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Come get the dust of Africa on your feet ...
This is it. The real thing. A truly authentic bush camp and eco lodge situated in the heart of the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s top wildlife and game-viewing destinations.
Rustic and intimate, our unfenced camp – the only one of its kind in Madikwe – follows ecotourism principles and allows you and us to tread softly and responsibly in the African bush.
Managed by the North West Parks Board, together with lodge owners and local communities, Madikwe is a joint conservation venture that stimulates the local economy and benefits the people of the region. The park was founded in 1991, when the then Bophuthatswana Parks Board bought up a 750km2 area of cattle farms and launched Operation Phoenix, one of the largest game-relocation projects in history. More than 8 000 animals of 27 different species were brought back here, including rhino, lion, elephant and buffalo.
This is our Africa ... the smell of coffee and wood smoke as you wake in the morning to the dawn chorus of birds; the silence of the bushveld in the heat of the day as you sit under the shade of a wild fig tree ...
You’ll stay in one of only 10 raised wooden cabins set among the natural vegetation around a central dining room, camp fire and lapa area, where you’ll enjoy simple but delicious home-cooked meals. Oil lamps and safari showers ensure a genuine wilderness experience.
By day, expect thrilling game drives with our internationally award-winning local guides.
The Big Five are all here, plus hundreds of bird species. At night, you’ll fall asleep in your comfortable bed to the sounds of the African night – hyenas whooping, a lion roaring, the crack of a branch where a lone elephant is feeding, a nightjar calling.
This is our Africa ... the smell of coffee and wood smoke as you wake in the morning to the dawn chorus of birds; the silence of the bushveld in the heat of the day as you sit under the shade of a wild fig tree; watching the sun set over a waterhole as a breeding herd of elephants come to drink; the blackness of the night sky with stars more numerous and brighter than you’ve ever seen before.
The busy world seems far away. Come get the dust of Africa on your feet!
An area rich in history
I have seen the moon in other places besides the Marico. But it is not the same there. It does strange things to you, the Marico moon, and in your heart are wild and fragrant fancies, and your thoughts go very far away.
The Madikwe area is steeped in history and tradition. Historically, this is the land of acclaimed South African author Herman Charles Bosman, who wrote short stories filled with gentle satire and memorable characters from this part of the world, set in the early part of the 20th century.
You can easily visualise Bosman’s Oom Schalk Lourens sitting under a karee tree, contemplating the finer points of life or recovering from the alcoholic delights of its berries.
The famous old Mafikeng Road runs straight through the reserve – explorers, traders, hunters, missionaries and, of course, King Mzilikazi passed this way.
What is ecotourism?
The main principles of ecotourism are:
- Conservation of neighbouring lands
- Benefits to local communities
- Interpretation to both local populations and guests
At Mosetlha, we believe in upholding these principles. We also believe in leaving only a very light ecological footprint. The lodge is built of natural substances such as wood and local stone. If we were to leave, the bush would soon take over and in a few short years there would be no evidence of it.
The 10 eco lodge criteria:
- Helps conserve the surrounding flora and fauna
- Tries to work with the local community
- Offers educational interpretive programs to both its employees and tourists about the surrounding natural and cultural environments
- Uses alternative, sustainable means of water acquisition and reduces water consumption
- Provides for careful handling and disposal of solid waste and sewage
- Meets its energy needs through passive design and renewable energy resources
- Uses traditional building technology and materials wherever possible and combines these with their modern counterparts
- During construction has minimal impact on the natural environment
- Blends with local physical and cultural environment through careful attention to form, landscaping and colour, as well as the use of local traditional architecture
- Contributes to sustainable local community development through education programs and research
Safaris
Check-in time at the gate is 12.30pm and one of our guides will meet you and bring you to the camp to start your Mosetlha experience!
The lodge
Mosetlha is family owned and run. It is a rustic, unfenced bush camp, located right in the heart of the magnificent Madikwe Game Reserve.
Meet the team
The team at Mosetlha is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Once we welcome you to the Mosetlha family, you’ll be one of us! Over 60% of our visitors are return guests.
