Madikwe Bush Camp Returns to its Walking Safari Roots
Mosetlha Bush Camp, located in the very heart of South Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve, celebrated its 30th birthday on 1 July 2025 in a very special way. The timing worked out perfectly that, just as the camp celebrated its three-decade milestone, long-serving safari guide Justice Rasello successfully obtained his FGASA Trails Guide certification through the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa.
It truly feels like the off-grid eco lodge has come full circle as the camp was originally built in 1995 by Chris and June Lucas, as a walking trails training camp for guides, soon after the declaration of the Madikwe Game Reserve.
Chris Lucas, who celebrated his 85th birthday last week, looked for an ideal spot, right in the centre of the reserve. He had followed an elephant path to a large mosetlha tree (aka a weeping wattle) near a pan, and knew that he had found the perfect spot. It was choice that guests are grateful for, every day, as it means easy access to all areas of the reserve.
Mosetlha was the second camp to be built in Madikwe following Operation Phoenix, the largest wildlife translocation project in the world which rewilded the previous degraded cattle farmlands into a wildlife haven, bringing in over 8000 animals, across 28 species, over a period of around seven years.
From day one, walking safaris were part of Mosetlha’s DNA – raw, immersive, and deeply connected to the wild. Chris set up Honeyguide Trails and trained the first 16 local Madikwe rangers, teaching them everything about the bush, from soils to stars, grasses to trees, as well as tracking techniques. He helped shape environmental education in the reserve, leaving a legacy that still echoes today.
One standout initiative was Mafisa – a training course run in 2000 by the Environmental Training Group. Eight local villagers were trained in guiding and hospitality (including Mosetlha’s very own ranger Jonny!) – and a mirror of that success is that all eight still work in Madikwe, now in senior lodge roles.
The camp slowly transitioned over the years from hosting occasional guests to give the Honeyguide graduates the opportunity to gain work experience in the bush, to ultimately becoming the popular bush retreat it is today, proud to say that at least half its guests returning time and time again for another dose of the Mosetlha magic!
A Family Legacy
The Lucas family has also been heavily involved in conservation and community upliftment, and all of the local staff, some who have worked at Mosetlha for over 25 years, hold shares in the lodge.
Upskilling their team and continually building on their overall guest experience is just part of the ethos and DNA. The extended Mosetlha family has all played its role in Justice’s professional development. Bernice Kelly, who worked for Mosetlha earlier in her career and now serves in a key role at FGASA as Standards Manager, was involved in facilitating the process for the assessment. Her involvement illustrates FGASA’s broader commitment to supporting the career development of guides within the industry and upholding professional standards.
“These are very exciting times as FGASA now operates as the professional body for guides. It is an opportunity for guides to invest in themselves and be recognised in the industry for the professionals they are” – Bernice Kelly
FGASA is working to encourage travel agents and tour operators to prioritise and recommend lodges that employ FGASA-recognised guides, positioning these establishments as preferred options for travellers seeking quality, professionalism, and well-informed nature experiences.
Similarly, Jonno Whigtman was a guide at Mosetlha in the early 2000s, now a lodge manager and Mentor who has many logged hours and encounters with Justice as part of his training in best practice guiding and achieving his trails guide qualification, including his Advanced Rifle Handling, which is purely for safety purposes.
Everyone working together in the spirit of Ubuntu!
Walk with the Big 7
If you’re looking for an unforgettable Big 7 walking safari in Madikwe, this is your chance. Take a step off the vehicle, into the wilderness, and let your senses lead the way. UK guest Oliver Davis shared his “Guestimonial” following their recent walking safari on which they encountered a male lion as well as Rhino, Wildebeest, Warthog and other small game.
“Our bush walk with Justice was one of the best experiences of our lives. Walking allows a completely different perspective and appreciation for the animals and their environment. Justice is brilliant, you can tell how passionate he is about the experience, we felt completely safe even in the environment of big game. We’ll be back for more in future!”
Authentically Eco
The lodge has 10 cabins and can accommodate just 16 people, so is small and intimate. There are two game vehicles, driven by excellent field guides, Jonny Motsieloa and Justice Rasello.
Mosetlha is very proud to feature in a beautiful coffee table book by Hitesh Mehta Authentic Eco Lodges which showcases 33 of the most forward thinking ecolodges in the world’s most exotic destinations. Under his International Ecolodge Guidelines he writes that “an eco-lodge is an accommodation facility that satisfies at least five of the criteria listed below, three of which must embody the main principles of ecotourism”. Mosetlha ticks all ten of these boxes!
At Mosetlha, being unapologetically off-grid and sustainable isn’t a marketing ploy – it’s an invitation to return to simplicity, and deep connection over constant connection.
Come Get the Dust of Africa on Your Feet…
You’ll leave with far more than photographs, memories and dusty boots – you’ll leave reconnected to nature, to yourself, and to what’s real.
