All Madikwe visitors must pay a "Conservation Levy" for each day of their stay. Why is this additional fee necessary and what is the money used for?

All guests pay the Conservation Levy either together with the booking (prepayment), or if not, the fee will be charged on the final invoice and payed at check-out. The current levy is (values applicable from 1.1.2020):

• All visitors ZAR 165 per night
• Children under 12 years ZAR 82.50 per night
• Babies under 2 years ZAR 0

The money is invested more than just for a good cause. The money is urgently needed to secure wildlife in the Madikwe Game Reserves for future generations.

The rhino poaching threat in Madikwe has increased over the last six months to a point where the lodges in the reserve have agreed to raise a levy on all visitors to the park. The levy will primarily be used to boost the efforts of the Northwest Parks Board in their efforts to fight the poachers and to protect the park.

The proceeds of the levy will also be used to bolster the ability of Northwest Parks to manage the ecology of the park in a proactive and sustainable manner.

The Madikwe project has been an excellent example of how communities globally can reclaim land for conservation purposes while creating a viable tourism economy. Poaching is a serious threat to both the rhinos but also to jobs in the region. Visitors to the park, via the payment of this levy will be contributing significantly to the sustainability both of the flora and fauna, but also of the economy of the region.

More information regarding the Conservation Levy click here.