Mashatu | Tuli Block safaris

Mashatu combines experiences found together nowhere else in Botswana: leopard encounters in open, rocky terrain where sightings are prolonged and unobstructed; the largest elephant population on private land in Southern Africa; night drives in a country where these are not permitted in national parks; an underground photographic hide; and a multi-activity offering that includes game drives, walking, horseback, and cycling safaris. The landscape itself, ancient sandstone ridges, colossal baobabs, and the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers, is unlike any other safari destination in the region.

The best wildlife-viewing months run from June to mid-November, covering Botswana's dry season. Vegetation thins progressively through this period, concentrating wildlife around permanent water and making predator sightings increasingly reliable. June to August offer cool conditions with crisp mornings; September and October are warmer and can be very dry, making this the most dramatic period for elephant and predator concentration at waterholes. The rainy season (November to March/April) brings a different character: lush green scenery, exceptional birding, newborn wildlife, and spectacular afternoon thunderstorms; particularly rewarding for photographers.

The headline species is the leopard — Mashatu's open terrain and habituated individuals make for some of the most prolonged sightings in southern Africa. Elephant herds of up to 200 individuals are a signature experience; this is the largest population on private land in Southern Africa. Lions and cheetahs are regularly seen. The nocturnal offering, accessed via night drives not available in Botswana's national parks, includes honey badger, aardvark, aardwolf, and African wildcat. Birding: 350+ recorded species include the Pel's fishing owl, martial eagle, kori bustard, and lanner falcon.

The best underground photo hide at Mashatu for classic daytime, eye-level action shots is Matebole, whereas if you want an exclusive-use, fully-equipped overnight hide built for nocturnal photography, it's Lala Limpopo Sleepout Hide.

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The Matebole Hide is the original and the one that made Mashatu famous. A groundbreaking first for photography in Southern Africa, it opened in 2012, setting the benchmark for underground hides across Africa. It's a daytime hide: a sunken structure at a waterhole where your head sits at ground level, giving you that low, eye-level "worm's-eye" perspective on elephants, predators and birds coming to drink. It comfortably accommodates up to eight photographers on a shared basis, with a choice of morning or afternoon sessions lasting about three hours, plus options to book it exclusively or for full days. It sits in an ecotone between mopane grasslands and the denser central game-viewing region, a mix of habitats that supports a wide diversity of bird and mammal species, and is positioned where elephant paths converge for frequent visits, especially in the dry season. Its photographic pedigree is considerable; Greg du Toit's award-winning "Essence of Elephants" was captured there.

The Lala Limpopo Sleepout Hide is a very different offering, which opened around October 2025. It's an underground hide designed specifically for night photography, where from dusk till dawn you observe and photograph nocturnal species. It overlooks a waterhole famously known as Pete's Pond. The key distinction is that it's a luxury overnight experience rather than a sit-in session: it's designed for exclusive use by up to four photographers or guests, and includes a small kitchen, lounge, dining area, and a full bathroom with shower facilities, plus a separate bedroom for the tour leader, ranger or guide. Innovative lighting and nighttime sensors around the waterhole alert you to the presence of animals.

The Tuli Block is a strip of privately owned land in southeastern Botswana, extending 350km along the Limpopo River. It comprises a mix of private properties, some farmed, some hunted, and many converted to photographic safari operations. The most well-known portion is the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (Notugre), a collection of 36 jointly managed private properties covering roughly 72,000 hectares, of which Mashatu Game Reserve, at 42,000 hectares, is the largest. Tuli is a cornerstone of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, a cross-border conservation landscape spanning Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Mashatu is home to seven species that define the reserve's scale and character: elephant, lion, giraffe, eland, ostrich, and kori bustard (Botswana's national bird) — alongside the baobab tree, which dominates the landscape of rocky ridges and sandy plains. The reserve's name means "Mashatu tree" in the local Kalanga language, referring to the large nyala berry tree, a keystone species in the local ecosystem. The phrase "Land of the Giants" reflects both the size of these species and the extraordinary scale of the landscape they inhabit.

Morning and evening game drives are the foundation, with night drives, not permitted in Botswana's national parks, available as standard. The underground photographic hide places guests at ground level at a permanent waterhole. Guided walking safaris explore the mopane woodland, riverbeds, and rocky ridges. Horseback safaris allow silent movement through the bush alongside wildlife. Cycling safaris are available for more active guests. Archaeological sites, including San rock paintings, the ruins of Bryce's Store, the Rhodes Baobab, and Solomon's Wall, are accessible by vehicle and on foot.

Leopards can be seen throughout the year in Mashatu. The dry season (June to November) offers the best visibility as vegetation thins, but the reserve's habituated individuals are present throughout the year. October, when vegetation is at its most sparse and predators are concentrated near water, typically delivers the most reliable sightings. Africa Geographic's CEO has documented six leopard sightings in two days in Tuli — a figure that reflects the quality of encounters rather than exceptional luck.

Tuli offers a significantly different safari experience from the Okavango Delta and Chobe. It is drier, more historical, and more varied in activity. The landscape is harder and more arid: red rock, ancient baobabs, and the Limpopo floodplains, rather than the waterways and floodplains of northern Botswana. The wildlife is equally compelling but different in character: open-terrain leopards, massive elephant herds, and exceptional nocturnal wildlife on night drives not available in national parks. Tuli is an ideal complement to, or contrast with, a northern Botswana safari circuit.

Tuli is approximately 500km from both Johannesburg and Gaborone. The primary access for most guests is a road transfer via the Pont Drift border post between South Africa and Botswana, which is open from 08:00 to 16:00 (hours strictly enforced). A private airstrip within the Tuli conservation area can accommodate charter flights from South African, Zimbabwean, and Botswanan airports for guests preferring to fly in. The final section of road from Gaborone is untarred and may be in poor condition after rain. Always check the Limpopo River level before driving; the river is impassable to vehicles when in flood.

The green season (November to March/April) delivers the best birding in Tuli, as migrant species arrive in large numbers. White, black, and Abdim's storks sweep the grasslands in December; woodland kingfishers, southern carmine bee-eaters, and cuckoos arrive through November. Year-round residents include the Pel's fishing owl, martial eagle, lanner falcon, kori bustard, and more than 50 raptor species. Tuli's transition zone habitat, between the Kalahari Desert and the Lowveld bushveld, supports a higher diversity of bird families than either ecosystem alone.

The minimum age for most activities at Mashatu is guided by the reserve's character as a walking and unfenced safari destination. The open vehicles, walking safaris, and night drives that define the experience require a degree of physical engagement and behavioural awareness that is better suited to older children and adults. Families with young children should consult Africa Geographic's team before booking, as the minimum age guidelines are set by individual camps and can vary between activities.

1. Our safaris typically cost from US$700 per person, per night, depending on the accommodation comfort level, time of year and activities. This price usually includes accommodation, all meals, game drives, experienced guides, airport transfers, and 24/7 support from our team.

2. You only make your first payment when you book your holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 105 days before you travel.

3. Peak season bookings require 12–18 months of advance planning. Trips outside of peak season can be arranged 6–9 months ahead, with better rates and availability.

Yes — directly and measurably. Every booking at Mashatu includes a daily conservation levy that supports habitat protection, anti-poaching operations, and community employment programmes. Mashatu has made it policy for 30 years to employ guides and staff from the community villages on the periphery of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve; in many cases, current employees are children and grandchildren of those who worked at Mashatu across earlier generations. By booking through Africa Geographic, you additionally support our conservation publishing work and the ground-level conservation projects we fund through a portion of every safari sold.