Experience the wonder of South Africa’s iconic wildlife at Last Word Madikwe, a luxurious safari lodge set just steps from a watering hole teeming with an impressive array of wildlife such as elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and white and black rhinoceroses. Other highlights of this stunning destination include:
For wildlife lovers, photographers, adventurers, and anyone seeking an immersive safari experience, Last Word Madikwe offers the thrill and excitement of a spectacular location within a thriving game reserve paired with contemporary amenities, warm hospitality, and thoughtful luxuries of a world-class hotel.
With just six Classic Suites throughout the entirety of Last Word Madikwe, guests are treated to truly personalized service and experience while enjoying spacious accommodations designed to provide the ultimate comfort, privacy, and connection to the surrounding South African landscape.
Private outdoor areas open into spaces filled with elegant, contemporary furniture and accented by African-inspired details and modern luxuries like air conditioning, heating, and multiple charging points. Baths feature separate showers and large tubs.
From breakfast to lunch and magical boma dinners served under the stars, Last Word Madikwe's food and cuisine are a central part of the safari experience and serve as a community gathering point and celebration of the senses.
At Last Word Madikwe, all the activities of a traditional safari lodge experience are available alongside experiences found in a traditional hotel.
Wildlife watching - whether from the comfort of a seating area just meters from the nearby watering hole, within the underground photography and viewing blind or on a game drive with expert guides - is the main attraction at the lodge. Spy the best of South Africa’s big game such as elephants and rhinoceroses, enjoy unparalleled bird watching, and meander along a safe and fenced nature trail for an intimate walk in the wild. Within the lodge, guests are invited to relax in serene and tranquil gardens, take a refreshing dip in the swimming pool, work out at the gym, and more.
Last Word Madikwe is located in the far west of the North West province of South Africa in the heart of Madikwe Game Reserve. Access is available via the Wonderboom gate, an easy three-hour drive on good roads from the South African capital of Johannesburg.
Address
Madikwe Game Reserve, Madikwe, South Africa
Transportation
The lodge is accessible by road in any type of vehicle and by air at the nearby Medikwe Western Airstrip.
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Sun Feb 16 2025 10:05:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Michelle R
We have just come back from a 4 night stay at The Last Word Madikwe . We were truly spoilt by all staff members, excellent location, watering hole where we saw elephant, rhino, zebra and Buffalo come to drink. The hide is something unique as you get to see these animals so close up. Thank you to the kitchen team,and Roxanne and Keto for excellent dining experience with a special surprise on Valentines day. We stayed in the villa for the first 3 nights which is so beautifully decorated with all amenities. Our last night was spent in the lodge. The only negative about the whole place is that the bathrooms need an upgrade and the rooms perhaps a soft refurb in the lodge. Thank you to our wonderful gameranger, Damian, who went above and beyond to ensure we had the best game viewings on our rides. Thank you to Jodi, Liz and the rest of the team for truly making this an unforgettable stay.
Tue Oct 22 2024 06:24:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by sarahevans12
We absolutely loved our stay at Last Word, Madikwe. The staff were all friendly, professional, knowledgeable and patient (we had 5 children in our group aged between 3-9). Jodi, Roxan, Max & John looked after all our needs in the lodge and were always discretely on hand. All our meals were delicious, a full section of cold and hot breakfasts, varied and tasty lunches and some very special dinners, especially the bbq overlooking the watering hole. Thank you to the chef! The lodge was spotless at all times, thank you to the cleaning staff too. The children were well looked after with child friendly food, a playroom, swimming pool and plenty of space to play and run around. They enjoyed meeting Steve the resident snake! They were experiencing nature in a way that is so rare nowadays and they were in their element. We all really enjoyed the nature trails we could navigate on our own (within the grounds of the lodge). We cannot fault the game drives - Nick & Damian were brilliant. They shared such interesting information with us about the history of the reserve and the animals. We saw an incredible variety of animals including rhinos, a lion kill, cheetah and two leopards! We spent such special time watching the elephants, giraffe, baboons, lion and zebra go about their day to day lives, it was truly memorable. The trucks were very comfy and we really enjoyed the stops for a breakfast snack and sundowners. The lodge is beautiful, decorated in such style and comfort. There were so many places to relax and watch the animals only a stone’s throw away in the watering hole right next to the lodge. We were blown away every day going into the hide where we could watch the animals even closer. It is nothing like any other safari we have ever experienced. We left Last Word so incredibly grateful for such a wonderful few days. Thank you to everyone who made it such a special holiday for our family.
Mon Oct 21 2024 05:12:02 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Sara E
My family and I stayed at a stunning new private villa. While we loved everything about the lodge, the highlight for us was the underground hide, which overlooks an ancient waterhole that attracts abundant wildlife throughout the day. We had some incredible sightings there. See my detailed review on the blog—link in profile.
Fri Oct 11 2024 07:03:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by A295WJshelleyc
We recently stayed at the BEAUTIFUL private villa with our daughters of 9 and 3. The whole family loved every minute of this holiday. Sam, our guide, was excellent! The villa is exquisitely decorated, and chilling by the pool only meters away from a watering hole which always has game at it was unforgettable. We will definitely be back!
Sun Jul 14 2024 11:45:41 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Margaret K
We have just returned from a fabulous stay at The Last Word Madikwe - a treat to celebrate our anniversary. Thank you Jodi and team …many special touches to make our stay memorable. The position of the lodge in front of the waterhole is spectacular, there is a constant stream of wildlife coming and going. Cold in winter, so come well prepared…the hot water bottles on the morning game drive were really great, but 2 or 4 layers of clothing still needed. Wildlife sightings were incredible and a special shout out to Sam, who was the most superb, knowledgeable, guide. Lodge staff were very pleasant and attentive, the food great, accommodation excellent and position of lodge spectacular. Well worth a visit. Thank-you to the team.