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About Room Facilities Method of payment Directions Pictures Activities Location Surrounding Town Distances Rates Wildlife & Fauna Flight Co-Ordinates Cancellation Policy   Accommodation Type What to Bring Air Transfer Enquire Room Categories Grading Road Transfer   Property Amenities Check In & Check Out Time Self Drive        ABOUT Safari isn’t just a safari anymore…and game lodges aren’t all alike. Every visit really does need to be special and every moment something to be remembered forever. The Bush House is not your typical Game Lodge. The Bush House is an old farmhouse that, after years of family laughter and happiness, has been transformed into an inviting and relaxing residence that encourages guests to kick off their shoes and unwind.   So, what makes the Bush House different? Perhaps it’s in the people who make you feel so warmly welcome, at the bar after your game drive, at the brunch table or in the boma for dinner under the stars. We pride ourselves on really caring for our guests and being attentive to their needs. Perhaps it’s in the sense of the bushveld. The dust of the elephant herds, the closeness of the rhino, the fleeting glimpse of the leopard…or the massive power of the buffalo coming down to drink within meters of the front lawn. It could be the luxuries you enjoy. The sumptuous bushveld cuisine or the service so close you only have to lift a finger. Or maybe it’s more about the whole experience than a single sighting. More about the memories you made while you were one with nature as you pulled the bushveld around your shoulders like a blanket and in a strange, familiar way you felt completely at home.   That’s why people come back to the Bush House. Again and again. For most of our guests it’s just like that, like coming home – even for the first time!   The Bush House is your home in Big Five country. Our informal style, intimate atmosphere and caring staff make you feel welcome, relaxed and part of our family.   Accommodation We have six en suite rooms. Four of them have private verandahs where you can sit and contemplate the world; one overlooks the garden and waterhole with another room having the soothing sounds of a water feature outside the sliding door. All of our rooms are part of the main lodge so there are no long unnecessary walks to and fro. The rooms are tastefully furnished with percale bed linen and fluffy towels. The rooms have air-conditioners and fans, hairdryers, coffee and tea facilities. The bathrooms have separate baths and showers with a variety of toiletries. We have 220v electricity and cell phone signal should you really have to make any calls.   Meals Our chefs, Dee and Enny who together create wonderful culinary experiences. Whether it is breakfast in the garden, afternoon tea packed with treats or a fire-lit dinner in the boma under the stars. We try as much as possible to accommodate all dietary requirements.   Beauty Salon Let our therapist pamper you with her wide range of products and treatments. Our range of treatments includes manicures, pedicures, facials and body wraps.   Facilities Enjoy relaxing times in the large shaded garden overlooking the best waterhole in Madikwe. Lounge at the pool while our friendly staff takes care of your every need. Enjoy a friendly game of cricket, rugby or soccer on the lawn. Two game drives are conducted daily under the expert care of our guide Sebastian or you are welcome to take a walk through our private nature trail which is with the electrified boundaries of the camp. The Bush House is a MALARIA FREE AND BIG 5 game reserve.   Imagine over seven hundred and fifty square kilometers of untamed bushveld in the way that the bushveld was way before man interfered. The Madikwe Game Reserve, situated in the North West Province of South Africa and run by the North West Parks and Tourism Board, reclaimed over 75 000 hectares of farmland and turned it into a wild life sanctuary that has become home to a wonderful variety of Africa’s animals.   Guests visiting Madikwe have the opportunity to witness this wonderful interaction of game in one of the finest conservation areas on the continent. The reserve has one of the largest elephant populations, all the predators as well as the endangered wild dog, black and white rhino, buffalo and general plains game. Bird life is abundant.   