Last Word Madikwe trip report

We arrived at Last Word Madikwe around 11.45am and were warmly welcomed by Jon at the gate, then Caitlin, Jaco, Tataum, and our guide Damian.

We also met some lovely guests - Lev and Ylana from Russia but now living in Australia, Craig and Margaret from South Africa, who were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, and Lynda and her friend Kristin from the USA.

Caitlin was telling us that we had just missed a cheetah at the waterhole that morning! She showed us her video where the cheetah came to drink and an impala came strolling past – the cheetah chased the impala into the lodge fence and dragged it under a bush where it ate until it was full. The cheetah had another drink and wandered off – that’s when we arrived!

We were shown to our most comfortable room

Our bedroom

Our bathroom

After unpacking we were deciding if we should relax with a book or go to the hide in case the cheetah returned when a pack of wild dogs arrived at the lodge waterhole – decision made!

Wild dogs and zebras at the lodge waterhole

The dog was most interested in me!

The hide faces north so the lighting is not great, especially at midday, hence we spot-metered and then converted the images to black & white.

We sat with the dogs at the hide until they left and then we had lunch, which was a lovely spinach phyllo quiche with a couscous salad, beef kebabs, green salad and to finish it off with a mini milk tart. We had rock shandy to keep us cool.

What a start to our 3-day stay at Last Word Madikwe!

This was a momentous day as it was our 4th visit to the lodge hoping to photograph predators from the hide. On our first 3 visits (9 nights in total) we didn't see one predator at the waterhole - with this trip the timing was perfect as the park was very dry and surrounding pans had dried up, forcing the animals to come to the lodge waterhole. 

Last Word Madikwe trip report: game drive #1

Mario stayed behind to photograph at the hide while I went on the afternoon game drive with Kristin and Lynda.

We got to see 4 lionesses with their two cubs, 2 brown hyenas, spotted hyenas, a very brief sighting of a black rhino, elephant, and the normal plains game.

The best images were of the lions...

and the black rhino...

Last Word Madikwe Hide: afternoon

Mario got the wild dogs again at the waterhole! Plus elephant, a large herd of buffalo and some rhinos.

Dinner was mushroom risotto balls in a tomato sauce/ stuffed chicken breast with veg and a lovely cheesecake with berry sauce.

Last Word Madikwe trip report: game drive #2

The game drive started at 5.45am and we bumped into the same lions we saw the night before, the three sisters were walking and calling their other sister and her cub.

This pride has the oldest lion in Madikwe, estimated to be 19 years old.

We also saw spotted hyenas, red hartebeest, and the normal plains game.

Last Word Madikwe Hide: morning

Mario had buffalo, elephant, impala, zebras and the wild dogs again at the hide waterhole!

Wild dogs don't usually stay so long in an area unless it's a den area. These dogs stuck around the lodge as one of them was injured.

For breakfast we had delicious fruit salad, yoghurt, pastries, toast, cheese and biscuits, cold meat and there was a choice – I had eggs benedict with salmon, Mario had the scrambled egg croissant with salmon.

Lunch was a lovely arrangement of chicken wraps/ lamb mince rolled in phyllo pastry/ salad and a lemon meringue pie. To drink we had a rock shandy.

During the day we rested between meals and drives. We loved photographing from the hide, which is Madikwe's original underground hide, in order to get unusual low-angle shots... 

And our timing during a very dry period allowed us to capture many different species together at the waterhole

In addition to the hide, we also enjoyed sitting on the lawn watching the waterhole and getting different angle shots.

Jenny enjoying a cappuccino while watching elephants at the Last Word Madikwe lodge waterhole

Sofa safari at its best!

The lodge GM has a pet cat that chases and fetches sticks...

Apollo the pet cat at the lodge

And they have a pet Alsatian called Zeus that would entertain us by chasing down sticks and balls and jumping into the water feature...

Zeus the pet dog at the lodge

We are joking about the pet cat in case you were wondering! The lion with stick was photographed on one of the game drives. 

Last Word Madikwe trip report: game drive #3

Mario came with on this game drive and we went to Nkwe pan and saw elephant and one of the two Roan antelope pop down for a drink. Madikwe doesn't have roan antelope - two escaped from a neighbouring farm and the owners said it would be too expensive to get them back!

We also had some elephants and a rhino having a mud bath at the pan

Then we had the most incredible sundowner gin stop, with delicous eats, the setting sun in the background while a herd of buffalo walked by.

Click for larger image

Then as we got to the lodge gate the pack of wild dogs (that had been around the waterhole for a few days due to the one that was badly injured) killed an impala just meters from the gate. 

There was also a mating pair of dogs that made such a noise because the female did not want to mate but wanted to eat and the male would not leave her alone! 

You can see which two they are in the photo below...!

The lights from other vehicles provided some nice back light on the dogs...

The noise attracted the attention of the spotted hyenas who raced in and took what was left of the kill. There must have been about 20 hyenas. 

What an end to a slow start!

Dinner was asparagus, beetroot and goats cheese tart, grilled salmon with mash potato and courgettes and to finish it off with a crème caramel.

Last Word Madikwe trip report: game drive #4

On the drive we saw spotted hyenas, elephant, a quick glimpse of a leopard which I spotted before it disappeared into the bush, 

and a lovely coffee stop at the amphitheatre... 

where we saw the brown hyena lying on a rock next to its den.

Then a hearty breakfast...

Lunch was salmon rolls while watching elephant, gnus, baboons, kudu and warthog coming to drink at the waterhole.

Last Word Madikwe trip report: game drive #5

The afternoon drive was uneventful as we were trying to find a cheetah. That's usually what happens when you chase after a subject but one of the guests wanted to see a cheetah, which we didn't find. 

And that's why we say you need to stay for at least 3 nights, to allow for these slow days.

Dinner was steak with mushroom sauce with veggies and a granadilla pannacotta…one of the best I’ve tasted!

Last Word Madikwe trip report: game drive #6

Mario stayed behind on our last morning to photograph from the hide. 

Ylena and I went on the drive leaving the two men behind.

We saw the two new male lions that had just been released from the boma and they both posed nicely for us in perfect lighting.

Then we spotted the 4 lionesses and the two cubs who had at last made a kill. They were busy eating a wildebeest.

Last Word Madikwe Hide: last morning

Mario photographed many animals coming down to drink; giraffe, warthog, baboons, wildebeest, elephants, spotted hyenas and jackals.

We enjoyed our last breakfast and then it was time to leave. 

Thank you, Last Word Madikwe, for 3 wonderful days in such a perfect location, with an amazing waterhole and hide at our disposal combined with superb food and service!

For more information on Last Word Madikwe or to book your stay, visit their website  or their Booking.com page.

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