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Madikwe · South Africa

Jamala Madikwe Royal Safari Lodge

Five villas in a malaria-free Big Five reserve on the edge of the Kalahari

Safari Lodge ★★★★★ Madikwe Game Reserve, North West Province
The setting of Jamala Madikwe Royal Safari Lodge
Location image, not the property. flowcomm / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Madikwe sits against the Botswana border in North West Province, a transitional zone where Kalahari sandveld meets bushveld. It is one of the largest game reserves in South Africa and, crucially for families, malaria-free. Jamala is one of its smallest lodges, with just five villas looking over a waterhole.

Each villa is a standalone thatched structure with its own plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers and a private deck. With a maximum of ten guests in camp, drives rarely feel crowded and the lodge can flex around what guests want to see.

The reserve holds the full Big Five along with a well-monitored population of African wild dogs, which are among the main reasons experienced safari-goers come to Madikwe. The lodge is roughly a four-hour drive from Johannesburg or a short charter flight, making it one of the easier premium reserves to reach.

At a glance

What to expect

  • Private villa plunge pools
  • Waterhole viewing deck
  • Twice-daily game drives
  • Malaria-free reserve
  • Spa treatments
  • Wine cellar
  • All meals and drinks
  • Wi-Fi