Jaci’s
Jaci’s Is A Long Established Family Friendly Lodge In Eastern Madikwe
Jaci’s originally made its name as a wonderful family safari lodge, with the owners embracing family life in the bush and extending a warm welcome to families with children of all ages. Whilst their children have grown up, and you do not need to be a family to enjoy the magic of Jaci’s, it is still one of the best lodges in Madikwe for families. Jaci’s is well run, with friendly staff and engaging guides, and its location is a good base from which to explore both east and west Madikwe. PLEASE NOTE Jaci’s is temporarily closed after flood damage and they are due to reopen in July 2026 after significant rebuild and refurbishment with quite a change to the accommodation offering, whilst keeping the same family-friendly ethos. The information below is based on the information we know so far… what this space for further developments!
Rooms
Accommodation is provided in 10 Safari Suites, and three villas. The safari suites were newly constructed in 2026 and are all built from concrete and timber with floor to ceiling glass making the most of the light and views. Inside there is a bedroom, dressing area and sunken lounge and en suite bathrooms include shower, double wash basins, toilet and separate bath tub with a view. The front of each suite opens onto a viewing deck which is furnished with comfortable seating. All suites are air-conditioned and have ceiling fans and tea and coffee making facilities and Wi-Fi is available throughout all guest rooms and main areas (note service may be intermittent). Six of the Safari Suites are standalone units, and there are also two pairs of suites which are built side by side and suitable for friends travelling together (they don’t interconnect).
The three villas (Nare Villa, Kubu Villa and Madikwe House) each come with a private guide and vehicle, private chef and front of house staff to make a completely exclusive stay if desired and are perfect for groups of families and friends. Guests staying in the villas may also use the facilities of and dine at the main lodge. All villas have a private pool, central indoor and outdoor dining spaces and a fire pit.
Nare Villa sleeps up to six guests in three en suite bedrooms – two identical bedrooms on the main floor (including bath and shower in the bathroom), and a loft bedroom on the second floor (with shower only, and this room has a private balcony). In the centre of the villa is an indoor lounge and dining space, opening on to a deck overlooking a waterhole.
Kubu Villa is a new addition (2026) to Jaci’s and overlooks the Marico River, accommodating up to six guests in three similar sized and styled en suite bedrooms – all at ground floor level with full en suite bathrooms. One of the bedrooms adjoins the central areas, whereas the other two are separate.
Madikwe House is ideal for larger parties who want to be completely self-contained (although guests can still use the main lodge facilities, the house is further from the main lodge than the other villas) and this sleeps up to 10 guests in five bedrooms.
Madikwe House is ideal for larger parties who want to be completely self-contained (although guests can still use the main lodge facilities, the house is further from the main lodge than the other villas) and this sleeps up to 10 guests in five bedrooms.
Central Areas
The spacious main lodge areas are home to the lounge, bar, curio shop and outdoor dining decks. There are two swimming pools, a spa and a gym. Close to the main lodge area is the Thutlwa Lookout – a deck with comfortable seating and dining space, overlooking an open clearing. Guests are greeted here on arrival and depart here for game drives, and the space can be used for relaxing during the middle of day and can also be used for an alternative lunch or dinner venue.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
Madikwe Game Reserve is a malaria-free wildlife area covering 75.000 hectares of arid land in the north of South Africa, stretching up towards the border with Botswana. Madikwe was established in the early 1990s as a result of an economic analysis that explored two land-use options: Big 5 ecotourism and extensive cattle farming. The outcome was that the area was most suited to wildlife tourism and this would lead to more employment opportunities than the agriculture option. Madikwe’s primary objective therefore differs somewhat to other game reserves – rather than focusing primarily on wildlife and conservation, community upliftment and creating social and economic opportunity is given emphasis. Madikwe was perhaps ahead of its time, but this community-based wildlife conservation approach is increasingly viewed as the only successful sustainable approach to wildlife conservation in safari Africa.
The reserve is known for ‘Operation Phoenix’, the largest wildlife translocation project in the world. To establish a viable wildlife population, over a period of seven years Operation Phoenix reintroduced more than 8,000 animals of 28 species into the newly established reserve. Conservation ‘firsts’ were achieved including relocating entire herds of elephant alongside the reintroduction of African wild dog into a fenced reserve. The establishment of Madikwe’s wild dog continues to be one of the reserve’s conservation success stories.
Madikwe has a diverse topography, ranging from the rocky Tshwene Tshwene hills, to large savanna plains and dense bushveld-covered plateaus, and is home to the Big 5 as well as wild dog, cheetah, various antelope species including gemsbok (oryx), bushbuck, greater kudu and impala, alongside baboon, giraffe, warthog and zebra. There are also over 340 recorded bird species.
Activities
Activities focus on morning and afternoon game drives which take place with your guide in open four wheel drive vehicles. For keen photographers and anyone wanting a close up view of wildlife, the Terrapin Hide is a great place to spend some time. Accessed via a tunnel and open to guests 24 hours a day, the sunken hide provides an uninterrupted view of the water. Behind the hide, on dry land, is the Naledi Sleepout Deck which offers a wonderful opportunity for an immersive bush experience, sleeping under the stars for a night. The deck has a proper bed with canopy, a wood-fired hot tub, an eco-flush loo and an outdoor shower – all overlooking the waterhole.
Seasons
Jaci’s is open throughout the year and wildlife viewing is superb year round also, though you will experience more rainfall from November through to March.
Children are especially well catered for at Jaci’s with children of all ages accepted. There is a play area for younger children and plenty of activities to keep young guests occupied. Up to two children can be accommodated with their parents in one of the ‘side-by-side’ Safari Suites, each child on their own “Little Expedition Bed” (the suite’s sunken lounge is converted into a comfortable sleeping space with proper linens and styling to make it feel like a bedroom area). Children aged 6-12 years are welcome to join their parents on scheduled morning and evening safari drives. Children under six years are only permitted on game drives if staying in the private villas where they have a private vehicle for the booking and can tailor activities to suit. If staying at the main lodge a dedicated ‘Jungle Drive’ is included in the daily rate for children up to 5 years as are babysitting services and early dining options.
Jaci’s is passionately committed to empowering and uplifting the individuals who make the Jaci’s experience so special. Via the implementation of the Jaci’s Staff Trust initiative, Jaci’s Lodges aim to make a tangible difference in the lives of each member of staff. The trust offers staff members who have been employed at Jaci’s Lodges for more than five years, the opportunity to become shareholders in the business. The shareholding is held in a trust, and eligible members receive their portion of the company dividends at the end of each year. Currently 70% of staff come from neighbouring villages and 27% of the business is owned by Jaci’s Staff Trust members. The impact is far-reaching, with the ultimate aim of empowering, uplifting and inspiring the local community.
The property is committed to practising eco-friendly and sustainable initiatives in order to preserve the environment and reduce their carbon footprint. These include installing a solar plant to power the lodge and the staff village and adopting an efficient waste, water and recycling policy.
Every guest staying in Madikwe Game Reserve pays a Guest Conservation Contribution which serves to support the reserve in its fight against rhino poaching and for the upkeep of the reserve, which includes road maintenance and bush clearing.
