Motswiri

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Pricing

pp/night sharing

normal price: R9 180 (save: 45%)

within 14 days of travel

1 Jan - 15 Dec '26

R 5090

2 Night minimum stay

Includes:

Luxury accommodation
All meals daily
Two game drives per day
Welcome drinks
Teas & coffees at meals
Road transfers from the Madikwe Airstrip to Lodge
Tourism Levy

NOTE: Rates apply only to SA residents

Our Verdict

With just 5 spacious rooms this little gem is one of the smallest lodges in the Madikwe reserve - guests rave about the very friendly and personal service.

Lodge Gallery

Our Ratings

8.1

Overall

8.0

Luxury & Style

7.0

Setting

8.5

Game Viewing

8.0

Romance

Our Ratings

8.1

Overall

8.0

Luxury & Style

7.0

Setting

8.5

Game Viewing

8.0

Romance

What's Hot

With just 5 rooms this is one of those really personal and intimate lodges where you’ll soon recognise all of the staff and be chatting up a storm with fellow guests in no time at all
Consistently excellent rave reviews for Motswiri’s food and friendly service from guests!
Motswiri is a lodge where families and children are welcome – in fact you can book the whole lodge for total exclusivity! The self-catering villa with its 3 double bedrooms is a perfect option if you’re happy to look after your own food needs
We like the understated but attractive traditional style of the lodge which is hugely restful and will appeal to fans of more old fashioned bush camps
Consistently good game viewing is on offer in the Madikwe – just hold thumbs that you’ll be lucky enough to spot the wild dogs!

What's Not

Not as overtly luxurious or stylish as many of the latest lodges with their designer décor and contemporary architecture – but for many people the more traditional look and feel is exactly what will appeal!
Pity that the waterhole isn’t visible from all of the rooms – but then again relaxing with a drink whilst viewing the action from the main deck is a pretty attractive prospect too
No indoor shower means that using the outdoor shower can be pretty chilly during the winter months

the thatched lodge and the five private villas are built in and around a thicket of mature Leadwood trees and one of Motswiri’s signature design elements is that these trees have been cleverly incorporated into the rustic architecture of the lodge

Lodge Profile

With just 5 spacious rooms this little gem is one of the smallest lodges in the Madikwe reserve - guests rave about the very friendly and personal service.

Quick Overview

Location

Madikwe

Drive Time

4.5 hours from Johannesburg

Malaria

Setting

Overlooking a waterhole

Rooms

5 Villas

Aircon

Yes

Pool

Yes

Spa

In-room massage

Camp Fenced

Yes

Tracker

No - only ranger

Off Road

Yes

Child Policy

All ages

Motswiri is one of the smaller and more intimate of the lodges in Madikwe, the giant 75 000 hectare reserve located up on the border with Botswana. It has just 5 rooms which are perfect for couples (there's also a 3 bedroom villa which will suit a small group of family or friends). The thatched lodge and the five private villas are built in and around a thicket of mature Leadwood trees and one of Motswiri’s signature design elements is that these trees have been cleverly incorporated into the rustic architecture of the lodge – it’s very appropriate then that “Motswiri” is actually the Tswana name for these rare and protected Leadwood trees!

The lodge is home to nice views of the Madikwe, with a very active waterhole in front of the lodge which is also visible from some (but not all) of the rooms. This is very much a traditionally styled game lodge without the contemporary design flourishes that you see in some of the latest lodges – and frankly that’s no bad thing as Motswiri is all about creating a relaxing environment rather than trying to impress on a superficial level. There’s a feeling of pure tranquillity given off by the surrounding mature Leadwood trees, whilst the villas themselves are homely and comfortable whilst offering you complete privacy.

The interiors of the villas are extremely spacious with screeded cement floors and a restful colour palette. All of the villas boast air-conditioning and ceiling fans ideal for those scorching summer days, as well as gas fireplaces for winter whilst the en-suite bathrooms lead out onto an outdoor shower – there's nothing better for us than being able to shower in the great outdoors! (although in winter it can be chilly and you may prefer to soak in your villa’s massive tub!) Perhaps the place where you’ll end up spending the most time however is your private wrap around wooden viewing deck and we love the way that the villa’s retractable doors and windows open up the whole space and seem to invite nature indoors.

The main lodge area is similarly welcoming and attractive – it offers indoor and outdoor lounges perfect for relaxing with a book and taking some much needed time out! What we particularly like is the way that the tree trunks and branches have been incorporated into the structure of the thatched roof. The other unusual element that really works is the rich red colour of the walls in the lounge area which seems to add to the warmth and cosiness of the space. Outside there's also a rim flow pool on the wrap-around deck which is perfect to cool off in during those hot summer days. And as mentioned previously it all overlooks a waterhole that is especially active in the winter months when the surrounding bush starts to dry out – there’s nothing better than sitting curled up under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and seeing the ellies drink and cavort in the waterhole!

Delicious outdoor meals are served around a blazing camp fire in the boma where you can have a drink with the ranger and be fussed over by the friendly staff. One thing to note is that Motswiri is a family friendly lodge happy to accept your kiddies of all ages – in fact on arrival the little ones will receive an activity pack with an assortment of puzzles, mazes, activities and colouring pencils! If the outdoors is what they're looking for, they can enjoy bush walks where the ranger will take them in the enclosed area of the camp, as well as enjoying a “kiddies bumble” game drive! (avoiding any potentially dangerous game sightings and keeping it fairly short to match those similarly brief attention spans!)

Adults too will no doubt be very happy with the game viewing experience at Motswiri - Madikwe boasts a diverse range of fauna and flora and you can look forward to seeing at least 4 of the Big Five (those pesky leopards can be elusive as ever!) but perhaps the most exciting sighting of all is the packs of wild dog that the Madikwe reserve has become so famous for! Early morning and late afternoon game drives in open game vehicles or bush walks (for those more adventurous souls!) are your chance to learn all manner of interesting bush titbits from your professional ranger!

Pricing

pp/night sharing

More Information

Booking Notes

Minimum stay 2 nights
Gate fees to be paid directly at the lodge - R 180 per adult per stay & R 80 per child, (under 12 years), per stay
If guests fly into the Madikwe, the park entrance fee would be charged directly at the lodge - R 240 per visitor per stay
A Madikwe Guest Conservation Contribution Fee of R150 per adult per night & R75 per child per night applies. The fees are subject to change and are to be settled at the lodge direct
Subject to availability

Child Policy

Under 4 years & younger will stay free of charge
Children 5 - 14 years will pay 50% of the rate when sharing with 2 adults
Children 6 years and older are permitted on drives at the discretion of the game ranger
Please note children under the age of 6 years will not be permitted on game drive

Useful Links

Lodge Website

Visit the official lodge site.

Trip Advisor

Read guest reviews for this lodge.

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Motswiri

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Pricing

within 14 days of travel

1 Jan - 15 Dec '26

Our Verdict

Our Ratings

Our Ratings

What's Hot

What's Not

Lodge Profile

Quick Overview

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