Tau Game Lodge ★★★★★

"A Family friendly luxury lodge with heat rangers and high class tours. Two pools, outdoor showers in each lodge and renovated bathrooms. "

Last Word Madikwe ★★★★

"We cannot thank Jodi and the other staff members for getting us there safely! The main road to Botswana was blocked due to a protest, so we had a five hrs detour on unpaved, pot holed roads, with no idea where we were! On arrival, our traumas were soon forgotten as the staff welcomed us “home” again. The food was even better than on our previous visits, and Damian’s intrepid skills on Safari never disappoint. The water hole and underground hide are amazing, a unique experience at The Bush House! We love the small, intimate lodge."

Madikwe Safari Lodge ★★★★★

"My stay at Kopano one of the three lodges that make up the Madikwe Safari Lodge was unbelievable- I can’t wait to go back. The food was out of this world and sometimes served in different locations- but wherever it was served or what ever I ate it was delicious! The service was special- very attentive but without being intrusive - Corine and Ellen couldn’t have been more helpful and caring. My Ranger Mike made the game drives exciting and informative with great sightings. I am planning to return as soon as I can."

Impodimo Game Lodge ★★★★★

"Come for the safari. Remember the people. We were a family of five – my dad, my father-in-law, my wife, my son and myself – and flew into Madikwe by prop plane after spending the previous night in Johannesburg. From the moment we landed, the experience started. We were met at the airstrip by Sebastian, who would also be our ranger throughout our stay. What was supposed to be our transfer to Impodimo very quickly became our first mini game drive! When we arrived at the lodge, we were given the usual briefing – meals, timings, game drives, etc. Then came one instruction that we didn’t quite understand: At night, you cannot walk between your room and the main lodge without being accompanied by a ranger. It didn’t take long for us to understand why. Shortly afterwards, while Sebastian was accompanying us to our room, our path was blocked by an elephant. Welcome to Madikwe! 😂 Impodimo sits along a route used by elephants travelling up and down towards the waterhole. So yes, you can quite literally have elephants wandering past the lodge. It is an incredible experience, especially for kids, but also a reminder that you are very much a guest in their home. ~ THE SAFARI ~ Sebastian was our dedicated ranger and Mpo our tracker, and having both of them with us on every game drive was fantastic. For anyone going on their first safari, there is something important to understand: This isn’t a zoo. The animals aren’t sitting around waiting for your vehicle to arrive. Nobody makes a phone call and asks the lions to come out. 😂 Madikwe is MASSIVE, and finding wildlife takes patience, experience and sometimes a fair amount of luck. So let your ranger and tracker do their jobs. Watching Sebastian and Mpo work was part of the experience itself. They read tracks, prints, broken vegetation and even dung to understand where animals had been, what direction they were moving and what they might be doing. You realise very quickly that what looks like absolutely nothing to you is giving them a whole bunch of information. And that knowledge comes from years of experience. One of the reasons we chose Madikwe was also the diversity of the landscape. As you drive through the reserve, the terrain changes significantly, which means you get to experience different animals within their natural habitats rather than simply ticking animals off a checklist. I’ll let the pictures do a better job of showing what Sebastian and Mpo managed to find for us. ~ THE LODGE ~ Impodimo itself is beautiful. The rooms are absolutely five-star, the setting is spectacular and the food was excellent – beautifully presented, delicious and easily at the standard you would expect from a luxury international hotel. But once again, the thing we will remember most wasn’t the room or even the food. It was the people. The entire team was warm, hospitable and incredibly helpful throughout our stay. And then my dad lost his camera lens. Not a lens somewhere inside the lodge. He had"

Motswiri Private Safari Lodge ★★★★★

"We had an incredible stay at Motswiri. The rooms overlook the watering hole, so when you are not out on game drives, you can still see the wildlife up close and watch their natural behaviour. The elephants and giraffes were really entertaining while we sat with a glass of wine watching. With two 3 hour game drives each day, there are lots of opportunities to see the wildlife in it’s own habitat and the guides are very knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the morning coffee stops and the sundowner gin and tonics while out on the game drives. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We requested if one of our rooms could have something special for my daughter and son in law who were just married, the effort the staff made was incredible and added to the precious memories for the couple. Not much else to say really apart from AMAZING! Would highly recommend and hope to return soon."

