Mafikeng Game Reserve

Mafikeng Game Reserve

The Mafikeng Game Reserve is 4 600 hectares of open Kalahari grassland and acacia thorn scrub - a typical African landscape of sour mixed bushveld - through which the Molopo River winds. One of the major breeding parks for white rhino in South Africa, the Mafikeng Game Reserve lies on the boundary of the capital city of the North West province and offers virtually guaranteed viewing of buffalo, gemsbok, giraffe, zebra, springbok, red hartebeest and of course, the white rhino. The Mafikeng game reserve conserves large populations of these plains game, and the bird life along the Molopo River in particular, is prolific, particularly species of finch and waxbill.

One of the biggest attributes of the Mafikeng Game reserve, other than the economical entrance fee, is that the main circuit through the park takes little more than two hours and one can almost always view enough game to make for a rewarding dip into the country’s wildlife. That and the fact that the reserve lies in a malaria free area, with a relatively mild climate - although if you’re here over winter you might want to wrap up during the evenings or on early morning game drives.

And for those who feel deprived if they haven’t seen a lion, the Manyane Game Lodge that lies on the border with the Mafikeng Game Reserve and has its own entrance into the reserve, has a lion enclosure and a crocodile camp.