Inside Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana’s little-known Safari haven

Inside Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana’s little-known Safari haven

Mashatu Game Reserve is a quiet safari haven in Botswana, known for vast landscapes, unfenced wildlife and camps rooted in the land.

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Mashatu Game Reserve spans 42,000 hectares where Botswana meets South Africa and Zimbabwe, offering vast landscapes and free-roaming wildlife.

In Botswana’s far eastern corner, where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet, Mashatu Game Reserve unfolds across 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of privately protected land in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve. It sits at the crossroads of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe — remote, quiet and strikingly varied. 

The landscape shifts from open plains and grasslands to riverine forests, rocky hills and sandstone ridges. Marshland gives way to wide skies. The setting feels vast but intimate at once. 

Mashatu defines Botswana’s wildlife scale

Mashatu’s unfenced borders allow wildlife to move freely across the region, creating one of southern Africa’s most diverse ecosystems. Known as the “Land of the Giants,” the reserve is home to the kori bustard, the world’s heaviest flying bird; the African elephant, the largest land mammal; and ancient baobab trees that anchor the horizon. Giraffes, ostriches and eland also roam these plains, each well adapted to the dry climate. 

Game drives often unfold at an unhurried pace. Lions rest in the shade. Elephants gather at waterholes. Guides, many of whom have worked here for years, track movement in the dust and share details that turn a sighting into a story.

Their knowledge from bird calls to animal behavior shapes the experience as much as the wildlife itself. 

“You haven’t been to Botswana unless you’ve been to Mashatu,” said Stephen Lansdown, owner and conservationist.

Camps rooted in the landscape 

Accommodation across Mashatu ranges from tented camps to private safari homes, each designed to reflect the surrounding terrain. 

Euphorbia Mashatu features eight villas inspired by the shape of the mopane pod, a nod to the tree that sustains wildlife during the dry winter months. Built with local materials, the villas blend curved lines with wide views of the reserve. Each includes indoor and outdoor showers, a private plunge pool and a deck known as “the Nest”, overlooking a ravine and open bush. 

Mashatu Lodge, set on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, centers on a nearby waterhole. Fourteen suites line the perimeter, offering privacy and direct views of passing wildlife.

Elephants often gather within sight, while kingfishers and other birds fill the air with sound. The design is understated, allowing the bush to remain the focal point. 

On the banks of the Limpopo River, Tuli Safari Lodge Mashatu pairs canvas and timber in eight elevated tented suites. Wraparound decks look onto gardens and sandstone outcrops.

The lodge includes a pool set against natural rock, a stargazing deck, walking trails and a vegetable garden that supplies the kitchen. 

For travelers seeking exclusivity, Kolokolo Safari Home and Shalimpo Safari Home are available on a private-use basis. Mashatu Tent Camp offers eight intimate tents for guests who prefer a closer connection to the bush.

Beyond the game drive 

Daily game drives at sunrise and sunset remain central to a stay here, with private vehicles available at select camps. Rangers tailor each outing, whether tracking predators or pausing to watch light shift across the plains. 

Dining is shaped by season and setting, with menus that draw on regional flavors and fresh produce. Meals are often served outdoors, under open skies. 

Guests can also opt for in-room spa treatments using locally sourced ingredients, a quiet counterpoint to time spent in the field. 

Mashatu does not rely on spectacle. Its appeal lies in space, wildlife and the steady rhythm of the land. For many visitors, that balance between comfort and wilderness is what lingers long after they leave.