Rhulani Safari Lodge ★★★★

"Amazing experience at Rhulani Safari Lodge. My wife and I went on the trip with a large group in July and we had an incredible time. The service was fantastic--all of the guides were great and the food was wonderful. We saw tons of wildlife (including 4 of the big 5). The accommodations and the staff were all excellent--it is a special place and we had a vacation that we will always remember. Highly recommend Rhulani and Madikwe Game Reserve."

Tuningi Safari Lodge ★★★★★

"We stayed three nights at Tuningi game reserve; We were picked up by Marcel from the small reserve airport; Marcel drove us to the game reserve and our safari started - Marcel pointed out animals on our way - truly amazing. We were then greeted by Heidi who gave us a wonderful greeting and tour We picked our lunch option; up to our suite for a tour with Heidi, quick change and back for the best lunch ever - the attention to detail was amazing Then our first drive; over the next four days Marcel became our friend, guide, teacher and instilled enthusiasm in everyone in the truck. Marcel loved our numerous questions and his answers were detailed and thorough. Cannot talk highly enough about Marcel Animals - we saw the Big 5 and all thanks to Gavin for spotting the leopard in the tree with his catch Food - food can make or break a holiday - the food at Tuningi reserve was exquisite; attention to detail for every meal. Service was friendly and always with a smile and a hello. Need to mention the breakfast muffins - need the recipe they were delicious Cannot rate Tuningi game reserve highly enough- great team who all worked together to make our experience very special; thank you and special shout out to Marcel"

Rockfig Lodge Madikwe ★★★★★

Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge

"My wife and I stayed at Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge for four nights in early June, and by pure luck we happened to be the only guests at the lodge during our stay. That meant every game drive was just the two of us and our guide, Joseph. We recognize that this is not the typical experience, but it gave us a unique opportunity to get to know the staff and spend a lot of time with them. Buffalo Ridge was one of the most special travel experiences we have ever had. The lodge is beautiful, Madikwe is incredible, and the wildlife exceeded our expectations, but what made this place unforgettable was the people. Joseph led all eight of our game drives, and he was outstanding. He has been guiding for 17 years, and it showed. He patiently answered our many beginner questions, shared his knowledge of the reserve and its wildlife, and seemed to have an incredible instinct for finding animals. Before visiting, I assumed seeing animals was mostly a matter of driving around and getting lucky. Spending eight drives with Joseph showed us how much expertise is involved. Whether he was tracking animals from footprints and droppings, scanning the horizon for movement, or communicating with other guides, it was clear that many of our best sightings happened because of his skill and experience. The drives themselves were spectacular. During our stay we saw four of the Big Five: lion, rhino, elephant, and buffalo. Leopards were the only one we missed, though we learned they are notoriously difficult to find. We also saw cheetahs and African wild dogs. One of our favorite sightings was two lionesses with five cubs. We also loved seeing elephant calves and a one-month-old rhino calf. Many of our favorite photos were taken with nothing more than an iPhone. The lodge itself is peaceful and relaxing. We frequently saw wildlife from our chalet and from the main lodge overlooking the watering hole. On our final morning, a herd of elephants came through as we were preparing to leave, providing one last unforgettable memory before our departure. The chalets were comfortable, the outdoor shower was fantastic, and we had no issues with Wi-Fi or hot water. We arrived expecting to remember the animals. We left knowing that what we will remember most is the people. The hospitality at Buffalo Ridge was the best we have experienced anywhere in the world. Chefs Julia, Katlego, and Josephine prepared meal after meal that rivaled or exceeded many high-end restaurants we have visited in the United States. We especially loved the freshly made desserts and quickly became fans of koeksisters. During our stay I developed a sinus infection, and Godfrey and Priscilla from the reception team went out of their way to track down medication for me. It made a tremendous difference and helped me enjoy the remainder of our stay. Penelope, Amanda, Cassius, Grace, and Elias were equally warm, helpful, and welcoming throughout our stay. Every interaction felt genuine, and everyone seemed genuinely"