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Game viewing par excellence
Mafikeng Private Game Reserve, North West
A white rhino and calf in the Mafikeng Game Reserve.
© MediaCare cc
Did you know?
The Mafikeng Game Reserve pioneered electronic tagging in an effort to stop rhinos being poached for their horns.
The Mafikeng Game Reserve is a popular recreational reserve that is home to approximately 2 000 head of plains game.
The landscape of this private game reserve comprises a mix of Kalahari thornveld, Acacia bushveld and scrub, and is typically flat and dry.
Game viewing in this North West game reserve is exceptionally easy when visitors follow a self-drive loop through the park that takes no more than 2 hours at a gentle cruising speed. Wide, open plains and seasonal rainfall virtually guarantees animal sightings at the park’s man-made water points.
The Mafikeng Game Reserve is thus ideal for wildlife lovers with only a few hours to spare, or families with small children who cannot manage the many hours of patient spying for wildlife that other game reserves demand.
Numerous opportunities to spot all the principle species – including white rhino, buffalo, gemsbok, and giraffe – is a special feature of this private reserve that also boasts large populations of springbuck, zebra, kudu, red Hartebeest, black wildebeest, ostrich and warthog.
When the seasonal summer rains arrive, the Molopo River, dry for most of the year, begins to flow, attracting birds such as waxbills and finches, as well as waders and other bush species. Birding enthusiasts will want to keep an eye out for the park’s breeding pairs of secretary birds and Cape, lappet-faced and white-back vultures.
An important breeding centre in the region, the Mafikeng Game Reserve has programmes to conserve the white rhino and the Cape buffalo. An absence of predators means that antelope populations rise quickly, so the park is also involved in game capture and relocation to ensure a healthy and balanced eco-system.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
How to get here
Drive into Mafikeng on the R503 (Lichtenburg Road). Cross over the bridge and turn right into Shippard Street. Travel east for 2km and turn right into Jacaranda Street (immediately after the sports ground). The entrance to the Mafikeng Game Reserve is through the main gate off Jacaranda Street.
Around the area
Mafikeng, the closest town to the reserve, has a wealth of Anglo-Boer War sites to visit, including the Mafikeng Museum that chronicles the infamous siege of Mafikeng.
Other natural attractions in the area include the Barberspan, Disaneng, Modimola, and Lotlamoreng dams for bird watching; the Botsanelo Game Reserve; and Wondergat, a large natural sinkhole suitable for inland scuba diving.
Get around
You’ll need your own car or the services of a tour operator to drive around the game reserve.
Length of stay
Less than half a day unless you plan to picnic. The principal circuit through the reserve takes only 2 hours to drive.
What to pack
Binoculars for game viewing. Sunscreen, a hat and insect repellent are recommended, especially if you’ll be picnicking. Pack warm clothes for early morning game dives in winter – Mafikeng can be surprisingly chilly.
Where to stay
A self-catering guesthouse, bush camps, and a new-tented camp (due to open in April 2011) are available for hire in the reserve.
What to eat
There is no shop or restaurant in the reserve. All visitors should bring their own food and drink.