Sun City, Madikwe and Ant's Reserve

"Little Vegas" and the Big 5

Sun City, Madikwe and Ant's Reserve

Summary of the Route

This is an ideal route for visitors (families and couples alike) who want to combine relaxation and playtime with a safari experience.

Based on flying into and out of Johannesburg, this 7 night trip is also perfect for people who want to avoid taking malaria precautions, as the area covered is all completely malaria-free.

The cost of this route will vary depending on the type of accommodation you prefer and the safari lodge you choose, and another big influence on cost is the time of year you travel: May to September is classed as the low season, and the safari lodges are significantly cheaper than in the high season. For more information on the climate and seasons, click here.

Prices start from just £2,800 for a 7 night trip, based on 2 adults travelling and excluding all flights and hire car.

Sun City
Madikwe Game Reserve
Ant's Reserve
Getting Home

Sun City (2 days)

Sun City is an internationally acclaimed resort, with a unique heartbeat of its own.

The Palace of the Lost City Sun City is renowned for its endless supply of entertainment, leisure, sport and recreation facilities, and is an ideal destination if you have a child.

For adults, there is a choice of 25 restaurants, spectacular theatrical shows, cinemas, bars, nightclubs, live music venues, a world-class casino and a games arcade. There is a fully equipped health club, 11 tennis courts, bowls greens and squash courts, plus horse riding, mountain biking, archery, clay pigeon shooting and quad biking. Golfers will be in their element as Sun City offers two 18 hole championship golf courses.

Suggested Accommodation in Sun City:

Top : The Palace of the Lost City

Mid : The Cascades Hotel, The Sun City Hotel

Budget : The Cascades

Madikwe Game Reserve (2 days)

The malaria-free Madikwe Private Game Reserve is situated only 3 hours from Sun City. Covering some 76,000 hectares, it is one of the largest game reserves in South Africa.

Madikwe’s diverse geology and broad mix of habitats allows a wide range of African wildlife to flourish – including the Big Five, cheetah and a thriving population of endangered wild dog, as well as gemsbok, springbok, zebra and giraffe, and over 340 species of birds.

The land is privately owned, so the game viewing vehicles are not restricted to the road network and it is therefore possible for the experienced guides to follow the wildlife through the bush and to get extremely close to the animals.

Suggested Accommodation :

Top : Etali Safari Lodge, Mateya Safari Lodge, Makanyane Safari Lodge

Mid : Jaci's Tree Lodge, Madikwe Safari Lodge

Budget : Tau Game Lodge, Impodimo Game Lodge

Ant's Reserve (3 days)

Ant's Reserve is located in the magnificent, malaria-free Waterberg region, and offers the choice of 2 lodges. .

Ants Reserve Guests staying at either lodge have a wide range of game viewing activities to choose from - from game drives in an open Land Rover with an experienced ranger, to guided game walks (anything from a gentle stroll across the open plains to a full days hike over the rugged hills that dominate the terrain).

However, probably the most exciting game viewing activity is on horseback. The lodges own 60 well-schooled horses in total, which can cater for any riding ability - from the complete novice to the experienced rider.

Suggested Accommodation :

Ant's Hill, Ant's Nest

Getting Home

At the end of your safari at Ant's you will return to Johannesburg and fly back home from here.