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MADIKWE GAME RESERVE
The Madikwe Game Reserve, which is situated in the North West Province of South Africa, is home to 66 mammal species including the Big Five and approximately 300 resident and migrant bird species. This game rich park is one of South Africa's largest game reserves.
Madikwe is operated as a joint venture between the State of South Africa, the private sector and local communities.
The reserve consists of vast plains of open woodlands and grasslands, dissected by the rugged Rant van Tweedepoort, and bordered in the south by the Dwarsberg Mountains. The area is dotted with huge rocky hills.
The entire Madikwe Game Reserve has been enclosed in a 150km perimeter fence which has been electrified to prevent the escape of elephants and the larger predators.
Madikwe is regarded as one of the finest conservation areas in Africa, offering all the major species, including lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, both white and black rhino along with almost all the plains antelope species.
A special feature of Madikwe lies in its unique location, which is a transition zone on the edges of the Kalahari, where a number of rare species occur naturally.
Guests who are accommodated at one of the game lodges in the Madikwe Game Reserve are taken on conducted day and night game drives or bush walks. Excellent accommodation is available at various private lodges in the reserve.
History of Madikwe
The reserve was announced to the public in August 1991 and officially became part of the Board's estate on 31 October 1991. The reserve was proclaimed after independent consultants conducted a detailed feasibility study of this particular region. The study showed that wildlife-based tourism was the most beneficial option for this remote area.
Being one of South Africa's largest game reserves, Madikwe has the distinction of being one of the few game reserves in the world to be proclaimed purely on the grounds of being the most appropriate and sustainable land use for an area.
Reintroduction of game
The reintroduction of game began early in 1991, shortly before the perimeter fence of this game reserve had been completed. Operation Phoenix, as the reintroduction programme is called, marked the largest game translocation in the world. More than 8,000 animals of 28 species have so far been released into the reserve, including elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, cheetah, Cape hunting dog, spotted hyaena, giraffe, zebra and many species of antelope and herbivores. Leopard already occurred in the reserve. Operation Phoenix was completed in 1997.
Location of Madikwe
The 60 000 ha Madikwe Game Reserve is situated in the far north of the North West Province in South Africa, adjacent to the Botswana border. Being only a three hours drive from Pretoria or Johannesburg has made the Madikwe Game Reserve one of South Africa's prime safari destinations.
The Madikwe reserve is divided into two main areas. The area north of the Molatedi Dam is fenced and stocked with all the historically indigenous wild animals, which include elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. As part of future developments for Madikwe, the dam area will be fenced separately and stocked with smaller, non-dangerous animals - thus allowing free movement of tourists and maximum utilisation of the dam.
Seasons at Madikwe
Rainy Season: rains are expected in Madikwe from October to April with the highest rainfall expected between November and February. Daytime temperatures are hot and humid with an average of 88°F (31°C).
Dry Season: the winter months of May to September are dry and cold with evening temperatures as low as 35.5°F (2°C) and only 72°F (22°C) in the daytime.
Directions to Madikwe
By Road:
From Johannesburg travel to the Hartebesspoort Dam, Rustenburg and continue with the N4 to Swartruggens and then Zeerust.
From here take the R505 to the Abjagterskop Gate of Madikwe Game Reserve.
Alternatively travel to Sun City (north west of Rustenburg) and proceed from there to the Derdepoort Gate of the Reserve.
By Air:
A service operates daily to Madikwe from O R Tambo (Johannesburg) International Airport.
Distances
• Gaborone Airport, Botswana - Madikwe 28 km
• Johannesburg - Madikwe 360 km
• Pretoria - Madikwe 400 km
• Zeerust - Madikwe 100 km
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