Mashatu Game Reserve is also included in the World Heritage Site of Mapungubwe and whilst Mashatu Game Reserve is a favourite safari adventure destination, it is also world renowned for its diverse and significant cultural history.

Mmamagwa on Mashatu and Mapungubwe on the South African side of the border represented hilltop enclaves for the dynasty that existed at the time. What is not known is which of either Mapungubwe or Mmamagwa was more significant as components of the Kingdom enclaves. Mapungubwe was excavated soon after its discovery in 1933. Mmamagwa on Mashatu, on the other hand, remains largely unexplored and is a most spiritual place. These settlements were the precursor to Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo.

The area is home to early Stone Age sites, between 500 000 and one million years old, the origins of the San and the Khoi people, going back at least 120 000 years; well as much more modern history including confrontations between the Boer and British during the Anglo-Boer War.