Mashatu Lodge
Mashatu Lodge is in the Mashatu Game Reserve, which is situated at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve of Botswana. The 29,000 hectare private reserve is rich in both wildlife and bird life. Children of all ages are welcome.
Accommodation & Facilities
Mashatu Lodge comprises 14 air-conditioned luxury suites, each with an en-suite bathroom and a lounge area from which you can watch the wildlife in the surrounding bush in comfort. Each suite at Mashatu Lodge can accommodate four guests. There are two inter-leading family suites and two suites with a king size bed, a small double and single bed. All the other suites have a double bed, small double and single bed. The lodge has a deck, boma, bar, lounge and dining area. The pool has a large step for children to sit on but children must be accompanied by an adult when swimming here. The pool is not heated, but in this semi-desert region, a fresh swim is a pleasant relief from the warm sunny days.
Eating & Sleeping
Children under the age of five are not permitted to dine in the boma but the chef is happy to provide children’s food at meal times to suit. Children’s menu choices include BBQ Chicken drumsticks and chips, spaghetti Bolognese, macaroni cheese, margarita pizza, cheese quesadillas etc. Specific dietary requirements can be accommodated with prior notice.
A babysitting service is available if parents would like to dine later than the children.
Wildlife & Activities
The Mashatu Game Reserve is renowned for having the largest herds of elephant on private land in Africa. There are also lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, zebra, giraffe, baboon as well as many plains antelope. Along with drives in open safaris vehicles, guests can (as an optional extra) take guided bush walks, or explore the area by mountain bike, or horse back. There is the opportunity to visit the ‘elephant hide’ which is at ground level by a waterhole frequented by elephants and lots of other wildlife. Pre-booking this unforgettable experience is advised.
Specifically for children …
There is much for children to do here and leading the activities (geared towards children aged 12 years and under) is Gaone Ratsoma who has many years’ experience running children’s programmes. She has an infectious, bubbly personality and children naturally gravitate to her fun-filled nature. Many of these activities are run in the lodge’s Discovery Room, a mini museum, filled with elephant skulls, animal bones, teeth, spoor, and where pottery, tools, beads and other items from previous civilisations are on display. Activities will depend on the time of the year and the numbers of days the children are in camp. A Mashatu backpack including an interactive check-list, bird colouring book, coloured pencils and sharpener, compass and thermometer, and water is given to each child between the ages of four and 12.
