I woke up with the roaring of a lion. It sounded like he was right in front of our room.

I said to Luca that we have to see where he’s hiding . I wanted to see this lion that felt so close to us.

We opened the balcony door, knowing that a fence protects us from the lion nearby. 

There he was. Drinking water from the lake in front of our room. A maximum of 50 meters away.

After watching him for another hour we went back to bed.

It was 3:30 in the morning.

It all happened in the the Tau Game Lodge. A high quality lodge that scores with a high value for money on one of the most spectacular reserves of South Africa: Madikwe Game Reserves.

BYOND TRAVELING rating – ★★★★☆

For whom?
Tau scores with a high value for money. Because of it’s comparitlvy big size, we’d rather recommend it for safari beginners and in particular families.

When to go?
Madikwe is Malaria-free, so an all year round destination. Especially suitable for families with children.

Location ★★★★★
Tau Game Lodge is one of the biggest lodges in the Madikwe Game Reserve. It has its own gate, which allows you to reach the lodge within 10 minutes from the entrance of the park. No SUV needed. Madikwe overall is perfectly located: Starting from Johannesburg, it is only a 4 hours drive. From Gabarone, the capital of Botswana, it’s even just a 2 hours drive. 

Amenities ★★★★☆
Tau Game Lodge has a total of 30 rooms, a beautiful main area next to the river and a Spa area. The comparatively big size makes the lodge feel a bit like a hotel than a lodge. However, the rooms are beautifully decorated and every room has a balcony facing the river bed. When we say facing the river we actually mean that the lodge is basically built into the riverbed, including your rooms as well as the terrace in the main area. This allows you to spot the thirsty impala herds, elephants bathing and if your lucky, the big cats looking for a pray. 

Service ★★★★☆
We got welcomed with a drink and a warm welcome by the lodge managers followed by our lunch on the deck of the lodge, facing the river. What a view. The service is all inclusive and overall of high standards. 

Kitchen ★★★☆☆
Due to the number of people to be served, the lodge offers a self service buffet for every meal. It’s comprehensive and offers vegetarian options. 

Sustainability ★★★★☆
Tau runs their own sustainable projects: the Tau Foundation & the Tau Tree Fund. The Tau Foundation runs projects that support the local communities by including them into tourism activities and teaching them about the necessity to protect our environment. The other initiative, the Tau Tree Fund, allows visitor to plant their own tree. With a certain amount of donation you can chose from a selection of indigenous trees, plant it by yourself together with a ranger and take a picture. Plus: your names will be stated on a plaque next to that tree. So when your grand grand children come back in 150 years from now they can wander in your footsteps.

Value for money ★★★★★
Tau Game Lodge offers a rate of 350€ per person per night during high season. Sounds like a lot. but Madikwe overall is expensive and usually you pay a lot more. For that price you’ll experience a safari with a lot of sights, a beautifully situated lodge on the riverbed, good service, decent food and overall a high quality safari experience particularly suitable for safari newcomers.

What we loved the most 
Location & wildlife – because the lodge is situated right next to the river you’ll be able to spot the Big 5 from your balcony or the deck. Be aware that this might cause unexpected noises during the night. 🦁 

Great price – value – Madikwe is expensive and to spend a weekend there you might need to kill your money pig. Yet, Tau offers a cheaper alternative while still offering a truly adventurous safari experience with a high comfort. 

What we didn’t like so much 
A little bit commercial – 30 rooms means that there are plenty of people that want to be fed, served and taken care of. This is done perfectly well in Tau. However, it still is a big amount of people which sometimes feels a bit commercial . However, you can’t expect the service of a 5 star boutique hotel while staying in bigger hotel.