique location.
Madikwe Game Reserve lies in the North West Province and borders
Botswana in the north – it is approximately 40km from
Gaborone, 90km north of Zeerust, and 3.5 hours' drive from Johannesburg
and Pretoria.
This puts the 75,000-hectare reserve in a transition zone between the
Lowveld bushveld and the Kalahari thornveld, where several rare species
from both ecosystems naturally occur. In fact, Madikwe is one of the
few reserves in southern Africa where the Kalahari Gemsbok and
Springbok share territory – also the Brown Hyena and the
Aardwolf – making for exceptional wildlife encounters.
Geographically the region also has much to offer visitors. There are
the towering volcanic intrusions or Inselbergs, vast open woodland, and
grasslands – dissected by the “Rant van
Tweedepoort” – as well as the riverine environment
along the Marico River in the east and the Dwarsberg Mountains in the
south. The resulting contrast in topography and vegetation types
ensures ample game viewing opportunities.
The climate is typically mild to hot, but winter nights can be cold. A
major bonus for travellers young and old is that the reserve falls
within a malaria-free game area.
Madikwe offers a range of superb accommodation options from five-star
and exclusive- use luxury lodges to family-friendly lodges and a
down-to- earth eco-friendly camp.
Madikwe Game Reserve was officially established in late 1991 and is run
as a joint venture between the North West Parks Board, the private
sector, and local communities. All three stakeholders work together to
maintain this mutually beneficial “partnership in
conservation,” so ensuring long-term local economic
development.
The success of this approach has made Madikwe Game Reserve a role model
for similar wildlife-based tourism ventures elsewhere in South Africa.
Plus, its relative proximity to Pilanesberg National Park has led to
the initiation of a plan to develop a protected “Heritage
Park” conservation corridor that will unite these two
world-renowned game parks.