Madikwe Safari Lodge

This place is unbelievably special. This was our first time in South Africa and the folks at Madikwe Safari Lodge (we stayed in Lelapa) blew us away and made our honeymoon completely unforgettable. They notice little things and create special moments tailored to you, and take care of every detail of your trip (even organizing your charter flights) so that you can truly relax and enjoy. Our guide, Byron, was a total all star and made sure we had mind-blowing moments with all of the animals who call Madikwe home. He is a wealth of information and made our time in the bush both educational and FUN. The food and wine were world-class, and at every moment we felt well cared for. It’s clear that the folks at this lodge truly love what they do. We are so grateful for our time there and can’t wait to come back!

The very best of everything! The wildlife in the Madikwe Game Reserve are abundant and we saw all of the big 5 species and many others including Cheetah. Elephants are very plentiful and can be viewed daily from the pool. The accommodations are very charming and luxurious. The food is 5-star without a doubt, customizable upon request, and had a good variety of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The daily program was excellent and provided ample time for wildlife viewing and relaxing at the Lodge. The staff was absolutely wonderful. Special shout out to our safari guide, Billy, and guiding apprentice, Dan, who put us on some amazing animals. The highlight for me was tracking a pair of male cheetahs and finding them where we observed them undisturbed for over 20 minutes. We got to see two leopards (rare), and plenty of lions up close and personal. We had a 2-year old along and the babysitter was great and the kids club facility was really nice. Thanks to everyone at Madikwe Safari Lodge for the trip of a lifetime!

Madikwe Safari Lodge was a great experience absolutely 💯 👌 The view, the staff, very friendly and professional. The management was very awesome to host us as their special guests. The animals view of the 🐘 elephants was amazing 👏 as well. The food was very delicious 😋 😍. I really enjoyed!

This lodge is actually several lodges that offer different experiences. We stayed at their Kopano lodge which is an intimate upscale gathering for adults only. There is an adjoining camp that caters to the families as well. The lodge itself is absolutely spectacular with immaculate service and gourmet quality food. They limit 6 guests per jeep which is ideal. The only reason this review is not excellent is the game driver we were assigned and Madikwe game reserve in general. Apparently they rely on Branden as their primary game driver and while quite knowledgeable he has absolutely zero people skills and made our time there unpleasant. I won't go into the details but in general he is very passionate about the game and conservation in general which is awesome but he treats his guests as a necessary evil (at least that is how my wife and I perceived him}. He made zero effort to engage with some of the guests and would get irritated by questions. He would be better suited in animal conservation or other services that is not directly involved with tourism. This was our third trip to Africa and we LOVE Africa - this was our first negative experience with a game driver. We picked up on his negative vibe when he picked us up at the airstrip and it only got worse over our 4 day stay. Madikwe is a struggling game reserve. It is totally enclosed so there is no animal migration. The animals are struggling. This used to be a farming area that was reclaimed and repopulated by game several decades ago but the area is struggling. There is an overabundance of elephants and parts of the reserve look like it was hit by an atomic bomb. It was sad to see. Hopefully in time this area will improve. Sadly, the fact that it is totally fenced in harms the animals and overall vitality of this reserve.

Wow, what an absolutely amazing holiday. From the best, organized and friendly staff. To the best game drives, and out of this world fine dining. The rooms are extremely spacious, clean, relaxing and have breathtaking views. This place deserves a 100/100 for absolutely EVERYTHING. Thank you to everyone at Madikwe Safari Lodge for a unforgettable experience and a subpurb stay. Hope to be back soon.

OMG where do I start. First and foremost, the staff and level of customer service is incredible. I cannot recommend Madikwe Safari Lodge enough. World class experience from start to finish. The attention to detail and service from staff is unmatched. We stayed at Kopano, the rooms were amazing and the housekeeping staff were incredible. There was a private splash pool with an outdoor shower on a beautiful deck. The food is AMAZING, everything we had was perfection. We loved every meal, you’re never left hungry. Our Safari guides Mike and Byron were really knowledgeable and made the game drives so much fun while keeping us feeling safe, finding lots of wildlife for us to see. My recommendation for others is to stay at least three nights so as to have more time to simply sit and relax at the lodge. Skip a safari drive or two - fabulous though they are - to enjoy more time relaxing in the room, on the deck, in the pool, in the lounge, at the spa, or in the gym. So much to enjoy at Madikwe Safari Lodge. We cannot thank you all enough for our amazing stay! Our stay was unforgettable, and we hope to be back soon.

Wow wow wow what an amazing experience from start to finish. We have just returned from a 7 night stay at Lelapa lodge. I don't want to say too much as I don't want to spoil your visit with the lovely things that the staff there do for you. However, the food was world class, the accommodation was amazing, the staff were awesome and the game drives magnificent. Petrus, our guide was outstanding. His knowledge of the animals and the park is endless and his love for the animals is infectious. He truly made our holiday. The spa was fabulous. I had 2 treatments there with Olga and her magic hands and they were so relaxing. Big thanks again to Petrus, Noah,Priscilla, Aletta, Kebo, Kabelo and every single member of staff there. All I can say is that you must go to this lodge. It is great for couples and families and I wouldn't hesitate to go back.

Everything at Madikwe was great. We stayed a Kopano and could not have had a better experience. The staff was so friendly and accommodating. The game drives were incredible. Of the 3 safaris we have been on, we saw far and away the most exciting things here. Our guide, William, made the trip. He was so knowledgeable, answered our (many, many) questions, and was just so fun to spend time with. A guide can make or break a safari experience and we could not have been more lucky to have such an amazing guide!

A world class experience in the bush at Dithaba. Staffs attention to detail was impeccable. Rooms clean & spacious. spa is beautiful & massages from heaven ! Food incredible & variety. Every detail thought out. super special ! A must visit !