Reviews of Madikwe Safari Lodge

What an unforgettable stay at Kopano at Madikwe Safari Lodges. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel so welcome. The service was exceptional throughout, with such warm hospitality from everyone at Kopano who made our stay feel really special from start to finish. A huge thank you to Corrinne and Allita for being such fantastic hosts, to Elliot for the incredible food, and to Priscilla and the rest of the team for looking after us so well. Every detail was taken care of and nothing felt like too much trouble. As it was just Dave and I staying, we were lucky enough to enjoy a real VIP experience, which made our time at Kopano even more memorable. The game drives were another real highlight. A big thank you to our ranger and guide, Regard, who made each drive such an amazing experience. We had some brilliant sightings including elephant, rhino, giraffe, lion, cheetah and hyena. The leopard may have proved elusive this time, but that just gives us one more reason to come back. Kopano is a beautiful lodge in a stunning setting, with amazing people, fantastic food and an atmosphere that made it hard to leave. Thank you for such a special stay and an unforgettable part of our South Africa trip. We would genuinely recommend Madikwe Safari Lodges to anyone thinking about booking a safari.

What a week! This is the best safari experience we have ever had in South Africa. The people, the comfort, the food, the game, the waterholes from the lodge - everything is just incredible. This is a first class experience that we highly recommend.

Amazing experience! In early January 2026, we spent four extraordinary and intense days at Madikwe Safari Lodge! Everything is wonderful, from the lodge's facilities, carefully harmonized with nature, offering comfort, cleanliness, and care for the guests. The housekeepers are perfect, always leaving messages in the room, which was cleaned twice a day. The food is very good, with international and local dishes, with good flavor and presentation. Our guide/ranger was Mike, who made the drives (safaris) unique, immersive, always with surprising experiences. His great knowledge of animal life is remarkable. He is a great tracker and a very kind person! He made all the difference in our experience! Here, you will surely meet all big fives and much more. For all these reasons, my family and I highly recommend Madikwe Safari Lodge!

Our days at Madikwe Safari Lodge were absolutely incredible! Was it a hike to get out there? Yes, but how else would you be on the reserve and have such wonderful opportunities to see as many animals as possible. We had such wonderful service from Frank and Olga, and Nico did a phenomenal job guiding us through the bush. The rooms were incredibly luxurious and optimized windows/viewing spaces--and the watering holes on the campus mean that you have even more opportunities to see animals while relaxing in between game drives. The food was absolutely delicious and plentiful, as were delicious drinks. Overall, I cannot say enough good things about the trip my friends and I took to Madikwe!

I can’t find the words to properly convey just how wonderful our time was here. Every single detail from the Lodge itself, to the staff, the food, the setting and of course the game drives, was immaculate. Beautiful clean, spacious and comfortable lodges, INCREDIBLE food, bubbly and friendly staff members, and of course, our Ranger: Regard, who was hilarious, informative and all round an excellent guy to spend our time with. We are so grateful. The view from our lodge was just opposite the water hole, where elephants gathered all day long and we could sit and watch with a cup of coffee or lunch. It was so special. I also visited the spa and got an Aromatherapy massage which was bliss, and once again of course all of the staff members were welcoming, helpful and so lovely to be around. I’m so sad to be leaving, and I will remember this place and our experiences here forever. Thank you so much to everybody, I feel extremely lucky to have stayed here and had this experience.

