“Nothing but breathing the air of Africa, and actually walking through it, can communicate the indescribable sensations.”

William Burchell

Why do you want to go there? Why don’t you go to the Okavango Delta or the Kalahari Desert?

This was the feedback we received when we told friends that we’re planning a trip to Botswana. They were partly right. We didn’t know what to expect from this area of Botswana that is so little known to safari people. A place people often don’t take into consideration despite its vast landscapes, protected wildlife and peacefulness.

A well hidden gem made for a trip off the beaten safari paths.

Wildlife
The Northern Tuli Game Reserve is a 72.000 gem in the Eastern sector of Botswana, bordering South Africa and Zimbabwe. It includes three private concessions: Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Safari Lodge and Nitani Private Game Reserve. It is home to three of the Big Five with rhino and buffalo absent. And leopard are abundant and a regular sight. And if you don’t spot an elephant, you’ll definitely see its smaller brother, the Tuli elephant shrew. One of the few places in Africa where you can see this cute, little mammal with the long nose.

Stunning scenery
What makes Tuli a gem is definitely its landscapes. It’s a dream for for every photographer as the bush is incredibly varied with rock formations that remind of us of Namibia and a network of riverbeds and forests as well as open grasslands and baobabs everywhere. The magnificent scenery formations covered in gold and bronze colors during sunsets is something that I will always remember.

Activities, done differently
Visitors have a range of usual and unusual activities to chose from – game drives, night game drives, bush walks, sleep-outs in the hides as well as horseback safaris, ballooning and mountain biking. Ever dreamed about a exploring the bush from the top of a horse? There are several operators such as Limpopo Horse Safaris, that make your dream come true.

Best time to go
For wildlife watching, the winter months (June till October) are definitely recommendable. However, as Tuli is in a semi-arid zone, it is worth a visit during the greener season of summer (November till May) when the bush is transformed into a dreamland of flowers.