Mashatu Game Reserve

Mashatu Game Reserve

Mashatu Game Reserve - A Botswana Safari Lodge

Mashatu Game Reserve is a wholly preserved and untainted wilderness in eastern Botswana, at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers. The ample plains range from savannah, to riverine forests, marshland, and sandstone outcrops.

Mashatu, ‘Land of Giants’ takes its name from the locally-sacrosanct Mashatu tree and the giants that roam its terrain. As one of the largest private game reserve in southern Africa, Mashatu is, at 25 000 ha (75 000 acres), a fitting setting for the world’s largest land mammal (the elephant) - with the largest herds on privately owned land on earth. Mashatu also provides sanctuary to the world’s tallest mammal (the giraffe); the world’s largest antelope (the eland); the world’s largest bird (the ostrich) and of course, the world’s heaviest flying bird (the kori bustard). Add the lion, the king of the beasts and the iconic baobab … and you have Africa’s Big Seven.

This extraordinary place possesses an ecological diversity uncommon in other reserves. Complementing three members of the Big Five – leopard, lion and elephant – are some of the more surprising species, including the aardwolf, bat-eared fox, African wild cat, honey badger and black-backed jackal. Recently introduced to Mashatu (as part of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve) is the endangered wild dog. Mashatu is also an ornithological paradise, and plays host to more than 350 bird species, including the enchanting lilac-breasted roller, whose plumage features no fewer than seven different shades of blue.

Rangers & Trackers - Tswana men with intimate bush knowledge and an instinct that imparts an extremely fascinating insight that brings you into closer contact with the bush. They are thoroughly trained in all aspects of ecology.

Game Drives - Game drives are conducted in open 4-wheel drive safari vehicles in the 30 000 ha (75,000 acre) Mashatu Game Reserve. The rangers are in constant radio communication with one another to keep each other informed about the location of the game. Headsets are used for this purpose so as not to disturb the sounds of the African bush. Beside elephant, lion, cheetah, leopard and hyena, general game such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, eland and a variety of antelope, and nocturnal species like springhares, bat eared fox, civet cat, genet cat, honey badger and mongoose, are prevalent throughout the reserve. The bird life is prolific with Mashatu Game Reserve recording over 366 different species. The 4-wheel drive safari vehicles enable the rangers to leave the road and provide guests with up close game viewing and fantastic photographic opportunities. Night drives, with the aid of powerful spotlights bring the bush to life.
Sole Use Vehicles - Sole use of a vehicle can be arranged upon request at Mashatu Main Camp only, subject to availability on check-in. Sole use of these vehicles is charged per empty seat per day out of six, up to a maximum of 5 empty seats.

Transfers - Transfers between the camps and the Limpopo Valley Airfield / Pont Drift border post are by road. Transfer times are dictated by the number of guests in the various camps and their flight schedules.
Charges are not levied for the transfers to/from Limpopo Valley Airfield to connect with scheduled flights, or from the Pont Drift Border Post (via open/enclosed safari vehicle) at the rendezvous time of 13h00. In the event of the Limpopo River being in flood necessitating the use of the cable car to cross the border, a nominal charge will be levied for the trans-river transfer. Charges are levied for transfers out of the normal scheduled times.