Madikwe Game Reserve
Malaria-free Big Five reserve on the Botswana border — restored farmland, wild dog, and luxury lodges.
Trip Role
Ideal stay
Best for
Our take
The malaria-free safari that's closest to Joburg and great for families.
The malaria-free safari that's closest to Joburg and great for families.
- Trip Role
- Trip Anchor
- Ideal Stay
- 2-3 nights
- Best For
- Families, Joburg-based long weekends, malaria-cautious travelers.
- Skip If
- Travelers after lowveld scenery or a self-drive experience.
- Go If
- You want malaria-free and you're starting from Johannesburg.
Why it's worth your time
Madikwe, up against the Botswana border in North West province, is the other major malaria-free private reserve and the one most travelers reach from Johannesburg — a three-and-a-half-hour drive rather than a flight. It's a Big Five reserve on former farmland, well run, with a spread of lodges from family-friendly to high-end, and it's where Joburg families go for a long-weekend safari that doesn't need malaria medication. The game is reintroduced and the reserve is fenced, so it's managed rather than wild, but the sightings are reliable and the guiding good. Operation Genesis, the reintroduction, is part of the story. It's a practical, comfortable safari that trades lowveld drama for accessibility and peace of mind.
What we love
A real Big Five safari within driving distance of Joburg, malaria-free.
What to know
Malaria-free. Lodge-based; some lodges are family-oriented. Drive from Joburg or fly to the airstrip.
Pair it with
