Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge

With a unique setting built into boulders, this is a good value option for couples looking for a romantic getaway with a social element.

• The social experience, where guides interact a lot with guests
• Rooms built into boulders on an elevation
• The two playful dogs that live on the property, making it feel more like a home

There are only a handful of luxury lodges in Madikwe, and Madikwe Hills offers a value option popular with couples and honeymooners who appreciate the social element to safari. Unlike Mateya and Molori, which only have five rooms each, Madikwe Hills has 12 rooms. While still small, it is significantly larger, with up to 24 guests at one time. As per the luxury standard, only up to six guests share a game drive vehicle.

The lodge is built into a rocky outcrop, with rooms strategically situated between boulders and positioned to have views of the plains below. Elevated wooden walkways connect the rooms to the main lodge, and often you’ll encounter small wildlife on your walks.

Many safari lodges seem built exclusively for couples, and none more so than the bedrooms at Madikwe Hills. The open-plan layout of the bedroom and bathroom is not uncommon for lodges, but at Madikwe Hills, the shower is essentially a tiny stage with no walls. There is also an outdoor shower, hidden (hopefully) from view of passers-by. A four-poster bed sits behind glass windows that open out to a deck and plunge pool; the views are incredible (so long as it’s only wildlife with a view in).

Everything else outside the bedroom is a social affair: dinners are communal, with the guides at the table each night. Afternoon tea and pre-dinner drinks are lively, as guests are encouraged to interact with each other. The guides are also more affable than most, and the two dogs that live on property sometimes serve as an adorable ice-breaker.

As of October 2015, WiFi was only available in the lodge’s living room, but there are plans underway to outfit all bedrooms with WiFi.

Good to Know: Little Madikwe

The lodge has a two-bedroom unit that accepts children of all ages, so families have an option to stay here. Little Madikwe has its own kitchen, living room, pool and own entrance. Kids are not allowed in the main lodge, except for pre-arranged meals like early dinners while other guests are out on an evening game drive.

Note: Madikwe Hills only takes children ten years old and up. The lodge is often booked in conjunction with its sister property Leopard Hills in the Sabi Sands.

Social couples will appreciate this lodge’s mix of rooms made for romance with the lodge’s community spirit, where guides dine with guests each night at communal tables.