Madikwe Game Reserve

"Poli 03_06.01.23 | A dream comes true Country’s fourth-largest reserve and one of its best, covering 760 sq km of bushveld, savannah grassland and riverine forest on the edge of the Kalahari. It offers Big Five wildlife watching and dreamy lodging among striking (and malaria-free) red sand and clay-thorn bushveld. Madikwe does not allow self-drive safaris or day visitors, which means you must stay at one of its 16 lodges to explore the reserve. Experiencing Madikwe isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for at these exclusive bush hideaways. Most lodges include two wildlife drives per day (or one drive and a guided walk) in its full-board rates. Rangers communicate via radio with the other drivers in the reserve, so if a family of lions napping in the shade of a thorn tree is spotted nearby, your driver will hear about it. Restrictions on driving off road are minimal and the jeeps are tough enough to tackle most terrain, getting you close to the animals. The rules in Madikwe dictate that only three vehicles may be present at any one sighting, and this is strictly observed. While this may be frustrating while you wait in line and out of sight, it ensures that animals are not pursued or harassed by a convoy of vehicles, and retains Madikwe’s credentials as a wonderful place to get up close with the animals. Madikwe was formed in 1991 with a dual mandate to protect endangered wildlife and to use sustainable tourism initiatives to create jobs for the poor, remotely located local people. A massive translocation operation reintroduced more than 10,000 once-indigenous animals, whose numbers had been depleted by hunting and farming. The operation took over seven years to complete, with animals (including entire herds of elephants) being flown or driven in from other Southern African reserves. Madikwe, run as a joint venture between the North West Parks & Tourism Board, the private sector and local communities, has ultimately provided the promised jobs, as well as a home for healthy wildlife numbers. Lonely Planet"