Jaci's Safari Lodges

A pair of award-winning lodges in the heart of the Madikwe Reserve, imbued with the spirit of their colourful and innovative creators, Jaci and Jan

Jaci and Jan were trail-blazers in Madikwe. They opened the very first lodge in the park, before moving on to create their Safari and Tree Lodges, which are hidden away in thick Kalahari bushveld on the banks of the Marico river. They still live here and it was seeing their kids growing up in the bush that inspired the child-friendly ethos of their twin camps. Kids aren’t merely tolerated here, but celebrated.

The thatched lodges and guest rooms are linked by sandy pathways and raised walkways that cut through the dense veld, beneath chattering monkeys and teeming birdlife. Jaci took charge of decoration, choosing a funky Afro-Asian mix of vibrant colours and jazzy sculptures, whilst Jan, with years of experience at the helm of one of the country’s top restaurants, oversaw the creation of 2 superb bush restaurants. Their staff and rangers are amongst the best in South Africa. During your stay at Jaci’s, whether on your honeymoon, or with or without kids, you are guaranteed superb game viewing and guiding. The lodges fully deserve their many ‘Best in South Africa’ awards.

Highs

• Gorgeous, romantic accommodation, with wonderful outdoor showers both in the Tree Lodge’s stilted houses and the Safari Lodge’s glass-fronted rooms
• Some of the country’s top game rangers, whose knowledge and enthusiasm make the bush come alive
• The gourmet bush cooking - fantastic safari cuisine
• Amazing game viewing, with no risk of malaria, in Madikwe’s 75,000 hectares of bushveld
• Child-friendly, with all kinds of activities, including Jaci’s famous bush ‘bumbles’, invented with kids in mind
• Pools in both lodges; the Nare and Safari Suites have their own pools

Lows

• The rooms at the Safari Lodge are quite close to each other: the stilted houses of the Tree Lodge feel more secluded
• You have a section of bumpy, stony track to negotiate before arriving at the lodges, but you can manage it without a 4x4
• The juke box at the Safari Lodge slightly detracts from the whole ‘bush’ experience
• Difficult to insect-proof your room, but your bed is covered by mosquito netting