Mashatu Tent Camp

Guests at Mashatu Camp can enjoy a comfortable safari experience in the heart of the bus, with just a canvas wall between them and Botswana’s extraordinary natural world.

The 8 luxury tents are spaced out so that guests can enjoy their privacy and relax undisturbed. Each of the tents is raised on a concrete platform, with a wooden verandah at the front of the room so that guests can look out over the woodlands and grassy plains, and dry bush.

The tents are large and have plenty of space for moving around. The bedrooms feature either double or two single beds which are fitted with soft linen sheets and plush pillows, as well as a desk and bedside table. Two fans are included in each room so that temperatures can be kept comfortable. The tents lead on to a private outdoor en-suite with a WC, vanity and shower.

The showers are large and separated from the rest of the bathroom by natural wooden fences, allowing guests to shower under the stars after a day of exciting safari activities in peace.

Guests will be treated to three delicious meals each day. Light breakfast and brunch are served on the shaded terrace, as well as afternoon tea with a selection of sweet and savoury treats. Guests can enjoy a mouth-watering dinner sat around a roaring boma.

This traditional dining layout allows guests to get to know each other as tribal leaders would. The food at Mashatu Tent Camp is an array of flavoursome traditional African cuisine. Meals are usually homely and consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, tender meat, and a selection of homemade bread and pies. Grab a drink from the camp’s bar and enjoy a relaxing evening of socialising under the African stars.

Travel across the bush in a 4×4 safari vehicle and explore the vast Mashatu Game Reserve. The safari vehicles are fully open-topped, meaning that nothing will obstruct your view of incredible creatures such as the elephants, giraffe, ostriches and elands which roam the land of the giants. Game drives are available both in the morning and afternoon and allow guests to get up close to amazing wildlife. Capture stunning photographs and learn interesting facts about both the game and reserve from the knowledgeable camp guides.

Explore the bush on foot on a walking safari, and experience the Mashatu landscape more intimately. Wander around Mashatu at your own pace, without the noise of an engine to startle any nearby game. Your experienced guide will be able to teach you how to recognise tracks and follow clues in the bush to incredible game viewing opportunities.

You can also tailor your experience and find a specific species that interest you. Look out for abundant birdlife such as the carmine bee-eater and kori bustard – the world’s heaviest flying bird – and observe wildlife in a completely natural and unfenced environment.

Venture out into the bush, as the classic explorers did, on the back of a horse. Take one of the camp’s well-trained horses and gallop alongside herds of antelope and zebra. Race across the dry plains as the golden sun sinks below the horizon, and immerse yourself in the vast and open landscape. Horse safaris can be extended into a multi day adventure for those wishing to travel and explore further. For safety reasons, horse riding is only available for experienced riders.

Embark on a cycling safari on one of the camp’s mountain bikes, and explore the game trails and elephants paths that meander through the varied landscape of the Mashatu Game Reserve. Explore the bush with the wind in your hair, and travel across the dusty plains at your own pace. View beautiful flora and fauna without causing any harm to the environment

Escape to the shade of a photographic game viewing hide and watch oblivious game and predators as they gather to sip from the water’s edge. Watch wildlife as they behave completely naturally and undisturbed and capture amazing photographs. The photographic viewing hide has been positioned in order to get good light and angles of the waterhole, and the resident photographer from Mashatu Lodge will be able to teach you how to capture your best images and record these special memories.

In order to raise funds for ecological preservation, conservation of wildlife and to support local communities and help them retain their culture, Mashatu charges each guest a daily levy of $10 per night.

‘Most areas in Africa, which are earmarked for the conservation of wildlife and natural environment, are realising the increasing necessity for ecological preservation and support of the communities who live on the periphery of these areas, as well as the retention of their culture.

In addition to the major contribution which the custodians of these sanctuaries make, they garner additional support from guests who enjoy these areas. This is done by way of charging the guests a daily levy, which is earmarked for conservation, community and culture.’

Pack for a Purpose is an initiative that encourages travellers to benefit local communities by using spare suitcase space to bring much-needed supplies for their Conservation Education Program and Women’s Craft Groups. Supplies can be dropped off at your accommodation and will be used to aid a local project, such as craft groups, where local woman are taught skills that allow them to make traditional and non-traditional items such as traditional basketwork, hand-sewn and embroidered products and hand-beaded glass and food nets.

These items can then be sold to provide incomes, start small businesses and even support the construction of homes.

Mashatu supports Children in the Wilderness, a non-profit organisation that works to educate children about the environment and the importance of conservation. The Children in the Wilderness programme hosts Eco-Clubs and camps to educate children from rural communities in Africa about their local wildlife areas and how they can help protect them in the future.

Mashatu closes its Tented Camp for 12 days each year in order to facilitate two six-day camps for children between the ages of 10 and 14. The Camp Director gathers mentors and volunteers to run educational activities and inspire children to conserve their local wildlife and heritage. The camp also offers interactive workshops on conservation, environmental management, the geography and geology of the area, culture, HIV/AIDS, nutrition and why wildlife is important.

‘Our Children in the Wilderness programme at Mashatu is an environmental and life skills educational programme for children, focusing on the next generation of decision-makers; inspiring them to care for their natural heritage and to become the custodians of these areas in future.’

The animals that live within the Mashatu Game Reserve are not constrained by fences or barriers and are free to come and go as they please. This means that the wildlife is not forced to survive within a certain environment and reduces stress. The game within the reserve chooses to live there. Mashatu is also home to the largest herd of elephant on privately owned land in Africa and provides a refuge for these giant creatures to protect them from poachers.

Mashatu camps are small and cater for an exclusive number of guests. This decision limits the number of tourists and therefore the environmental impact that tourism has on the reserve. Mashatu offer alternatives to 4×4 safaris in order to reduce the number of vehicles on the reserve, such as horse safaris, bike safaris and guided walks. This means that tourist impose less on the landscape and pollution is kept to a minimum.