Luxury holidays in Madikwe Game Reserve

When to go

Winter (April to August) is best for spotting game: expect star-filled nights, clear days and well-frequented waterholes, but bring some thermals for those cold early-morning drives. In the spring and summer (September to March) rains bring lush, thick vegetation and newborn animals to the reserve. For a peaceful stay, avoid mid-December to January, when South Africans evacuate their cities and Europeans and North Americans flock here for some winter sun.

Getting there

• Planes

  Scheduled flights with Madikwe Air or Federal Airlines leave Johannesburg every day, and take around 50 minutes.

• Automobiles

  The reserve is three and a half hours on a tar and dirt road from Johannesburg, passing Sun City along the way. It’s a two-hour drive from Gaborone Airport in Botswana. It’s best to arrive before 6pm, or you’ll need to arrange for a lodge official to escort you from the gates.