Madikwe & Pilanesberg

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Madikwe & Pilanesberg

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Chat to a travel advisor
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7 Day Madikwe & Cape Town
4 Nights at Madikwe Safari Lodge, Lelapa Lodge with all meals, mini bar in room, drinks & selected snacks
2x game drives, daily at Madikwe Safari lodge including game drive refreshments & snacks
Flight from Johannesburg, OR Tambo Airport to Madikwe Airstrip
Return transfers between Madikwe Airstrip and Madikwe Safari Lodge
Flight from Madikwe to Johannesburg, OR Tambo Airport
View safari to see all inclusions..
$ 700 USD
R
$ 550 USD
R
$ 700 USD
Per person per night
View Safari
5 Day Madikwe Big 5 Safari Escape
4 nights at Tuningi Safari Lodge
All meals
Outdoor rain-shower
Twice daily game drives
Traversing Over 75 000 ha of Vast Plains
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$ 660 USD
R
$ 350 USD
R
$ 660 USD
Per person per night
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3-Day BIG 5 self-drive tour to Pilanesberg
2 nights at Lush Private Lodge
Car hire from/to Johannesburg
Luxury Suite accommodation with its own private game viewing decks which is the perfect spot to enjoy the tranquillity
Big-5 Game Viewing on safari
All meals
View safari to see all inclusions..
$ 360 USD
R
$ NaN USD
R
$ 360 USD
Per person per night
View Safari

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Madikwe & Pilanesberg

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Why

Madikwe Game Reserve is one of the lesser known game reserves and the 5th largest. Encompassing grassland, forest and rocky hills, this pristine wilderness borders with Botswana and boasts incredible species of wildlife including elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and endangered wild dogs whom are mostly seen in Botswana.  

Pilanesberg National Park is situated between the Kalahari and the Lowveld and easily accessible from Johannesburg. The 55 000 hectare park promises thrilling big game viewing in a malaria free environment.

Both Madikwe and Pilanesberg are Big Five game reserves and offer a wide selection of accommodation options and a number of exciting safari activities including open-vehicle game drives, guided bush walks and bird hides that offer incredible photographic opportunities.

When

The North West is a great year-round destination. For birding enthusiasts, the hot, wet summer months (November to March) are best. The reserves are at their most beautiful at this time, as the vegetation is lush and green, providing an ideal background for wildlife photography. This is also the animals’ calving season, so it’s perfect for seeing gambolling babies. If you want to combine your safari with a South African beach holiday, this is the best time to visit.    

The dry, winter months (June to September) are the most rewarding for game viewing and the weather is pleasant, with warm days and cold nights. During this period, the vegetation thins out significantly and animals congregate around permanent waterholes, making them far easier to spot. Visitors will require warm clothing for the evening and early-morning game drives.

Where

At Safari.com, we have more than 50 accomplished Madikwe travel consultants ready to help you make your Safari dream a reality. With our in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience of the exclusive Madikwe Game Reserve, we’re able to tailor a safari to suit your budget, and our price guarantee ensures that you won’t get it cheaper elsewhere… not even by booking direct. Please let one of our safari experts give you a call to discuss your travel plans, we provide the most convenient flight options with seamless transfers, pre and post safari accommodation, day trips and insider traveler tips or you can go onto Live Chat right now.

Madikwe, Pilanesberg and Sun City lie in South Africa’s wild and unpopulated North West Province. This is a great, malaria-free Big Five area within easy striking distance of Johannesburg. The region has good ecotourism infrastructure, superb scenery and diverse appeal, especially for families.

Madikwe Game Reserve is all about big skies, red earth and wide-open plains in a zone where South Africa’s Bushveld meets the Kalahari Desert. Comprising 760 square kilometres, this reserve has a rich diversity of vegetation which ensures a wide range of fauna and birdlife, as well as topography that’s ideal for game viewing.

The reserve comprises more than a dozen private lodges and doesn’t allow day visitors or self-drive safaris. Most of its lodges are luxurious, top-end affairs and the game viewing throughout is excellent.

Madikwe is a relatively new reserve and an ecological success story. In 1991, when the park was declared, the region comprised a series of degraded cattle farms and the wildlife had all but disappeared. An extensive restocking programme was instituted. Operation Phoenix was reputedly the largest reintroduction of game in the world and, today, the reserve is home to more than 16 000 mammals comprising nearly 100 species.

