MadiKwe Private Game Reserve

Located near to the Botswana border near to Gaborone, MadiKwe Private Game Reserve was established in 1991 through the cooperation of private partnerships, government conservation agencies and the local community to protect over 75,000 hectares of reclaiming farmland. The terrain consists mainly riverine woodland and low-lying plains, Tshwene-Tshwene hillock and rocky koppies, with the Groot Marico River in the east and views to the Dwarsberg Mountains in the west. Over 8,000 animals of 27 species including the Big Five, cheetahs, hyena and antelope were introduced through the relocation scheme ‘Operation Phoenix’. The game is now well established and this reserve is probably the best for sightings of the highly endangered African wild dog. The reserve has the size required to allow the dogs their necessary roaming distance. There are rewarding areas for birding, with around 350 species noted. Madikwe is special for the fact that many of the lodges are part or wholly community owned.