Feature cover
P
erched on top of a rocky koppie
in the heart of the Madikwe
Game Reserve, Madikwe Hills
Private Game Lodge offers
unparalleled views over the
surrounding savannah, which is
simply bursting with local wildlife.
Over 66 mammal species, inc luding giraffe
and cheetah, call this reserve home, as do
hundreds of bird species and everyone’s
favourite stars of the safari show, the Big
Five.
Thanks to a strategically located
waterhole just in front of the lodge’s main
deck, a parade of animals can always be
seen ambling to the water’s edge.
The bright red colour of the soil and the
aquamarine blue waters of the lodge’s pool
throw up the animals in sharp contrast and
make almost movie-like the movement of
elephant, antelope and giraffe across the
frame of the view. It is bush TV, complete
with fine dining and a refreshing drink or
two.
The game viewing opportunities continue
as you stroll along the elevated pathways
that crisscross this rocky outcrop,
connecting the communal areas to the fully
equipped gym, the ultimate indulgence of a
bush spa and, of course, the pure luxury of
one of the lodge’s ten spectacular rooms.
Hurricane lamps light your way at night,
while little rock dassies scamper about
and lizards sun themselves on the adjacent
rocks during the day.
While the essential luxury accoutrements
are the same for all of the rooms – think
cosy fireplaces, tea and coffee stations
(complete with delicious homemade rusks),
liberating outside showers, invigorating
plunge pools, and the kind of bed you sink
into with abject joy at the end of the day –
they do differ in location.
The rooms perched on the top of the
koppie offer expansive views of the
surrounding plain, perfectly framed by
floor-to-ceiling glass doors, complete with a
feeling of elevation and space.
The rooms at the base of the koppie,
however, are nestled snugly in the midst of
the surrounding bush with a definite feeling
of privacy and seclusion.
There is also the added benefit of spotting
the odd animal or two – especially graceful
ellies – at close range as they meander past
on their way to the waterhole.
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