We stayed at the wonderful Dithaba Lodge at Madikwe Game Reserve for our wedding anniversary. All we can say is by the end of our five nights we didn’t want to leave. It was a slice of heaven. The accommodation was expansive and simply safari styled, which elevated the relaxed ambience, and was further enhanced with log fires through out. The staff couldn’t have been more attentive. We were met by the wonderful, friendly, beautiful Corrine who didn’t stop making us laugh from the minute we met her. Then came our lovely Joyce who had a beautiful smile and a helpful hand whenever we asked for anything. We met Leboso (sorry for the spelling!) our absolutely fantastic chef who was definitely trying to fatten us up. The food was out of this world and presented with perfection. Bennett our night watchman and our alarm call in the morning always greeted us with the biggest smile - even at 5am!! After a long night shift. He told us about Rioobos tea and now we are converted. Veronica our housekeeper was the most delightful lady, she even managed to get plum sauce stain out of my husband’s white linen shirt. The room was always perfect when she had been there! We loved our messages we received on the blackboard. Then finally our guide Mike - wow what a guy!! His knowledge of the wildlife and area, is second to none. He made getting up at 4.30am an absolute treat. We didn’t quite manage the big five but this gives us an excuse to return! But we did see over 70 different birds, reptiles and animals, including the African Wild Dogs hunting. Awesome. His patience with us asking the same questions over again and my husband asking him to stop every five minutes to take photos was truly admirable. He spotted things that we didn’t even know were there and wouldn’t have seen even if we did. Mike you were amazing. Thank you! Frank and Clementine stood in for one night and both were as lovely and friendly as everyone else. Our anniversary was a dream come true from dinner under the stars to the beautifully decorated room to all the staff wishing us a happy day. We found some lovely friends and we will be back. Thank you so much to everyone at Dithaba Lodge and Madikwe game reserve. xx

The staff and management work very hard to make your stay special from the food, the amenities, and the personal interactions and special efforts too numerous to cite. The reserve viewing rules are managed by the concessioners who truly understand and respect the wildlife and at the same time try to maximize the visitor experience. We were CONSTANTLY thrilled with the knowledge and skills of our driver and cannot wait to return for him to show us even more wonders. TRULY - YOU MUST EXPERIENCE AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFETIME!!

We had a wonderful experience at Madikwe Safari Lodge. The team was welcoming, attentive and genuinely kind throughout our stay, making us feel very comfortable from the moment we arrived. The meals were varied and very good, and the overall atmosphere was peaceful, pleasant and enjoyable. It was a memorable stay and an experience we truly appreciated.

My wife and I spent 3 nights at Kopano at Madikwe Safari Lodges during our 3 week tour through South Africa, and it was the highlight of our trip. Everyone at Kopano was simply wonderful. Corinne was there to provide a warm welcome when we arrived, at our return from every game drive, and at every meal. The meals prepared by chef Girlie were absolutely delicious and the service from Ellen and others was top notch. The game drive guides were amazing, especially Mike who taught us about everything from the big 5 animals to the birds to the termites to the plant life of Madikwe. Mike was even able to help my bird-watching wife find the rare secretary birds she was hoping to see. Gorgeous rooms, fabulous food, top notch service, and wonderful guides - We couldn’t have asked for anything more.

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.

Of the three lodges and areas in South Africa we visited, this was by far the best. Our stay in Kopano was outstanding with a personal service being given and amazing food. Really enjoyed our time with our guide Regard. Thanks to him we had great sightings of cheetah, wild dogs and brown hyena. A memorable experience. Thanks to you all

What an incredible stay we had at lelapa lodge! The staff were amazing, accomodation and view was just beautiful! The food was five star! We so enjoyed our game drives with Mike. He was informative and we learnt a lot on the trips. Would definitely come back again!

We had a truly wonderful time at Lelapa Lodge. Everybody was so welcoming and friendly and everywhere was clean and comfortable. Keba, the deputy Manager made sure we had everything we could possibly want and Priscilla with her sparkling smile made every meal time a pleasure. Of course the chief delight of the stay was to experience the drives and see the animals in their natural environment. Our ranger, Tekura (Charles) was absolutely fabulous. His experience and knowledge meant that every outing was packed with interesting facts and we were lucky enough to see almost everything we could have wished for. He became more than just a guide as we chatted over morning amarula coffee or evening sundowners before heading off again to witness more unforgettable sights. We're already dreaming of returning some time!

We had an exceptional stay at Madikwe Safari Lodge! Everything was perfect — the staff were incredibly attentive, the Luxury Suite in Lelapa Lodge was stunning, with thoughtful touches for us and our daughter. The dining experience was outstanding, the spa massage was perfect, and the safaris with our game driver allowed us to experience truly unforgettable moments. A very special mention for the marriage proposal — everything was absolutely perfect and beautiful. We will definitely be back! A huge thank you to the entire team.