Madikwe Game Reserve

Madikwe Game Reserve is one of South Africa's best-kept safari secrets and a leading malaria-free Big Five destination. This 75,000-hectare reserve on the Botswana border was the subject of one of the most ambitious wildlife translocation projects in history — Operation Phoenix — which relocated over 10,000 animals to establish a viable ecosystem in the 1990s.

Today Madikwe supports healthy populations of all the Big Five, plus one of South Africa's most successful wild dog packs. The reserve's malaria-free status and proximity to Johannesburg make it an exceptional choice for families with young children. A handful of upmarket lodges, several with dedicated children's programmes, offer twice-daily game drives in an exclusive setting where you'll rarely see another vehicle.