Cape Town is Southern Africa’s most beautiful, most romantic and most visited city. Its physical setting is extraordinary, something its pre-colonial Khoikhoi inhabitants acknowledged when they referred to Table Mountain, the city’s most famous landmark, as Hoerikwaggo – the mountains in the sea. Even more extraordinary is that so close to the national park that extends over much of the peninsula, there’s a pumping metropolis with a nightlife that matches the city’s wildlife. You can hang out with baboons and zebras at Cape Point in the morning, dine at an Atlantic seaboard bistro for lunch, tipple at a Constantia wine estate in the afternoon and party the night away in a Long Street club. All in a Cape Town day.
More than a scenic backdrop, Table Mountain is the solid core of Cape Town, dividing the city into distinct zones with public gardens, wilderness, forests, hiking routes, vineyards and desirable residential areas trailing down its lower slopes. Standing on the tabletop, you can look north for a giddy view of the city centre, its docks lined with matchbox ships. To the west, beyond the mountainous Twelve Apostles, the drop is sheer and your eye sweeps across Africa’s priciest real estate, clinging to the slopes along the chilly but spectacularly beautiful Atlantic seaboard. To the south, the mountainsides are forested and several historic vineyards and the marvellous Botanical Gardens creep up the lower slopes. Beyond the oak-lined suburbs of Newlands and Constantia lies the warmer False Bay seaboard, which curves around towards Cape Point. Finally, relegated to the grim industrial east, are the coloured townships and black ghettos, spluttering in winter under the smoky pall of coal fires – your stark introduction to Cape Town when driving in from the airport on the eastern outskirts of the city.
To appreciate Cape Town you need to spend time outdoors, as Capetonians do: they hike, picnic or sunbathe, often choose mountain bikes in preference to cars, and turn adventure activities into an obsession. Sailboarders from around the world head for Table Bay for some of the world’s best windsurfing, and the brave (or unhinged) jump off Lion’s Head and paraglide down close to the Clifton beachfront. But the city offers sedate pleasures as well, along its hundreds of paths and 150km of beaches.
Mashatu is the epitome of all that defines wilderness areas in Africa. A hidden gem situated in Botswana, Mashatu Game Reserve consists of 42,000 hectares of privately owned land in the conserved wilderness area known as the Northern Tuli Game Reserve.
Nestled in the remote eastern corner of Botswana, where the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers meet, Mashatu boasts a landscape of wide plains, lush forests, rugged hills, and ancient ridges, creating an unparalleled ecological diversity.
Named the “Land of the Giants” after the local Mashatu trees, and guardian to the largest population of elephants in private game reserve in Southern Africa, and renowned for incredible big cat sightings.
Our camps, including Euphorbia Mashatu, Kolokolo Safari Home, Mashatu Lodge, Tuli Safari Lodge Mashatu, Mashatu Tent Camp and Shalimpo Safari Home; welcoming you to wilderness luxury, comfort, and adventure.
Experience daily game drives at sunrise and sunset, where you’ll connect with the essence of the African wilderness. Mashatu Game Reserve is where nature’s captivating story unfolds.
