Jamala Madikwe,
Royal Safari Lodge

Location:

Jamala Madikwe is situated just 290km from Johannesburg on the south east border of Madikwe Game Reserve in the North West Province of Southern Africa. The lodge can be  easily accessed via the Molatedi Gate or by air.

About the Lodge: 

Jamala Madikwe is an exquisite luxury boutique safari lodge, that is owner run and managed by Rodney and Nico the GM, whose aim is to make your stay an unforgettable one and they do just that in style! 

The entrance to Jamala Madikwe

Jamala is Swahili for “Natural Elegance” and that is exactly what you see and feel when you enter at Jamala Madikwe!

The large impressive front doors

spiral stair case leading to the upstairs lounge

The main lodge building overlooks a large waterhole which is frequently visited by animals throughout the day.

Jamala Madikwe wide view by day

You have wonderful panoramic views of the waterhole and open savanna from both the lounge and dining areas where large folding glass doors bring nature to you. We enjoyed the view from both the lower deck and the watch tower, which has a stunning vantage point. 

landscape view from both the lounge and watch tower

The main lodge building has a relaxing indoor lounge with large fireplace and library..... 

upstairs lounge and fireplace

plus an outdoor undercover lounge where you can enjoy a Sofa Safari - and that is just what we did...! 

Sofa Safari lounge is a great place to relax

Wi-Fi is available throughout the lodge and villas.

Their Curio Boutique, offers hand crafted items, African Artifacts and other items that are perfect for any special occasion or that last minute gift from Africa.

inside the curio shop

Food & Drinks:  

the picture below shows the cosy fire place and bar lounge with the bar in the background...

Bar lounge with fire place overlooking the swimming pool

Gin tasting at the open-air bar

The meals were sensational and we thoroughly enjoyed every one. At dinner we received a menu with a list of all the guests, the date and what will be prepared that evening.

Each evening you would have a choice of two main courses. We had hearty African bean soup (delicious), then I had the roast duck ragout on tagliatelle with parmesan for my main and Mario had the beef shin “osso bucco” with creamy mash potatoes and vegetables and then we had vanilla crème brulee.

plating of fine dining

Each meal is an occasion at Jamala Madikwe; the scrumptious high teas are served just before your afternoon game drive in the outdoor lounge. High teas at Jamala Madikwe are not slapped together - they are quality events that are not to be missed! 

beef salad and savory cigars/spring rolls

The beautifully prepared dinners by Nico and the Jamala chef team are served in different venues each night; the dining room on the colder nights... 

the elegant indoor dining room with fire place

Boma and Star deck.... 

boma by night and starlight dining area

boma by day overlooking the waterhole

Dinner under the stars

Star lit pool deck dinner overlooking the Jamala Madikwe waterhole....

Pool side dining

Breakfast is served after morning game drive and usually finishes around 11 am, no buffets here strictly beautifully plated food.  We enjoyed the cucumber water each day that is provided with your stunning breakfast; eggs of your choice, crispy bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomato, pastries, toast and tea and coffee...

breakfast with an elephant

Accommodation:

The 5 Villas at Jamala offer exceptional luxury accommodation with large spaces and remarkable waterhole and savannah views, these magnificent villas are very private and equipped with all the luxuries a discerning traveler could wish for, we just loved all the space!

front view of Jamala Madikwes Villa

There is a four poster king size bed, air-conditioner, fan, hair dryer and safe.

fourposter bed

en suit bathroom with large bath, indoor shower plus a lovely outdoor shower....

bathroom with indoor shower and bath

outdoor shower, picture taken at sunrise

large folding doors open up to give you a feeling of being at one with nature.

watching an elephant walk by from our bed

each villa has a separate cosy lounge with fireplace, dining area, writing desk with personalised stationary and complementary mini bar with tea and coffee station in the walk-in dressing room....

cosy lounge with fireplace

a drink next to the fire place

private wooden deck, salas and rim flow pool with loungers....

rim pool with a view and salas

Each night we were given a bed time message and chocolates - what a lovely touch to end a fabulous day in the bush.

message with chocolates

Activities at Jamala Madikwe:

Elephant walking up to the lodge from the waterhole

The active waterhole is superb for game viewing and action, both in the wet summer months and the dry winter months. If you preferer to relax at the lodge then a Sofa Safari or a pool Safari is the thing to do.....

relaxing in the pool while watching elephants at the waterhole

Sofa Safari lounge with a breath taking view of the waterhole

The viewing tower is a great place to observe what is happening at the waterhole and gives you a great panoramic view of the surrounding bush. 

Elephant at the Waterhole

for those who need some pampering, have a relaxing treatment at the wonderful spa…or if you are feeling a little more energetic have a work out at the gym next to the spa while watching the waterhole.

Elephant at night at the waterhole

the watch tower view of the sunset

5 different animals at the waterhole

We would pop up to the viewing tower after dinner to photograph what was at the waterhole and one night we saw both brown and spotted hyenas sneak in and on another night a lioness and a leopard. The waterhole is not only good for daytime photography but also for night photography.....

Lioness drinking at the waterhole at night

Hyena drinking at the waterhole at night

Leopard drinking at Jamala Madikwe waterhole at night

Buffalo drinking at night

Game drives: There are 2 game drives in open game viewing vehicles each day, with two very knowledgeable Safari Guides.  A quick cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate before the early morning drive - with a short coffee break in the bush and for the afternoon/evening game drives you will stop somewhere special in the bush for sun-downers and snacks. 

sundowners on our game drive

During those colder months you will be given hot water bottles, blankets and hand muffs to keep you warm during your game drives.

Palm tree on game drive

Sightings on our 3-day stay at Jamala Madikwe:

We had great sightings of the Big 5 plus Wild Dog and Cheetah during our 6 game drives. 

Photographing cheetah

We saw a springbok on the open plains, large herds of elephant, both brown and spotted hyenas, large herds of buffalo, lions and plenty of rhinos. 

The highlight for us was the leopard on a rock but you can see more images on our trip report page. 

Rodney, Nico and team you made us feel like part of the Jamala family, thank you for not just a wonderful stay but for a beautiful experience, we cannot wait to come back.

For more information or to make Your booking, please click here

To purchase Nico's superb recipe book please click on the image above

Return from Jamala Madikwe to Madikwe Game Reserve Page

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