The Madikwe Game Reserve is in a good spot situated strategic between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It takes about 4.5 to 5 hours to get from the two cities respectively. It is also fairly close to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

The reserve is where the famous Mafikeng road goes through. Before the reserve was proclaimed, this road was already known as an important link in history. Merchants, hunters, missionaries, and other brave travellers have gone through it.

Today Madikwe Game Reserve is the fifth largest game reserve in South Africa. It borders on Botswana and is also close to the Kalahari Desert. Madikwe is one of the greatest protected areas in South Africa and lies in an area of around 750 square kilometres.

The land that is now the Madikwe Game Reserve was once used for farming, such as raising cattle and growing cereal and vegetable crops. Traditional farming methods weren’t very good, and people didn’t know how to take care of the land well. It was then planned to give the farm to less fortunate and younger cattle producers when the vegetation got so bad that it couldn’t be used anymore.

In 1991, the reserve was made public, and on October 31, it was given to the estate of the Board. Based on the results of a feasibility study, it was decided that wildlife-based tourism was the best way to help the remote and poor area get back on its feet. It is one of the few game reserves in the world that was started because it was the best way to use the land without hurting the environment.

In the Madikwe Game Reserve, trees and grasslands are spread out across the large area. The southern Dwarsberg Mountains make up the western edge of the reserve, and the rocky Rant van Tweedepoort cuts it in half. The complex soils and rocks of Madikwe, which support the wildlife and plants of the area, are the result of erosion on the geological formations below for millions of years. The reserve has hilly areas, a plateau, rocky hills, a river that flows all year, seasonal wetlands, bushveld, savannah, and a wide range of sand and clay settings.

The plants that grow in Madikwe are also affected by the temperature, which changes a lot from one place to another. The plants in Madikwe are patchy because the farms that used to be where the Madikwe Game Reserve is now used many different ways to manage the veld.

Madikwe Game Reserve is a wonderful site for a safari because of its diverse landscapes and plenty of wildlife. Despite the environmental destruction caused by hunting and farming in the Madikwe region, the project of turning it into a protected game area, has facilitated the comeback of species that had been extinct for more than a century. Thus, there are numerous species, ranging from insects to mammals, and around 340 species of birds. To keep the larger animals within the reserve, a 150-kilometer-long electrified fence was erected around its perimeter.

Madikwe Game Reserve is home to 66 mammal species, which include the popular “Big 5″, namely elephant, leopard, lion, rhinoceros, and buffalo. All this as well as a variety of other much sort after mammals like hyenas, wild dogs, giraffes, hippos, cheetahs, and many antelope species, you can be assured of a memorable safari experience.

Individuals, couples, and families traveling with children can choose from a wide range of places to stay, some of which are extravagant or even ultra-luxurious. It’s a great place to start or end a trip to South Africa or Botswana.

This reserve does not have malaria, which is a big plus compared to other famous game reserves in South Africa, more specifically in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

The fact that day visitors are not allowed in the Madikwe Game Reserve makes it a very special place to go on a safari. Because of this, only vehicles that are registered to one of the park’s lodges are allowed into the park during game drive hours.