Migrant Birds and Baby Antelope Arrive at Mashatu in Tuli

Ask a Mashatu guide how they know summer has truly begun and the answer is unlikely to be a storm. More often it is a bird: the red-chested cuckoo, which arrives back in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve each November and calls its three notes from the high branches well before the first heavy rains. Mashatu, a 42,000-hectare private game reserve tucked into Botswana's far eastern corner, is encouraging travellers to time their visits around this seasonal shift, when migrant birds return and young animals appear across the plains.

On the reserve, November falls between two very different months. October is the driest and hottest part of the year, when animals gather around whatever water remains. December follows with frequent afternoon storms and flash floods. Between them, November marks the turning point. Summer is well under way, the air grows more humid, and convectional thunderstorms start to become likely, although the main rains typically arrive about a month later. Guests see a season of new arrivals rather than one of hardship.

Migrant birds come home

More than 350 bird species have been recorded at Mashatu, and in November the resident birds are joined by species returning from wintering further north. The reserve's seasonal notes list woodland kingfishers, southern carmine bee-eaters and cuckoos among the migrants that begin to arrive this month. After a good rainfall, the monotonous lark, a small but very loud bird, starts calling from nearly every treetop, by day and by night.

Birds of prey are one of the reserve's strengths, with more than 50 raptor species on record. Tawny, martial and African hawk eagles hunt across the open ground, and the riverine forest beside the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers holds owls such as the Pel's fishing owl. On the plains, guests regularly see ostrich and kori bustard, two of Mashatu's seven "giants", along with the southern ground hornbill.

Keen birders will find that the variety of habitat is what makes a Botswana safari here so rewarding in November. Grassland, mopane woodland, rocky sandstone ridges, marsh and thick riverine forest all fall within one reserve, which means a single morning drive can pass through quite different bird communities with no long transfers in between.

Young animals on the move

November's second theme is new life. Eland calving begins in October, and impala give birth to their first fawns as the early rains draw near. By November, the reserve's records show more young impala, zebra, wildebeest and kudu. Unsteady lambs and foals keeping pace with their herds are a frequent sight, and the predators are paying attention.

Lion, leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena, the reserve's main predators, are sighted on Mashatu almost every day. Because the bush is still fairly open after the dry season and herds are drawn to the first green shoots, guides can often track predator activity at close range. The average Mashatu guide has 14 years on the reserve, and some have been guiding there for 42 years, so guests benefit from deep local knowledge when interpreting behaviour around young animals.

Elephants are ever present. Mashatu is known for the largest elephant herds on any private game reserve in Africa, and as summer advances, migrant herds arrive to feed on the fresh growth.

Choosing a base for the season

Accommodation is spread across the reserve, so travellers can choose a style of stay that fits the reason for their trip. Euphorbia Mashatu has five-star safari villas. Mashatu Lodge, with 14 luxury suites, works well for families. On the bank of the Limpopo River, Tuli Safari Lodge Mashatu offers eight luxury tented suites, and Mashatu Tent Camp has eight private tents for those after a more intimate bush stay. Groups wanting exclusive use can book Kolokolo Safari Home, Fika Futi Safari Camp or Shalimpo Safari Camp.

Compared with other Botswana lodges, this range is especially handy for birders and photographers. Staying by the river places guests near the forest birds of the Limpopo, while camps deeper in the reserve are closer to the open plains where young antelope collect. The reserve's award-winning photographic hides give eye-level views at water and are ideal for capturing birds that come down to drink in the heat.

Handling the summer heat

In November, temperatures at Mashatu typically run from a low of about 22°C to a high of about 37°C. Game drives follow the season's rhythm, heading out in the early morning and late afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day. Middays are for resting in the shade and watching what happens around camp. Clouds often gather in the afternoon and build into storms that cool things down and cast striking light over the landscape. Even so, the reserve has recorded 93% rain-free days a year over 24 years, so most days still bring plenty of clear sky.

Besides game drives, guests can explore on foot, by bicycle or on horseback, each of which shows the reserve from a different angle. Walking is particularly good for birding, since it gives time to pause, listen and pick out calls that are easily missed from a vehicle.

Travel and access

Limpopo Valley Airfield, an international airport inside the reserve, allows guests to fly straight in without first landing elsewhere to clear Botswana customs. Flights from Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg are arranged through Mashatu Connect. Driving takes about 6.5 hours from Johannesburg and roughly two hours from Polokwane Airport, with guests crossing the Limpopo River at the Pont Drift Border Post. If the river is flooding, the crossing is done by cable car, something that becomes more likely as the summer rains increase.

A stay that gives back

Mashatu lies within the unfenced Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Park, where animals roam freely across Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. A daily conservation levy, set aside for conservation, community and culture, is included in every booking, and for over 30 years the reserve has prioritised people from neighbouring villages for jobs and services. For travellers looking for a Botswana safari lodge with a lasting commitment to the land around it, this is part of what every stay helps sustain.

For camp information, seasonal advice and the latest offers, visit https://mashatu.com/.

About Mashatu

Mashatu Game Reserve is a 42,000-hectare privately owned reserve in eastern Botswana's Northern Tuli Game Reserve, at the meeting point of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers and the borders of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Known for its big elephant herds, frequent predator sightings and more than 350 bird species, the reserve offers lodges, tented camps and exclusive-use safari homes, as well as walking, cycling, horseback and photographic safaris.