Madikwe or Kruger? Emery Hassall explains
Madikwe isn't a smaller Kruger. Emery Hassall of Madikwe Safari Lodge explains why it works best alongside one.
In short: Madikwe isn't a smaller Kruger. It sits where the Kalahari meets the savannah, so it's dry and desert-like in the dry season and green after the rains, with Kalahari species you rarely see in the Lowveld. That difference is why Emery Hassall suggests pairing the two on one itinerary rather than choosing between them.
What makes Madikwe different from the Kruger?
"What makes Madikwe so special is that it's really different from the Kruger. It's a place of extremes. It's on this transition zone between the Kalahari and the savannah, and that lends itself to being really unique.
In the dry season it's an arid Kalahari environment, which invites the species that would normally exist in that environment into your game viewing. We have brown hyena, spotted hyena and aardwolf as well. There's not just one of the three, there are great populations of all of them.
Then come the rains, and literally within a few weeks it transforms from this desert-looking environment into a beautiful, green, lush game park. It's a completely different environment to the Kruger, and that's why it pairs so nicely on an itinerary. It's a unique game reserve in a unique spot.
Our birdlife is another great example, because we're on a migratory path. You get 380 species of birds that come through here during the summertime. So it's not only good for a diverse array of buck and hyenas and all the species that exist in these biomes. The birdlife that comes through here is just phenomenal."
Emery Hassall, Chief Operating Officer, Madikwe Safari Lodge. Lightly edited for length and clarity.
Good to know
- Madikwe is a malaria-free Big Five reserve, which is why families and short-break travellers ask about it so often.
- Brown hyena and aardwolf are mostly nocturnal, so the drive back to the lodge after dark is your best chance of seeing them.
- If you're choosing between the two, think of it this way. The Kruger gives you classic Lowveld bush. Madikwe gives you red sand, big skies and a different set of animals. With the time, do both.
About Emery
Emery is Chief Operating Officer at Madikwe Safari Lodge, which has three camps and a private villa on a ridge in Madikwe Game Reserve. He trained as an electrical engineer before moving to the bush.
Questions people ask
What makes Madikwe different from the Kruger?
Madikwe sits on the transition zone between the Kalahari and the savannah. In the dry season it is arid and desert-like, which brings Kalahari species such as brown hyena and aardwolf into game viewing. After the rains it turns green within weeks. Emery Hassall of Madikwe Safari Lodge says that difference is why Madikwe pairs well with the Kruger on one itinerary.
Should I choose Madikwe or the Kruger?
They suit different trips, so you don't always have to choose. The Kruger offers classic Lowveld bush. Madikwe is a malaria-free Big Five reserve with a Kalahari character and a different mix of species. If you have the time, combining the two gives you two very different safari environments in one trip.
Keep reading
- Madikwe Safari Lodge: our review
- Malaria-free safaris in South Africa
- The best luxury malaria-free safaris near Johannesburg
- Sabi Sand or Kruger
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