Etali Safari Lodge
Madikwe Safaris
3 Day Madikwe Bush House Safari
- 3 Days
From
3 Day Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge
- 3 Days
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3 Day Jaci’s Safari Lodge
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3 Day Madikwe Hills Game Lodge Safari
- 3 Days
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4 Day Madikwe Bush House Safari
- 4 Days
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5 Day Madikwe Bush House Safari
- 5 Days
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4 Day Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge
- 4 Days
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4 Day Jaci’s Safari Lodge
- 4 Days
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4 Day Madikwe Hills Game Lodge Safari
- 4 Days
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At the Etali Safari Lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve, you can relax, enjoy nature, and stay in a private, owner-run lodge which gives guests an intimate and luxurious experience.
“Etali” means “good new day.”
Madikwe Game Reserve is an area of African wilderness that covers more than 75,000 acres (750 square kilometres, or almost 300 square miles). Even people who have been on safari before are amazed by how many different kinds of animals there are. People often see the “Big 5”, which are the lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, and buffalo. The Reserve has both white and black rhino.
Madikwe is also home to the rare African wild dog and the cheetah. Working closely with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), the lodge helped pay for the return of wild dogs and female cheetahs to the reserve. Madikwe is also home to both spotted and brown hyenas.
More than 60 kinds of mammals and more than 400 kinds of birds live in the Reserve.Giraffes, zebras, blue wildebeest, impalas, springboks, and warthogs are everywhere. You might see a mongoose, a caracal, a honey badger, or even a pangolin, which is hard to spot. Baboons will keep you entertained.
You can see all that Africa has to offer by going to Etali. The one-of-a-kind service at Etali Safari Lodge will make your whole stay unforgettable: Except for the wildlife that can be seen on safaris in a huge wilderness area, the luxury suites are designed to make you feel like you are in the bush.
They offer delicious meals for every kind of diet, including kosher and halal.
The fact that the 5-star Lodge only has eight suites makes it a great place for weddings and other private events. The Wellness Spa and open-air gym at Etali give guests a chance to fully relax. The spa and wellness centre offers the best in pampering.
The lodge also gets the best and freshest ingredients so that it can serve delicious food to its guests.
The people who own Etali care a lot about the environment around them, so they built the lodge to fit in with its surroundings. Sit on the deck and watch the animals at the watering hole just below.
Accommodation
There are 8 luxury chalets with thatched roofs that are far enough apart to give guests complete privacy. The rooms are decorated in natural, earthy colours, and the extra-long king-sized beds with fine, crisp linens are perfect for a good night’s sleep.
Families with children can get extra beds if they ask for them. For all four seasons, each suite has air conditioning for cool relief on hot days and a fireplace for cosy evenings in the winter. Or, if you’d rather, you can relax in the pool on your private viewing deck.
The large suites are built into the granite rocks and tamboti trees of the small hills that the lodge is built on. Each suite was made and put in a place that gave it privacy in its own part of the bushveld, so that guests could feel like they were living in the bush.
The decor is peaceful and matches the beauty of nature with its mix of cool and earthy colours. The suites have big decks and outdoor showers, and they are right in front of game paths where elephants and other animals often pass. In the early hours of the morning, you may hear lions roaring or hyenas laughing, in addition to the dawn chorus of birds. Under the thatched roof, the extra-long, comfortable beds with fine, crisp sheets will make for an unforgettable night’s sleep.
Suite 5 is wheelchair accessible.
The family suite has two rooms that are right next to each other. The rooms share a large deck, a swimming pool, and a private lapa area with a table, chairs, and a thatch roof. The only thing the family suite doesn’t have that the luxury suites do is an outdoor shower.
Facilities
The general facilities at Etali Safari Lodge include a Dining Area, Swimming Pool, Boma, Viewing Deck, Wellness Spa, Gym and Wifi.
The lodge has a simple design that uses boulders, trees, and other things from the hillside around it. As soon as you walk into the reception area, you can see the main lodge. Walk down a covered path with glass, wood, and stone textures to get to the main dining area, lounge, and bar inside.
Move from the dining area inside to the outside deck with a view of the Etali Waterhole. Next to the outside deck is the infinity pool, where you can relax with a cool drink and watch the animals at the waterhole.
