Not far from Joburg, sandwiched between South Africa and Botswana on the fringes of the Kalahari, this diverse, malaria-free safari area is one of Africa’s best kept safari secrets. Whether you choose to fly in or drive in, you’ll certainly have to be dragged out of Madikwe.
Once a tract of mismanaged farmland, stripped bare of almost all its natural resources, Madikwe is one of the continent’s greatest conservation success stories. Thanks to a massive seven-year wildlife relocation project, it rose from the ashes to become one of the best places in South Africa to see the Big Five – and a whole lot more.
Unlike many other reserves, where you’re confined to smaller private concessions within them, a safari tour in Madikwe means you’ve got the entire place at your disposal: 75,000 hectares of elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, cheetah and wild dog, just begging to be found.
The historical road which runs through Madikwe was a famed thoroughfare for ancient explorers, hunters, traders, and missionaries. And it’s believed the spirit of the great Matabele King, Mzilikazi, still roams it today.
