Your Morning Game Drive at Rhulani Safari Lodge starts with a Wake-Up call around 5am in summer (6am in winter). Enjoy some snacks and coffee/tea at the lodge before heading out. Hop onto your seat and enjoy the ride –an amazing sunrise over Madikwe is waiting for you – as well as fascinating wildlife, interesting facts about animals and plants as well as snacks and coffee/tea in the bush.

Rhulani’s Rangers Riaan, Sean and Alasdair will take you on an exciting and fun adventure in the South African Bush in Madikwe Game Reserve. Explore this malaria-free reserve (Big Five) on your morning game drive – which takes about 3,5 hours (depending on sightings).

Enjoy the fresh morning air and get ready for a safari in Madikwe. Make yourself comfortable, get your cameras and binoculars out – and if needed – cover yourself up in a cozy blanket. 

You can see a lot of beautiful birds along the way – for example one of the most colourful birds on earth – the Lilac-breasted Roller – shimmering in hues of purple, aquamarine, green and yellow. We also spot a Guinea Fowl on a tree – sitting right next to a Laughing Dove. A Kori Bustard, the largest flying bird in the world, also crosses our way.

There are loads of Zebras posing for us as well as other Antilope species, such as Impala. We then stop for a short snack and coffee/tea in the Madikwe bush, have a chat and enjoy the surroundings.

After our coffee break we drive to a water-filled pan – an absolute gold-mine for any Wildlife Lover. We find drinking Giraffes – everyone is taking photos or shooting videos. We don’t even know what to photograph first – as there is a huge line-up at the waterhole: The Giraffes are also joined by Rhinos, Zebras, Gnus and a group of Elephants.

We also spot a Lion Couple and Lion cubs – at first, they are all lazing around a little and recovering from the excitement of life in the Madikwe bush at night. Later on, they take a lesiurely stroll – right in front of us.

I had a long list of wildlife I would love to see on safari in Madikwe – from a drinking Giraffe, Dung Beetles, Elephants at a waterhole and Baby Animals to Zebras and Gnus or Rhinos. I could tick almost all of them off the list. There is of course more wildlife I would love to see, for example, Cheetahs – or the elusive Leopard.

Let’s see if we are lucky enough to find (and hear) a roaring Lion in the spotlight during one of our evening game drives at Rhulani Safari Lodge.

Photography / Content: Dagmar Roscher