Madikwe Game Reserve introduces new entry procedures amid South Africa’s Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak

Travellers heading to Madikwe Game Reserve should prepare for new entry formalities. The North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) has introduced mandatory biosecurity procedures at the reserve in response to South Africa’s ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak - one of the most serious in recent years.

New Madikwe entry requirements (effective February 2026)

All visitors entering Madikwe Game Reserve - whether by road transfer, self-drive or charter flight - must now complete additional verification and sanitation steps at the gate.

Visitors must expect:

• Registration and identity verification
• Mandatory registration with NWPTB officials on arrival
• Presentation of a passport or South African ID
• Vehicle and personal biosecurity
• Disinfection of vehicle tyres at entry gates
• Walking through disinfectant footbaths before entering the reserve

These procedures apply to all guests, staff and service providers entering the reserve.

Why these measures are being introduced

South Africa is currently battling a widespread Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak affecting multiple provinces and the livestock sector. While the disease does not pose a risk to humans, it spreads easily between cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, antelope and buffalo.

This is particularly relevant for wildlife destinations. African buffalo - present in Madikwe Game Reserve - are natural carriers of the virus, making strict biosecurity essential to protect wildlife populations and the reserve’s ecological integrity.

Game reserves across southern Africa routinely implement similar precautions during animal disease outbreaks, and Madikwe Game Reserve's new procedures are part of a broader national effort to limit further spread.

What this means for travellers

The changes are precautionary and do not affect the safari experience inside the reserve. However, visitors should plan for slightly longer arrival formalities.

Practical tips for guests

• Allow extra time when arriving at the reserve gate
• Keep passports or ID easily accessible
• Follow staff instructions regarding vehicle and foot sanitation
• Expect the procedures to feel unfamiliar but routine

Importantly, FMD is not transmissible to humans, and there are no restrictions on tourism activities within the reserve.

The traveller takeaway

Madikwe Game Reserve remains fully open and safe to visit. The new entry procedures are preventative biosecurity measures designed to protect wildlife during South Africa's ongoing FMD outbreak.

For visitors, the impact is minimal: a short sanitation process on arrival in exchange for safeguarding one of South Africa's premier malaria-free safari destinations.

About Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffalo and antelope, and it can spread via vehicles, footwear, equipment and animal movement. South Africa is currently experiencing one of its most significant outbreaks in years, with active cases reported across multiple provinces and major vaccination campaigns underway. Authorities are working to vaccinate large portions of the national cattle herd and strengthen biosecurity as the outbreak has already affected livestock production and exports. 

 

Subscribe for updates:

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates, border info, road alerts, and travel inspiration for Southern Africa. 

South Africa: North West Parks announces major 2025/26 tariff hikes – What local and international travellers need to know!

The North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) has announced substantial 2025/26 tariff increases across major provincial reserves, including Pilanesberg National Park, Madikwe Game Reserve, and Vaalkop Dam. Some fees will rise by over 500%, with the board arguing that the increases are essential to fund conservation work, infrastructure upgrades, and long-delayed maintenance.

Why prices Are rising
According to the NWPTB, years of underfunding have resulted in deteriorating roads, broken fencing, outdated facilities, and limited anti-poaching resources. The new “user pays” model aims to create a more stable financial base for long-term sustainability.

Local (South African) Travellers
Day visitors and families will face substantial fee increases:

• Pilanesberg National Park: R80 > R168
• Vaalkop Dam: R50 > R105
• Madikwe Game Reserve: R180 > R777

For many families and day-visitors, these new rates will make spontaneous weekend trips more expensive.

International & Non-SADC Travellers
The sharpest increases apply to foreign visitors:

• Madikwe Game Reserve: R180 > R1,232
• Pilanesberg National Park: R110 > R748

This will likely influence safari planning, package pricing, and destination choices. Budget and mid-range travellers may shift to alternative parks or regions offering better value for money.

Concerns over accessibility & competitiveness
Tourism operators and conservation groups warn that such large increases may reduce both domestic and international visitor numbers. Smaller safari businesses may struggle to absorb the new fees, while critics question whether the expected improvements will appear quickly enough to justify the higher costs.

