New Openings — introducing newly opened and reopened lodges across Africa’s great reserves.
Some safari lodges are remembered less for their rooms than for their feeling. For years, Jaci’s in Madikwe was one of them — colourful, warm, unmistakably personal, and run with the kind of family spirit that guests carried home long after the dust of the last game drive had settled. Now, after a full rebuild and reinvention, that spirit returns in a new form. On 1 July 2026, Jaci’s Private Lodge officially reopened its doors.
What changed — and what stayed
The previous Jaci’s Safari Lodge and Jaci’s Tree Lodge have made way for a single, elevated property: Jaci’s Private Lodge. The reinvention is really a story about space, privacy and comfort. Where there were once two lodges, there is now one considered, luxury experience — more refined, more exclusive, and built around room to breathe.
What hasn’t changed is everything guests loved in the first place. The colour and warmth are still there. So is the exceptional guiding, the family spirit, the endless photographic opportunities, and that particular feeling of being welcomed into someone’s home in the bush rather than checking into a hotel.
The rooms: ten suites and three villas
The new lodge brings together ten Safari Suites: six Safari Suites, ideal for couples or two adults, and four Safari Suite Expeditions, designed for two adults and up to two children. Alongside them sit three private-use villas, each with its own character:
- Kubu Villa — 3 bedrooms, overlooking the Marico River
- Nare Villa — 3 bedrooms, overlooking a private waterhole
- Jaci’s Madikwe House — 5 bedrooms, ideal for families or private groups
Why Madikwe
Madikwe is one of South Africa’s great conservation stories — a malaria-free Big Five reserve transformed from former farmland into a wildlife haven. For travellers, two things stand out: the variety of landscapes, and the privacy of the safari experience. Jaci’s traversing takes in riverine areas, open plains, waterholes and photographic hides, and part of the pleasure here is that wildlife isn’t confined to the game drive. It comes to you — from the decks, the hides, the villas and the lodge spaces themselves.
The wildlife roll-call is what keeps guests talking. Beyond the Big Five, Madikwe is famous for what the team calls the “Madikwe Top 10” — the Big Five plus African wild dog, cheetah, hyena, hippo and giraffe. Wild dog sightings are a particular highlight: this is one of the best places in South Africa to see these highly endangered predators. Guests are often surprised, too, by the reserve’s hyenas — both spotted and brown — while regular elephant encounters, big cats, giraffe moving through the bushveld and hippos along the Marico River round out a wonderfully rich safari.
The signature experience: the Terrapin Hide
If there is one experience that defines a stay here, it is the Terrapin Hide. Reached through an underground tunnel, it delivers guests out at water level in the middle of a waterhole — eye to eye with elephants, birds and everything else that comes down to drink. For photographers, it’s a rare and remarkable perspective, and exactly the kind of unhurried, immersive encounter Madikwe does so well.
Made for families
Being malaria-free, Madikwe has always been a natural choice for families — and Jaci’s leans into that. The Safari Suite Expeditions and the three villas are built to accommodate children comfortably, while a dedicated children’s programme keeps young explorers engaged: a Pups pack goodie bag on arrival and the Jaci’s Junior Ranger course among them. The philosophy is simple: children should feel included, curious and excited by the bush, without ever compromising the quality of the safari for the adults travelling with them.
The takeaway
Jaci’s Private Lodge is a reopening in the truest sense — not a fresh start that erases what came before, but a new chapter that carries the soul of Jaci’s forward into something more spacious and exclusive. For anyone who knew the old lodge, it will feel like coming back to a beloved place that has quietly grown up. For everyone else, it’s an invitation into one of Madikwe’s warmest homes.
Related reading: Looking at other malaria-free options within reach of Johannesburg? See our guide to game reserves near Johannesburg.
Explore more on 25South
- Madikwe reserve profile — our ratings for the malaria-free Big Five reserve.
- Game Reserves Near Johannesburg — how Madikwe compares to other reserves near the city.
- Best value-for-money safari lodges — more places to stay across the region.
Jaci’s Private Lodge reopened on 1 July 2026 in the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa. This feature is part of 25° SOUTH’s ongoing New Openings series. It is independent editorial — not sponsored, and no payment was involved. Photographs courtesy of Jaci’s Private Lodge and reproduced with permission.
25South 