Need to know
Rooms
20 in total: 12 in Lelapa (including four dedicated Family Suites), four in Kopano and four in Dithaba. Kopano and Dithaba can also be booked for exclusive use.
Check–Out
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm. Please note, the reserve gates open at 6am and close at 9pm, and guests cannot enter outside of these times.
More details
Rates include all meals, soft drinks and select alcoholic drinks, two guided daily game drives (including refreshments and snacks), return transfers to Eastern Madikwe airstrip, bushwalks, wildlife lectures, stargazing and kids’ club activities.
Also
Get acquainted with local culture in the Madikwe Safari Lodge gallery and boutique, which sells high-end, African-produced clothing, homewares, art and mementos. Guests are expected to give a little back and a contribution to conservation will be added to your room rate (ZAR165 a day for adults, ZAR82.50 a day for children, although guests should note these fees may change without prior notice). You can also go on step further with an optional Rebuilding and Recovery levy of ZAR115 per day.
At the hotel
Gallery and boutique, boma, kids’ club, Eco House clubroom, lounges with satellite TV (in Lelapa and Dithaba), stargazing deck, laundry, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: plunge pool, sun-deck, fireplace, outdoor shower, free minibar, air-conditioning, mosquito nets, ceiling fans. Family Suites also have a children’s bedroom with bunk-beds, toys, games, books and mini bathrobes and slippers.
Our favourite rooms
Each lodge has a burnished, out-in-the-bush look, where thatched roofs and adobe walls are glamourised with chandeliers and chic furnishings. All suites have a private plunge pool and alfresco shower, and dream-come-true views for miles around, so your decision depends on whether you’re on a family holiday or a romantic retreat. The Lelapa lodge’s Family Suites will suit the former, with bunk-beds (for kids aged up to 16), toys and to-scale robes and slippers (plus hot chocolate at bedtime); the latter can enjoy the serenity at Kopano or Dithaba lodges.
Poolside
The main pool at Lelapa overlooks a watering hole, so you can watch nature in action without leaving your sunlounger. Kopano and Dithaba don’t have communal pools, but all of the hotel’s suites have a hidden-from-prying-eyes (aside from peeping pachyderms, that is) plunge pool.
Spa
Here they bring the spa to you: summon a therapist to your suite or deck for a customised Africology massage or facial. Or welcome the day with warrior poses and sun salutations at a yoga session on the deck – you can pick up a mat to use at reception.
Packing tips
Don’t let fashion frighten off the animals – pack neutral hues to blend in on safaris. Sturdy walking shoes, wraps for chilly nights, swimwear, sun protection and any camera kit will come in handy too. Field guides have binoculars, but bring your own if you don’t want to wait your turn. And, be sure to leave a little room in your suitcase: the lodge works with Pack for a Purpose, so bring a stash of much needed supplies for the Obakeng Crèche and the Motshabaesi Primary School, both of whom the hotel supports. (Check www.packforapurpose.org for what’s needed.)
Also
The left-to-run-wild surroundings aren’t the easiest to navigate for guests with mobility issues, so some assistance may be required, but Lelapa and Kopano lodges have sizeable rooms and walkways.
Children
All ages are very welcome in Lelapa Lodge; Kopano and Dithaba are for over-16s only unless booked exclusively. Children aged five and under stay free, and six-to-12 year-olds stay at 50 per cent of the adult rate.
Best for
All ages are welcome here, but juniors and tweens will get the most out of the experience, as children must be aged six or older to go on game drives.
Recommended rooms
The Family Suites are adorably dressed for little Smiths (we call top bunk), and come with plenty of thoughtful extras. A baby cot can be added to all rooms for free. If two under-16s are staying in a room, the first will be charged the adult rate.
Activities
Pastimes in the Mack & Madi Kids’ Adventure Safari Club and the Eco House aim to gently educate through unique activities, such as bug CSI, encounters with Debbie the resident bearded dragon, identifying animal skulls, stargazing sessions, spoor casting, arts and crafts – and they’ll pick up an encyclopeadia’s worth of animal facts along the way. Plus, they’ll toast marshmallows and bake cookies, dress up for plays, paint rocks and play pool games. Meals are provided too, and there are plenty of toys and books.
Swimming pool
Lelapa Lodge is the only one with a communal pool. There are no lifeguards, so you’ll need to keep an eye on non-confident swim-babies, but all ages will be wowed by the pool’s animal-spotting potential – it overlooks a bustling watering hole.
Meals
Menus change daily, but you can be sure there’ll be something to feed even the fussiest of eaters, plus a few healthy options. It’s the place to relax strict stances on treats: kids will be spoilt throughout their stay with snacks, sweets, ice lollies, milkshakes and hot chocolate at bedtime. To make mealtimes easier, you’ll find highchairs, cutlery and bibs to hand, and the kitchen will happily adapt meals.
Babysitting
Available at Lelapa and Dithaba lodges for around ZAR200 an hour, a child, for up to two kids (plus there’s an extra charge for a third child).
No need to pack
The lodge is fairly well equipped when it comes to kids – they’re unlikely to get bored – but pack essential suncare and snugglier clothes for chilly nights.
Sustainability efforts
Madikwe Game Reserve is the result of Operation Phoenix, where more than 8,000 animals were reintroduced to the bush (including a whole herd of elephants, a first in rewilding efforts). There’s a successful African-wild-dog breeding programme and rhino-conservation efforts that guests can take part in.