Final thought
The new tariffs could benefit conservation in the North West Province - but only if visitors see real upgrades in infrastructure, safety, and wildlife management. Until then, both local and international travellers will need to weigh the higher costs against the unique safari experiences these iconic reserves offer. 

 

Subscribe for updates:

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates, border info, road alerts, and travel inspiration for Southern Africa.  

South Africa: North West Parks Board (NWPB) reopens its Nature Reserves for intra-provincial overnight visitors! [update]

update (17 August 2020): NWPB's Nature Reserves in the North West Province will be open for interprovincial travel from 18 August 2020!

Following the announcement made by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on the easing of regulations for alert level 3 lockdown, the North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced the reopening of its Nature Reserves for intra-provincial overnight visitors. Camping is still not allowed in NWPB's Nature Reserves except the bush camp facilities in Botsalano Nature Reserve where single groups/families will be allowed at these facilities.

• Guided open game drives will only be allowed if the number of guests in a game drive vehicle do not exceed 70%, and adequate social distancing is apply.
• Visitors will be allowed to use picnic areas for recreational use, i.e. seating, food preparation, relaxing, etc.
• To minimize the risk for infection, only single groups will be allowed at one stand/braai area, and groups must be from the same family.
• Visitors to such facilities must know other visitors are also using these facilities, and surfaces and seating places must be cleaned / sanitizes before such picnic areas are occupied.
• Visitors must bring along their own sanitizing bottles as prescribe in the regulations (at least 70% alcohol).
• Where communal ablutions will be used, like with ablutions elsewhere in the reserves, visitors must apply social distance, sanitize before and after using such ablutions, and ensure masks are worn at all times.
• Selfdrive excursion will only be allowed for private vehicles that comply with the directions issued by South Africa's Minister of Transport in respect of private vehicles.
  

The following Nature Reserves in the North West Province are ready and open to provide different accommodation and conference facilities:

1. Botsalano Nature Reserve
2. Mafikeng Nature Reserve
3. Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
4. Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
5. Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
6. Wolwespruit Nature Reserve
7. Bloemhofdam Nature Reserve
8. Molopo Nature Reserve
9. Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
10. Pilanesberg Nature Rreserve
11. Borakalalo Nature Reserve
12. Madikwe Game Reserve

South Africa: Eight days of free entry into protected areas in the North West Province in September 2019!

The North West Parks Board, responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, announced on Facebook that between 08 - 15 September 2019 ("Mahala Week") all parks and game reserves, including Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve, will be open to South Africans for free. In order to be allowed free access, visitors will be required to present their South African Identity documents. 


North West Parks Board is the custodion of the following 15 protected areas in the North West Province:

• Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
• Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
• Borakalalo Game Reserve
• Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
• Botsalano Game Reserve
• Highveld Nature Reserve
• Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
• Madikwe Game Reserve
• Mafikeng Game Reserve
• Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
• Molopo Game Reserve
• Pilanesberg National Park
• SA Lombard Nature Reserve
• Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
• Wolwespruit Nature Reserve

Madikwe Game Reserve: 20 new Wild Dogs born

Great news from the Madikwe Game Reserve. Jaci's Lodges, two privately owed and managed luxury bush lodges based in the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa's North West province, has announced the birth of of 20 Wild Dog pups.
Africa’s most endangered carnivores were introduced to Madikwe Game Reserve in 1994. Since then, the population of Wild Dogs has stabilised and through the translocation of new wild dogs from other reserves the the dogs’ gene pool even got strengthened.

Only approximately 500 Wild Dogs are currently left in South Africa which makes a sighting of these incredible animals a high priority on the traveller's wildlife tick list.

South Africa: Five crocodiles introduced at Tau Game Lodge

The Tau Game Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve, located 90 km north of Zeerust and only three to four hours' drive from both Johannesburg and Pretoria, has introduced five crocodiles to the waterhole in front of the lodge. The five crocs are just three years old, but even so they’re already two metres long.

 

The crocodiles, which are coming from a crocodile farm in Groot Marico, have been notched for identification purposes. They are currently in a holding area on one side of the waterhole, where they will be given time to adapt to their new environment. A croc-proof fence has been erected to ensure the safety around the waterhole.