Last Word Madikwe

We were fortunate to stay here recently. We were accommodated in the villa, which is brilliant for 6 people, with three bedrooms each with their own en suite. Beds were super comfortable and linen lovely. Food was good and plentiful. The lodge has a great hide looking out at the waterhole, which is visited by many different animals. The highlight of the trip for us was our guide, Sam. He was very knowledgeable, not only about the fauna and flora, but also about local custom, which we were interested in. Would love to go back and would request Sam as our guide.

We stayed at The Last Word for 4 nights as a family of four (2 children aged 10 & 8)…wow, what an experience. The lodge itself is smart yet rustic, the experience, service, food, and everything else was 10 star +. Sam, our guide, was exceptional, both in terms of his knowledge and his very amiable manner. Both us and the kids learnt so much. Max took care of us very well in the dining room, and the chefs deserve a Michelin Star…honestly, we have been to many different restaurants around the world, and this was absolutely top notch and the kids were very well catered for. The ‘hide’ was such an incredible experience….to be able to get so close to the animals was astounding and the watering hole itself provided an ever changing vista. Tatum, Jodie and the whole team could not have done more to make our stay any more enjoyable. Thank you to all.

Great place with a small number of guests. Very welcoming staff. The room was lovely with a huge bathroom next to it. Beds were comfortable and it was great to have a fridge in the room. The day was very well organised with two drives, which included coffee or any other drink on the late drive and snacks. Breakfast was a buffet with several warm options to order from. Lunch was a buffet too and was nicely arranged. The evening meal after the late drive was amazing. We were lucky to have Sam as a ranger who managed to show us a huge array of animals and was generally very knowledgable. Although there still were quiet a few waterholes around, the one at the lodge was nearly always busy. Just sitting in the chairs overlooking it and especially watching Elephant families come to it was special.

We absolutely loved our stay at Last Word, Madikwe. The staff were all friendly, professional, knowledgeable and patient (we had 5 children in our group aged between 3-9). Jodi, Roxan, Max & John looked after all our needs in the lodge and were always discretely on hand. All our meals were delicious, a full section of cold and hot breakfasts, varied and tasty lunches and some very special dinners, especially the bbq overlooking the watering hole. Thank you to the chef! The lodge was spotless at all times, thank you to the cleaning staff too. The children were well looked after with child friendly food, a playroom, swimming pool and plenty of space to play and run around. They enjoyed meeting Steve the resident snake! They were experiencing nature in a way that is so rare nowadays and they were in their element. We all really enjoyed the nature trails we could navigate on our own (within the grounds of the lodge). We cannot fault the game drives - Nick & Damian were brilliant. They shared such interesting information with us about the history of the reserve and the animals. We saw an incredible variety of animals including rhinos, a lion kill, cheetah and two leopards! We spent such special time watching the elephants, giraffe, baboons, lion and zebra go about their day to day lives, it was truly memorable. The trucks were very comfy and we really enjoyed the stops for a breakfast snack and sundowners. The lodge is beautiful, decorated in such style and comfort. There were so many places to relax and watch the animals only a stone’s throw away in the watering hole right next to the lodge. We were blown away every day going into the hide where we could watch the animals even closer. It is nothing like any other safari we have ever experienced. We left Last Word so incredibly grateful for such a wonderful few days. Thank you to everyone who made it such a special holiday for our family.

The food was equally unforgettable, prepared with such love and care that each meal felt like a warm, personal gesture. Every dish was a delicious celebration of flavors, perfectly complementing the natural beauty around us. In the evenings, there was the sweetest touch—a thoughtful turndown service complete with bedtime stories about the animals in the bush. These little stories, left beside the bed, were a charming way to end each day and made me feel even closer to the incredible wildlife around us. The watering hole, situated right in front of you, gives the exhilarating illusion that nothing separates you from the wild. Of course, safety was always assured, but the closeness to nature was thrilling. When I first arrived, 15 elephants were gathered at the watering hole, right there before my eyes. And then there’s the hide—a unique experience that can’t be adequately described, only lived. Nestled close to the watering hole, it allows you to observe the elephants up close as they pass by for a drink. One particularly curious elephant even extended its trunk into the hide to take a whiff of us, which was absolutely exhilarating. Tataum, Jaco, Damian, John, Sam and Jodi thank you again for the best time!!

We recently stayed at the BEAUTIFUL private villa with our daughters of 9 and 3. The whole family loved every minute of this holiday. Sam, our guide, was excellent! The villa is exquisitely decorated, and chilling by the pool only meters away from a watering hole which always has game at it was unforgettable. We will definitely be back!