Jamala Madikwe
Jamala Madikwe Is A Sophisticated And Exclusive Property In Eastern Madikwe
Jamala Madikwe is an intimate and exclusive property offering very high levels of comfort and service. Owner-run and with just five luxurious suites, the emphasis at Jamala Madikwe is on personal service and first-class hospitality. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly team looking after you, and there is an ethos of flexibility and individuality in how you are looked after. This is a place where you can combine superb game viewing experiences with private relaxation, gorgeous food, exquisite service and sumptuous facilities.
Rooms
Accommodation is provided in just five extremely well-appointed villas, all with views over the open savanna and woodlands beyond. Each air-conditioned villa is identical with spacious bedroom, separate lounge/dining area with fireplace, walk in dressing room and bathroom with both indoor and outdoor shower. Wooden decking to the fore of each villa leads to a private sala with day bed and private plunge pool.
Central Areas
The central areas are equally as welcoming with an elegant dining room and comfortable lounge and library with fireplace, an infinity edge lap pool and outdoor fire terrace. The award-winning food is a particularly focus at Jamala with the fine dining experience being influenced by owner/chef Nico Verster. The central areas all overlook the busy waterhole directly in front of the lodge, which is regularly visited by elephant, zebra, giraffe, impala and even black rhino. There are plenty of areas to relax with a comfortable seat and enjoy a ‘sofa safari’ watching the comings and goings of wildlife. There is also a small gym, and a lovely spa where various beauty treatments and massages can be arranged.
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
Game viewing activities focus on morning and afternoon/evening game drives.
Seasons
Jamala Madikwe is open all year round. Game viewing is superb year round, though you will experience more rainfall from November through to March.
Jamala only accepts children 16 years and older (except by prior arrangement or for exclusive lodge bookings) and does not have any specific family accommodation.
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.
