A day on safari in the Madikwe Game Reserve

You may not have heard of Madikwe, it feels like that big a secret. Although second-time safari goers might have caught whispers of its unique landscape and exciting wildlife. The reserve hosts not just the Big Five but also Africa’s Secret Seven – rare species known for their shy nature from African wild cat to the elusive aardvark. Here you can find wildlife you wouldn’t even see in the much-lauded Kruger National Park such as aardwolf and brown hyena as well as gemsbok and the slender, long-legged springbok – South Africa’s national animal.

The Madikwe Game Reserve is the only park in South Africa not to permit day visitors. This means you can revel in the knowledge that you’ll see very few others vehicles during your safari explorations. For families, it’s a no brainer due to the malaria-free aspect and lodges that offer children their very own breakfast game drives. This is also a place for walking safaris with highly knowledgeable guides whose finely tuned instincts can take you the closest you’ll ever come to a herd of elephant or a towering giraffe. Without the rumble of engines, you notice the smaller intrigues of the bush like the inconspicuous paw prints of a big cat or the intricate operations of a termite army.