It has been several years since we were in Madikwe Private Game reserve, hence we followed instructions and took the ‘recommended’ route via Koster to Zeerust and then on to Tau Gate which is on the Derdepoort Road.
That turned out NOT to be such a good idea, as the condition of that road left much to be desired. More potholes than actual road surface and that made for some very careful navigation around these obstacles.
FYI, we returned home on the N4 via Rustenberg and Haarties and that is only 6 minutes longer and an extra toll of R26,50 but the road is in excellent condition and is a much better option.
Please stick to the speed limits, especially when coming into Zeerust as there were several manned camera traps in operation.
The toll at the Zeerust Toll Plaza is no longer R67,00 as stated in the reservation email I received but is currently (at time of our visit) R91.00.
A friendly greeting by the staff on our arrival made up for the the speed traps and the potholes.
This is our 4th visit to Tau, with the most recent visit being 5 years ago at roughly the same time of year.
Madikwe Private Game Reserve is very special for me and Tau rates in my Top 5 Game lodges in South Africa. It should come as no surprise to those who know me that 3 of my Top 5 lodges are in Madikwe!
The drink (non-alcoholic) was most welcome and the glass was drained before we had even done the ubiquitous paper work that every lodge insists on completing, just in case you get eaten by something that has teeth and claws.
BTW, many of the staff have been here for years and that speaks to the quality of management and the owners. The two that we interacted with the most were Poppy and Rosetta, who were both an absolute joy. FYI, I tried the line from the Beatles song with Rosetta and she completed it before I could. So much for me trying to be original.
The entire public area, including the reception, is under canvas and arriving guests can walk from their vehicles through reception, via the dining area and bar to the deck overlooking the best waterhole of any that I have ever visited at a lodge.
In my opinion, canvas allows guests to feel that they are part of a previous era when large tents were erected while on safari, rather than being constructed as fixed brick and mortar structures.
Guests almost don’t need to leave camp to enjoy a sighting like this. Why should you head out, when many of the species found in Madikwe are prepared to frequent this spectacular water hole.
We saw more elephants in the time that we spent in camp than we saw while out on the various game drives.
Eventually we made it to our accommodation although we did not spend much time there during our stay.
Some of the standard rooms were recently renovated and while we were there, the interior decorators were updating the soft furnishings in the reception area. GM Ben and his team seem to be intent on making the good great and the great excellent at Tau.
Much to the chagrin of out guide Arthur, I decided to skip an early morning drive to sleep in and wait for the sun to slowly light up the waterhole.
So much for sleeping in and I was up before 06h00 anyway and able to capture this emotive scene instead of freezing on the vehicle. I have to clarify that there were more than enough blankets to keep guests warm on the vehicle, but I choose to wear shorts, even in winter and hence my reference to ‘freezing’ was through no fault of the lodge, but it was my own need to prove that even at 70, I can wear shorts on a morning drive. That being said, I have now invested in a pair of tracksuit pants that I will road test on my next winter morning game drive.
This was shot from the private deck outside of our accommodation, after which I was able to hop into a hot shower before heading off to see what the rest of the morning would bring.
The African Spoonbills and the Yellow-Billed Storks were constantly looking for a meal and this duo was revealed once it was light enough to identify the water birds in and around the waterhole.
Just one of many elephants that came to slake their thirst in front of the camp.
Although the Lodge is called Tau, meaning lion, it should be re-named Tlou, which means elephant in Tswana as we certainly saw more of the latter than we did of the former.
There is something very cute about a small elephant.
When I was a child I remember having a very vivid dream of getting a baby elephant as a present. That in itself is not strange, but the fact that it was given to me wrapped in tin foil was.
In the midst of a head shake to get rid of the flies that were bothering this young lioness.
She together with two older females and a young male had brought down a small giraffe which was lying, partially eaten, not too far away.
In Tswana, Tau (Lion) symbolizes strength and pride. Tau was also the name of the last ruler of the Rolong in South Africa during the 18th century.
Every Motswana knows that tau means ‘lion’. But there is another Setswana name for ‘lion’ that many people are not aware of: ‘podumo’.
There are four Nile crocs currently in the waterhole and once again I almost stumbled onto this one.
Luckily for us both there was a fence that kept us apart.
I don’t know what this particular warthog had been rolling in, but every time I saw him I referred to him as a ‘ghost’ warthog.
This Yellow-billed Stork had caught breakfast but for some reason or another could not swallow it and eventually just let it go. It was dead by then and I hope that another species availed itself of a free meal.
Caught in the dying light near Tlou Dam, this Helmeted Guinea Fowl makes its way to the water before finding a place to roost for the night.
A sliver on a new moon shines dimly over the Madikwe plains. Almost time to head back to the lodge to see what is on the dinner menu.
Good night and sleep warm.
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