Fodor's Expert Review Madikwe Game Reserve

This 187,500-acre game reserve in the North West Province (about 4 hours from Johannesburg and Pretoria) close to the Botswana border is open only to overnight visitors, who can choose from over 20 luxury lodges to stay. The reserve is famous for its wild dog population, but is also known for cheetahs, the Big Five, and its general game, such as zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and impalas. It was established in 1991 and is fast becoming one of the most popular private reserves in the country, because of its size, abundance of game, proximity to Johannesburg, and the fact that it is malaria-free (so is very safe for children).