Travel Guide Madikwe Reserve

In the far north, on the border with Botswana, let's discover this malaria-free natural wonder that has been very spoiled by the Creator. A good 4 hours from Johannesburg-Pretoria and about 2 hours 30 from Sun City, the Madikwe Game Reserve covers some 75 000 ha. These lands, which were occupied for a long time by cattle, have been returned to wild Africa: in 1996, the Phoenix repopulation operation allowed the return of animals from Noah's time to this soil containing the Modibe Gabbro, a 2.63 billion year old rock. So there are the "Big Five" and many other animals, including nearly 250 species of birds, and the wild dog, an endangered animal since experts estimate that only 3,000 to 5,000 remain on the continent. The ones we saw here seemed very happy. The winter is dry and bright. Note that this reserve is the only one in the region to have Kalahari thornveld, an ecosystem that exists in the Kgalagadi, the "Green Kalahari". In some parts of Madikwe, especially on the Tau side, you could almost imagine yourself in this desert. As in all luxury reserves, it is impossible to drive through the area in your own car, so it is imperative to book in one of the camps: all offer safaris. You will be able to take full advantage of the walks punctuated by the breakthroughs of wild animals, planted at the edge of the water points to refresh themselves, strolling quietly or even hidden in the bush trying not to be seen by the predators