Between the main lodge area and Suite 5 is the Wellness Centre. Suite 5 is accessible by wheelchair and is given to guests with limited mobility first.
In front of the main deck and pool of the lodge, and even closer to the boma dining area, you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner or take a swim in the pool while watching animals come to the waterhole. Three of the rooms have their own decks that look out over the waterhole.
While the bush relaxes your mind; the Etali Wellness Centre extends that experience to relax your body. You can be pampered in the tranquillity of the Wellness Centre or enjoy the sensory pleasure of a massage on your own private suite deck. The massages, hot-stone therapy, body wraps, and facials are performed by professional, qualified therapists. You may also enjoy steam therapy in our sauna and the mini-gym facilities.
The Etali Waterhole is right in front of the lodge, which makes it easy to see amazing animals up close. Animals come to the Etali waterhole every day, and there are a lot of different kinds and a lot of them.
Activities
Etali Safari Lodge has a lot of things to do so that guests can get the most out of their safari. Expert guides take guests on game drives in the morning and evening (two game drives per day are included in the rates).
Your first safari starts early in the morning, just before dawn (at 06:00 in the winter and 05:30 in the summer), so that you can be ready to see animals at the best time of day. Your guide and tracker will stop halfway through your safari to set up morning coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks. The morning game drive lasts about three hours, and when you get back to the lodge, you can get a fresh breakfast.
After high tea on the main deck of the lodge at 16:00 (in winter) or 06:30 (in summer), the afternoon safari begins. This trip takes about 3 hours as well. You will drive for an hour or two before stopping for “sundowners,” while watching the sun go down. After sundowners, the “night drive” starts, and you use a spotlight to see animals that are active at night. When you get back to the lodge, the staff will meet you under the stars for dinner.
Walking Safaris can also be done. When you walk through the bush, you can see it in a new and exciting way. These safaris are led by experienced guides who carry a rifle and know how to get close to animals so that guests can have safe and exciting encounters with any of Madikwe’s wildlife.
Walks also show you everything from the smallest details of the bush to the biggest stretches of land. With this kind of safari, you can connect with nature in a whole new way. There are no set routes for these walks; guides go at a pace that is comfortable for the group.
Walks are only for people over 16 years old. Walks are open to people who are 60 years old or older, as long as they have a medical certificate.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to pay for and watch the darting of an animal for medical reasons, put a collar on it. In return, you have directly helped an animal in need and have the amazing chance to see the procedure up close. This is a special event that only a small number of people get to see.
At Etali Safari Lodge, kids of all ages are welcome. There is a variety of activities for kids to help keep them busy. The kids programme has a “bumble” drive after breakfast where guides take the kids on a drive with or without their parents, where they make the bush interesting by doing things like making plaster-of-Paris tracks. Other fun things for kids to do is decorating cupcakes, having their faces painted, or doing other arts and crafts.
Activities for kids are included in the rates and are made to fit each child’s age and tastes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Etali Safari Lodge?
Etali Safari Lodge offers the ideal blend of relaxation, opulence, and the great outdoors. Situated within Madikwe Game Reserve’s pristine enclaves, this privately owned and managed sanctuary caters to discerning guests seeking an intimate yet lavish retreat experience. Offering eight sumptuous suites – an ideal venue for hosting weddings or private events for an exclusive and unforgettable experience.
How do I get to Etali Safari Lodge?
Etali Safari Lodge provides several transportation options to reach its destination, such as self-driving, road transfers, scheduled flights, chartered flights and helicopter charters. Road transfers from Johannesburg or Gaborone, Botswana can easily be arranged through the Reservations office using one of their trusted partners.
Scheduled flights depart from Federal Airlines offices near the Atlas Road entrance of O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and arrive at Madikwe’s Eastern Airstrip approximately 60 minutes later,
If desired, private chartered flights or helicopter charters that land at Madikwe Eastern airstrip.
Is Etali Safari Lodge Wheelchair friendly?
Yes, At the reception turning circle is a ramp leading down to the main lodge area. From there, all main dining areas – inside main area with dining, lounge, bar, outdoor covered main deck and fireside boma near waterhole– are wheelchair-accessible. Additionally, from there there is a connecting walkway leading directly into room 5; our wheelchair-friendly suite.
