JANE SLADE discovers a luxurious game lodge in a South African malaria-free game reserve
The airstrip appeared like a finger of clay in the 500 square miles of dense bush. As our tiny plane came down to land, a convoy of khaki land cruisers appeared from nowhere.
Shai (pronounced Shy) was our ranger/driver and Lazarus our tracker who sat in a dangerously vulnerable seat protruding over the bonnet of the vehicle. But what a team.
Within five minutes of us loading up our bags they had spotted a pair of sleeping lions by the roadside. Our first game drive had begun.
We were staying at the exclusive Mateya Safari Lodge which accommodates just 10 guests in individual lodges slap-bang in the middle of the mixed bush veld of the spectacular South African Madikwe Game Reserve which borders Botswana.
Madikwe is home to what safari aficionados call the big seven: cheetah, lion, buffalo, rhino, elephant, leopard and wild dog (recent reintroductions include six cheetahs and two packs of wild dogs).
But as any experienced game hand will tell you – seeing any creature in the wild is one of the most exciting things on earth, whether it is a giraffe batting its long lashes at you over the treetops or a butterfly hovering over a hibiscus.
Stopping for sundowners to watching elephants bathe
We managed two games drives a day over our three-night stay. The first started at 6am so we could catch the animals waking up before the heat of the day when the bush sleeps until dusk.
And the second in the evening at about 5pm. This is when we would stop for sundowners to watch elephants bathe in a watering hole, or a leopard dangling its limbs from a lofty tree, after heaving its kill onto a nearby branch.
I particularly loved our sunrise drives. Wrapped in blankets to keep off the chill we rumbled along clay tracks, through feathery grass freshly sprinkled with silvery dew.
There is something to see on every level of landscape when the bush arises.
From the trees overhead, birds would emerge from their nests – such as the magnificent secretary bird with quill-like plumes, the brilliantly colourful lilac-breasted roller, Egyptian goose, hornbills, plovers, starlings, rollers, francolins, and weavers which build amazing pod-like nests.
There are 279 different species of bird in the park – compared to some 350 in whole of UK.
Hungry lions on the prowl
On the ground flocks of guinea fowl would scamper looking for shade and dung beetles roll their nutritious finds past giant termite mounds, while delicate tented spiders’ webs lay like dewy shrouds on the ground.
We spotted hungry lions on the prowl, elephant tearing down trees, a pair of hippos bathing and a couple of jackals playing in the middle of the track.
We even enjoyed a guided walk where Shai pointed out fresh rhino tracks, small plants and snakes which were not easily visible from the truck.
The best times of the year for viewing game are between September and April because the heat is less intense. But there is something to see all year round.
Summer is best for birds and flowers; and December and January for avoiding bugs and mosquitoes.
The great advantage with Madikwe is that it is malaria free, unlike the better known and larger 2.2million hectare Kruger National Park, making it better suited to older travelers.
There are over 20 lodges to choose from, catering to all budgets from basic family accommodation to five star luxury but the flagship is the Mateya Lodge which has three times the budget for food than most lodges, and 30 staff and three land cruisers for 10 guests.
Mateya, which is open all year round, was built by Susan Mathis, the widow of an American business park tycoon, as a multi-million pound haven for herself and her friends.
But she decided five years ago to open it up to paying guests.
Five spacious self-contained thatch and wood suites blend in with the natural landscape and come with private pools, outdoor showers, massive bathrooms and big four poster beds with magnificent views of the surrounding bush and local wildlife.
Six course dinners served under a star-studded sky
All meals and most wines are included (the cellar has an impressive stock of 8,000 vintages from all over the world).
Six course dinners are served either round a big dining table with lofty candelabra, or outside on a circular promontory beneath the canopy of a huge star-studded sky – sometimes to the sound of gospel singing from the staff. Honeymooners can dine privately in the cosy wine cellar.
There is also a huge outside terrace where you can breakfast alfresco overlooking browsing zebra and wildebeest.
There is also an air-conditioned gym and spa where you can while away the hot afternoons if you are not ensconced with a book in the wood-panelled library, or enjoying a dunk in your private pool.
Bronzes dating back to 16th century
Sophisticated, private and exclusive are bywords here – rather than showbiz glitz.
Guests are surrounded by the most phenomenal collection of African art which Susan has collected over the years with some bronzes dating back to the 16th century.
Beaded figures from Cameroon, calabashes from the upper Volta, ornate collars from Nigeria, ceremonial urns, antique Ethiopian bibles, ancient trophies are peppered around the suites and main lodge.
My advice to safari novices is to come expecting to see nothing. Just enjoy the experience of being in a wild space where anything can happen, whether you choose to stay in the most luxurious lodge on earth or most basic.
Those seeking a ‘seriously wild’ experience will have to go to the Congo or Zaire and take their chances with tsetse flies, malaria, and war-mongering natives.
At Madikwe you can see nature in the wild without fear of being murdered by the locals!
UK tour operators offering trips to Mateya Safari Lodge and other lodges in the Madikwe Game Reserve (reached by a one-hour flight in an 8-12 seater plane from Johannesburg airport) include:
African Pride www.africanpride.co.uk, Africa Travel www.africatravel.co.uk, Bailey Robinson www.baileyrobinson.com, Red Savannah www.redsavannah.com, Jacada Travel www.jacadatravel.com,
For more information on Mateya Safari Lodge which charges ZAR 14,550 (£800) per person per night which includes all game drives and meals visit: www.mateyasafari.com
