Time for a return visit to one of our favourite Madikwe lodges, Tau Game Lodge, situated on the far Northern border of the reserve.
As always (this was our 4th visit) we were welcomed with hugs and handshakes by the staff that remembered us…and more importantly, those that we remembered.
I had joked with the General Manager via a phone call before arriving that he had taken leave so that he did not have to talk to me while we were at the lodge. But it was all in good fun and I did miss not getting to see him. I will have to plan the next visit around HIS leave schedule!
There have been no major visible changes to the public spaces since our last visit a year ago.
But the adage, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, springs to mind.
The public space from the reception to the deck that overlooks one of the best lodge waterholes flows naturally and invites guests to meander through to see what might be at the waterhole to present them with their first ‘safari’ experience.
Some background history about the lodge and the reserve.
Madikwe, means “Africa in its majesty”, and those who have visited know just how apt that description is.
The lodge was built in 1995 and is the oldest of the lodges operating in this spectacular reserve.
Madikwe was desperate for rain during our visit, so these were unnecessary.
I hope the rains come quickly and in quantities that will help fill the various dams and waterholes. Not in one torrential downpour that will do more damage than good.
Another view of the reception area… The decor fits the safari theme of the lodge well and is an inviting sight for new and returning guests.
This is my favourite corner which is situated just inside the doorway to the dining area. I usually spend time here just sitting and watching the passing parade, but on this trip, it seemed to be the best spot for Wi-Fi reception and as such was commandeered by guests looking to keep in touch with the outside world. Or just doom scroll through social media, lest they miss out on what is happening in the outside world.
I go to the bush to disconnect as best as I can, but for some, their phone seems to be an addiction that they cannot let go of.
I do believe that we are the most connected, yet disconnected, generation.
It is a pity that some visitors do not even take time off their devices when out on a game drive.
Looking at things just a little differently. The light fittings in the dining area as seen from directly below.
Tau is one of the few lodges that can cater for large groups.
This table was being prepared for lunch for a party of 15. Led by an Ex South African living in the USA, they were fun to interact with EVERYONE of them wanted to share their sighting of the wild dog pack with me…
Not one showed me a single image, they just wanted to rub in the fact that they had seen the dogs. But is was done with a sense of fun and not malice, so we all got to laugh and joke about it.
Elephants at the waterhole and on the tables.
When we arrived, the wind was stirring up the dust on the open plain on the far side of the waterhole.
It could not have been pleasant for the animals, but it made for interesting images…
These two zebra were part of a larger herd that had come to slake their thirst in the blazing heat.
BTW, are you aware that the collective noun for zebra is a ‘dazzle’? Well, now you do!
A wildebeest and a waterbuck turn their backs to the wind.
Given the amount of elephants that frequent the waterhole, the lodge would be renamed Tlou(elephant) and not Tau (lion).
Just a thought…
Guests come to a game reserve for a minimum of three reasons.
Food, accommodation and game viewing. Possibly not in that specific order, but I would venture that those would be the overriding reasons for a visit.
And Tau certainly does not disappoint in any of those areas.
The lodge serves three meals a day as well as a high tea before departing for the afternoon game drive.
This chicken salad was lunch on the day that we arrived. Delicious, but having eaten here before I was making certain that I was going to pace myself…
I DID NOT ORDER THIS…my wife did and then insisted that we share it.
I had to agree for research purposes.
The dust had cleared, so we could watch the elephants splashing about in the water directly in front of the deck.
There is no TV in any of the public spaces, but who needs a reality show when you have THIS reality right before your eyes?
We had arrived at the lodge far too early for check-in (done on purpose so that we could sit and relax at the waterhole rather than fight the morning traffic from Johannesburg)
Hence it was a while before we got to settle into our accommodation.
A huge comfortable bed with a view of a section of the waterhole was what awaited us.
I have to say that the bedside lights at Tau are on my Top 5 Best Lamp list. I still read printed books rather than electronic, hence the struggle with lamps that are more decorative than ‘fit-for-purpose’. If only interior designers would realize that fact.
If I have any complaint, it would be that there are no insect screens on the window or the sliding door to the deck.
This meant that we had to rely on either the air-con (not my favourite) or the ceiling fan (which is what we ended up using) to keep the air circulating during the night.
Not everyone has the same requirements, but I only make mention of this fact in case you, like me, enjoy a breeze coming through an open window or door and not allowing insects in.
As an aside, the mosquito net DID keep the insects away from the light sources and also off us.
The thirty luxury chalets are spread out like the horns of a buffalo, facing the waterhole and blending expertly into the natural surroundings.
Like most lodges, Tau is trying to do away with single-use plastic bottles, hence we found these water bottles on our bed together with the ubiquitous welcome note.
Another corner to sit in, although it ended up as a repository for luggage and camera gear for the duration of our stay.
My absolute best.
The outdoor shower after dark.
The view from our deck before heading out on the morning drive.
The pool and the main building in the early morning as I make my way to the coffee and rusks before heading off on the first game drive of the day.
Our vehicles await.
What lies outside the gates of the lodge? Time to find out…
To find out more about what the lodge offers, click on the logo above.
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