Our guests very first game drive brought with it the thrill of encountering not one, but ALL of the Big five in a single game drive – a magical start to their safari experience at Royal Madikwe!  Starting off with an awe inspiring sighting of a young male leopard and followed by encounters with mighty herds of elephant, a large pride of lions with eight cubs, a crash of white rhino and a  fearsome  herd of buffalo! Without a doubt, this was a true display of what the African bush has to showcase.  The following day brought with it another splendour with sightings of black rhino at our water hole and a pack of the very rare wild dogs who surprised us with a gruelling hunt as they chased an Impala across the stretch of bush veld in front of our lodge!  Needless to mention, we had some very enthusiastic guests!

Let’s hope our current guests will be blessed with the same good fortune…

Winter has not only brought with it a chill in the air, but the most amazing wildlife encounters!

Earth tremering roars of lions at night, dazzels of zebra around our water hole, massive herds of elephants regulary emptying our swimming pool with their ever increasing thirsts, herds of Ganoe and the enchanting echoes of the most beautiful array of bird life are only a few of the magical sightings we are experiencing on a daily basis around the lodge! This winter at Royal Madikwe is proving to be the best time to book your luxury safari holiday!

Dissapointment is not even a word in our vocabulary! Just imagine the opportunities of Big 5 sightings…

The magnificent Lunar eclipse left us all in awe last night! Moment after moment the moon began to dim as the planets aligned, until  finally the backdrop of the African night sky showed off the magnificent sight… a total lunar eclipse!!! Surrounded by flickering stars, the fresh evening air and the quiet whispers of a luxury african safari coming to an end - it was a bitter sweet farewell for our guests and a truely unique and memorable experience!

It has been an interesting few days with massive elephant herds at the Royal Madikwe waterhole and pool ! An estimated 50 – 60 Elephants came to the lodge to quench their dry winter thirst.  The elephants ( or Tlou in the local Tswana language) hung around the lodge for the majority of the day before slowly making there way off.  Being surrounded by such a large herd of elephants – ranging from infants to full grown females and the colossal males just a short distance behind them – makes for a truly unique breakfast dining experience.  When one is just a short distance away from these majestic animals, as was the case with our guests just two short days ago, the scene intrigues ones very perception of these gentle giants while witnessing the amazing social interaction of one of Southern Africa’s Big 5.  Giggles, sighs and awes are among the variety of expressions uttered while observing such a special and interactive sight as one could just imagine while watching the very young ellies -who are still learning how to slurp water through their narrow trunks- stumbling about on the waters’ edge while the “nannies” of the herd watch over them and offer the occasional nudge in the right direction.

One can hear the constant rumbling of communication between the herd.  Then suddenly there is an instruction to move out and allow the next herd to approach.  This is, however, never the final call as the youngsters need a bit of persuasion to move on and stop their playful battles.

Such a close encounter refreshes ones’ mind with newfound insight into a world which is unknown to us and we find ourselves left with a sense of peace with our surroundings.

Another magical Big 5 experience at Royal Madikwe Luxury Safari residence in Madikwe Game Reserve!  Its always lovely to have such a large herd around the lodge and it seems to be a regular event at Royal Madikwe.

All the best,

Adam & Cherie

A Big 5 Safari with a welcome so splendid, it’s hard to beat in Africa when you have only set foot in Big 5 county two hours earlier.

A mere ten minutes into our guests afternoon game drive, I spotted an Impala running for it’s life past our water hole.  I saw him disappear into the drift in front of the lodge, Oteng (our waiter and barman at Royal Madikwe) watched the bush intently and not even a minute after I left announced that the painted wolf of Africa is the one that caused the Impala to run for his life!  The pack of Wild Dogs came sprinting past with one mission only……

I grabbed the radio and called on all the channels to get a hold of our head ranger, Andrew Viljoen, conducting the Safari and let him know about the action in progress. After about 15 minutes I got a call back and he informed me that they have successfully tracked them down and are witnessing the frenzy going on right in front of their eyes!  This cursorial hunter caught up with the Impala and made the kill nearly 2km from the lodge, making this a very long sprint indeed.

“We decided to go on a Big 5 Safari in South Africa not expecting anything more that what mother Nature decides to offer us, a surprise from her is always the best” - and the reward from her – An African Wild Dog experience on their first game drive in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa.

We trust the rest of their stay will be just as magical.

Drienie

Royal Madikwe Luxury Safari Residence is now available for both FIT and Sole Use bookings.

To launch this new concept Royal Madikwe are offering a special Launch Rate of ZAR3,500 (RACK) per person sharing. This offer is valid until 15 July 2011.

Royal Madikwe welcomes up to 10 guests in 3 Luxury Suites and a Royal Family Suite where exceptional accommodation, service and cuisine come as standard. Royal Madikwe now offer 3 rates: High Peak, Peak and OFF Peak rates. The OFF Peak rates are now available on a per person sharing rate. Guests can still request sole use during these periods.

View rates page for Royal Madikwe safari lodge here >