Occupying an eroded volcanic crater north of Sun City, the 550-square-kilometre Pilanesberg National Park is a wonderfully scenic place to see a variety of South African wildlife. It was conceived in the late 1970s as a weekend escape for nearby city dwellers. But although the park may appear developed in comparison with other South African wilderness areas, it’s not at all zoo-like.

In 1979, Operation Genesis reclaimed this area from agriculture and released 6000 animals into the new park. Today, all the Big Five are here, as well as cheetahs, African wild dogs and 300-plus bird species.

At adjacent Sun City, the creation of entrepreneur Sol Kerzer, Disneyland meets ancient Egypt in Africa’s version of Las Vegas. Filled with gilded statues of animals, acres of manmade beaches, 1200 hotel rooms, a famed golf course and a casino, it’s an entertainment Mecca. Even if you find the resort kitsch, visiting Sun City can be huge fun.

Must see: During your game drive, stop and enjoy a sundowner drink on the banks of the languid, green Marico River and watch a scarlet sun setting over the bushveld.

4.9
out of 5 based on
Mar 18, 2024
Extremely responsive and knowledgeable
Extremely responsive and knowledgeable. Absolutely recommend
Rolando B
,
US
Mar 18, 2024
Heleen Coetzee
I was amazed at Heleens personal touch and effort in seeing to my accomodation request and booking - her efficiency and coomunication with me keeping me updated all the while. i will definately be using her services again as soon as i am able to!
karen brower
,
ZA
Mar 18, 2024
Excellent Service from Safari.com
I have used Safari.com on several occasions in the past several years and on each occasion Tanya Lomas has been extremely prompt, helpful and professional in her approach to customer service. I am happy to recommend them to anyone wishing to book a safari holiday in South Africa.
Kimmo Heldan
,
ZA
Mar 18, 2024
Dolan was prompt and fast in responding…
Dolan was prompt and fast in responding to my booking request and we appreciate it. Excited and looking forward to the trip!
Rachel Marie
,
SG
Mar 17, 2024
Adventure of a Lifetime
As elderly, world travelers our best adventure ever was last year’s safari trip to Sabi Sabi & Cape Town South Africa planned by Dolan Sequera. Great experience working with Dolan. Immediate responses from my many, many questions. He arranged all lodging, inter airlines, and ground transportation! It was such a perfect experience that we are returning with our family this year and of course, Dolan has handled all our plans as well as our daughter’s. We couldn’t be happier with this company. Dolan is the best and we highly recommend him!
Barbara
,
US
Mar 17, 2024
Quick replies to all my questions…
Quick replies to all my questions (unlike other enquiries I’ve made elsewhere about accommodation for the same holiday) & everything done & dusted very easily. Nice use of WhatsApp to get quick answers & email for the detail & the payment, very effective. More accommodation bookings should be like this. Very satisfied.👍🏻
Jonesy
,
GB
Mar 17, 2024
Dolan has made the safari booking…
Dolan has made the safari booking process super easy and answered and questions we had immediately. We would not have been able to complete the booking and gotten the trip we wanted without Dolan’s help. We are super excited for our trip.
Liz
,
ZA
Mar 17, 2024
Great service Dolan
My wife and have always loved making our own bookings when travelling to the Kruger, however, when we couldn’t find any available place, we decided to contact Safari.com. This is how we met Dolan. Dolan exceeded our expectations by going beyond the call of duty. Our experience was memorable and he had become our go-to person when planning to visit the Kruger. We hope to some day meet you, thank you for the lovely service.
Consumer
,
ZA
Mar 17, 2024
Dolan the magician!!
Dolan! Dolan! Dolan! If I could his name from the top of a mountain, I would. My husband and I love travelling to the Kruger, and Dolan has always been there to ensure we get the most awesome experience. Dolan has taken the stress out of doing bookings on our own, trying to secure places. When we think of Kruger, Dolan immediately comes to mind. We have made 5 bookings so far, and already planning our next trip, which will once more be a magical experience. Iris and Trevor
Iris Ngobeni
,
ZA
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