Photographic opportunities are endless, not only from the raised vantage of your vehicle whilst on a game drive but also from the shaded serenity of the garden. Our water feature and feeding log ensure a steady flow of wonderful bird life during the course of the day.   Game Drives Game drives are conducted throughout the year at optimum viewing times when game activity is generally at its peak, i.e. early morning and late afternoon into the evening. The morning safari departs at sunrise and the evening drives leaves late enough in the afternoon for guests to enjoy a bush sunset and the opportunity to view nocturnal animals after dark. The spectacular southern night skies, especially vivid during the winter months, provide guests with stunning views of famous constellations such as the Southern Cross, Orion in the summer and Scorpio on the clear winter evenings.   A must for all the nature enthusiasts are the bush walks. This affords guests the ultimate “close to the wild” experience and a chance to focus on the smaller bush inhabitants including birds, insects and butterflies.   One can also discover the interesting worlds of trees, grasses, flowers, geology and ecology – of course, occasionally big game can be seen on walks, including the Big Five.   Our summers are traditionally very hot and wet with winter being dry and cold. Hats and sun block are an absolute must as are sweatshirts and jerseys. The varying layers of all of these are dependent on the time of year. Seasons differ vastly in the African bushveld, but no one season can be rated above another, for each has its own unique appeal. Spring (September) and autumn (April) are very short seasons and usually provide milder weather conditions and subtle changes in vegetation. Summer (October to March) tends to be hot, but the bush looks wonderfully green and lush. Many mammals produce their offspring in the height of summer (December / January) and the youngest are a special treat on safaris. Winter (May to August) brings with it drier, more temperate weather conditions and the bush takes on a stark but beautiful appearance. At any time of year, your encounters with the wild at The Bush House will be very special and memorable.   Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!         PICTURES Click on the images to enlarge The Bush House from the Garden The Bush House from the Waterhole The Bush House Verandah       The Bush House Courtyard The Bush House Intimate Dining The Bush House Dining Area       The Bush House Lounge The Bush House Bedroom The Bush House Bathroom       The Bush House Spa Room The Bush House Spa The Bush House Pub       The Bush House Boma The Bush House Garden The Bush House Game Drives    RATES   Rates Per Person Sharing Per Night   • R2350 (valid from October 2008 until the end of April 2009)   Rates Per Single Person Per Night   • R3150 single person (October 2008 until the end of April 2009)   • Children under 6 stay free of charge. • Children between 6 – 12 years of age pay 50% of the adult rates.   Rates Include   • Accommodation • All Meals • Coffee and Tea • Welcome drinks on arrival and on return from game drives. • Two game drives daily   Rates Exclude   • All drinks from the bar. • Curio Shop purchases • Health and Beauty treatments. • Use of telephone / internet • Gate entrance fees / landing strip fees • Laundry service • Babysitting charges   Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      ACCOMMODATION TYPE Reserve Type • Game Lodge Accommodation Type • Safari Lodge Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      ROOM CATEGORIES • 6 En-Suite Rooms • Luxury accommodation in old farmhouse Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      PROPERTY AMENITIES • Private verandahs • Garden • Waterhole • Boma • Beauty Salon • Pool • Curio Shop • Bar • Laundry Service • Babysitting Service • Internet / Telephone • Children of all ages welcome • Malaria Free • Big 5 • Safe Parking • No pets allowed Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      ROOM FACILITIES • Private Verandahs • Percale bed linen • Fluffy Towels • Air conditioners and fans • Hairdryers • Coffee / Tea facilities • Separate baths and showers • Variety of toiletries • Cell phone signals Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      ACTIVITIES • Morning 4x4 Open Vehicle Game Drive • Evening 4x4 Open Vehicle Game Drive • Nature Walks • Birding Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      WILDLIFE & FAUNA   Big Five: Lion, Buffalo, Rhino, Leopard, Elephant Also the following: • Lion • Rhino (Black & white) • Buffalo • Leopard • Cheetah • Elephant • Springbok • Eland • Kudu • Wildebeest • Warthog • Crocodile • Gemsbok • Giraffe • Zebra • Hippo • Brown Hyena • Spotted Hyena • Chacma Baboon • Vervet Monkey • Rock Dassie • African Civet • Small and Large Spotted Genet • Bush Baby • Porcupine • Aardvark Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      WHAT TO BRING Irrespective of the time of year the following must definitely be brought with you: • Camera with film or memory cards • Batteries • Binoculars or spotting scope • Hat • Sunglasses • Sun block • Any reference material you might want (eg bird or tree books) • Jacket or sweatshirt for game drives • Any chronic medication- the nearest chemist is over 100 kms away Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      GRADING Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      CHECK IN & CHECK OUT TIME • Check In After: 14h00 • Check Out Before: 11h00 Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      METHOD OF PAYMENT • Cash Transfers • Credit Cards (Visa and MasterCard Only) Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      LOCATION • Nearest Town: Gaborone • Province: North West Province • Reserve: Madikwe Game Reserve • Reserve Size In Hectares: 75 000 • Malaria Status: None • Big 5 Status: Yes, with wild dogs Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      FLIGHT CO-ORDINATES S24 46” 00” E26 10” 20” Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      AIR TRANSFER • Departures: Daily • Departure Location: Federal Air Lounge • Departure Time: 11h15 • Arrival Time On Return: 13h30 • Duration of Flights: ± 1 hour • Minimum of Passengers: 2 • Maximum of Passengers: Not limited • Luggage Allowed in Kilograms: 20 kg per person • Private Charter Flights Available on request: Yes – please give us advance notice Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      ROAD TRANSFER • Road Transfers Available: Yes • Departures: Daily • Departure Location: Oliver R Tambo International (Johannesburg International Airport) • Departure Time: Time of choice • Arrival Time on Return: Time of choice • Duration of Drive: 3½ - 4½ hours Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      SELF DRIVE There are two routes by road from Johannesburg International Airport to The Bush House. The first route (approximately 3.5 hours driving time) travels via Sun City. The second route (about 4½ hours driving time) travels via the towns of Rustenburg and Zeerust. Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      DIRECTIONS TRAVELLING BY ROAD FROM JOHANNESBURG TO MADIKWE GAME RESERVE VIA N1: Travelling time approximately 3.5hrs   1. From Johannesburg head north on the N1 towards the N4 Toll Road. 2. Take the N4 Toll road North West towards Rustenburg, Swartruggens, Groot Marico and Zeerust. 3. Once in Zeerust turn right at the third stop street into President Street. There is a signpost on the left that says “Madikwe Game Reserve/Gaborone” and a First National Bank on the corner to the left; follow the R49/47 towards the reserve for approximately 95km. 4. The first entrance to the reserve is Abjaterskop gate. 5. Pass that gate and enter at the next gate – Wonderboom Gate exactly 7km from the first gate. Travelling tips:   • Watch to the speed limit, especially when it drops down from 120kms to 80kms. • The traffic officials are often at these spots including the small villages where the speed limit is 60kms. • Best bathroom facilities enroute are at the Wimpy in Koster or the Wimpy in Zeerust. • If you drive an unleaded vehicle, fill up in Zeerust as you will have another 200kms before you return that way and   the petrol stations between Zeerust and Madikwe are often out of unleaded fuel.      Click to enlarge    DISTANCES TO SURROUNDING TOWNS • Gaborone (Botswana) ± 60 km • Johannesburg ± 350 km • Pretoria ± 380 km • Rustenburg ± 250 km • Lichtenburg ± 250 km • Nelspruit ± 900 km • Zeerust ± 140 km • Sun City ± 100 km • Thabazimbi ± 120 km Click HERE to book now with The Bush House, Madikwe!      CANCELLATION POLICY Please note that SA Travel Desk has strict cancellation policies that will apply to the above establishment for bookings made via SA Travel Desk which will override those of the establishment in question. This may result in deposits paid (or a percentage thereof) / full payments made to be forfeited based upon the number of days prior to arrival date on when cancellation notice was received. All cancellations to be in writing by fax or e-mail.