Our Story

We have created a friendly and personal atmosphere at Madikwe Hills, offering as much relaxation and luxury for our guests as we possibly can. Formalities are kept to an absolute minimum. We have created the perfect balance between quality private-time and an opportunity to be social and meet new people from all around the globe.

After the evening game drive we alternate between private dining and communal dining experiences. On the communal dining evenings your ranger would love to host your table with the other guests that joined you on your drive; it is always enlightening to talk to guests from other countries about their cultures or to pick your ranger’s brain for interesting tales or extra information about the game drives you experienced. Private dinners, either at the main lodge or on the deck of your suite, can be arranged on communal dining evenings should you prefer to dine on your own.

We have a total of 64 staff members who work on cycles. Three quarters of the staff are always on site and the other quarter are on leave. At Madikwe Hills we will make you feel welcome, at home and part of the family.

Seasons in Africa, a premier tourism marketing and management company, comprising, luxury game lodges (Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve, Kings Camp Private Game Reserve and Tuningi Safari Lodge), hotels and adventures throughout Southern Africa, Seasons in Africa markets Madikwe Hills to the local and International market. Each of the properties within the Seasons group not only offers all the facilities one expects, but also warm, friendly and personalised service!

In 2003 the five owners, Louis Kruger, Jack Brotherton, Carl Trieloff, Hector Magome and William Stephens, joined forces and invested in the Madikwe Game Reserve. Many days were spent exploring the proposed koppie, envisaging which room would go where, where to build the main lodge, boma, spa, gym, reception and staff quarters and how the high wooden walkways would link them.

An architect was hired to draw up plans, but it soon became apparent that one could not build from the original plans in the bush, especially not on a koppie! The plans were thrown into the fire and new plans were drawn up for each unique suite. Striving to keep all the suites completely private and more importantly, keeping the environment as untouched as possible, each suite was ingeniously fitted between rocks, trees and overhangs which created an amazing feeling of genuinely living within the surroundings.

It took a year and a half to build Madikwe Hills, a very challenging feat… Due to the typography, no truck could get close to where most of the foundations needed to be laid, so the builders carried most of the materials and equipment from a drop off point to the building site. Hard to comprehend now, walking on the raised wooden walkways (the last part of the project) linking the suites to the main lodge and reception.

Madikwe Hills opened its doors to the public in August 2004.