As I sit overlooking a waterhole at the conclusion of another extraordinary Mashatu Hides & Predators Photo Tour, I reflect once again why this remarkable corner of Botswana holds such a special place in my heart—and why it continues to be the perfect setting for serious wildlife photography.
Mashatu Game Reserve embodies the essence of what makes African wilderness so captivating: in Winter, it’s a landscape of striking contradictions. At first glance, you might see an arid, seemingly harsh environment where ancient baobab trees stand sentinel over sun-baked earth. Yet look closer, and you'll discover a ecosystem absolutely teeming with life—a testament to nature's incredible resilience and adaptability.
This season has been particularly unique. Thanks to exceptional rainfall earlier this year causing most of Botswana to be in various stages of flooding, the usually dry Majale River continues to flow with life-giving water well into what would normally be the parched dry season. Our guide, with over 35 years of experience in these lands, hasn't witnessed water in the river at this time of year in more than three decades. It's been a truly unique experience, watching how this abundance of water has transformed both the landscape and wildlife behaviour.
One of the reasons why I choose Mashatu to fall as one of my scheduled African wildlife photography tours , and why it is a phenomenal wildlife photography destination is in part due to its remarkable predator population, particularly its Leopards. During our recent tour, we were privileged to encounter and photograph eight individual leopards—an incredible achievement that speaks to both the reserve's healthy ecosystem and the expertise of our guides. These elusive cats, normally among the most difficult African wildlife to photograph, thrive in Mashatu's diverse terrain of rocky outcrops, riverine forests, and open plains. Many of the spotted beauties found here are habituated to the safari vehicles which allows us the opportunity to spend hours of time in their presence without their care or negatively impacting their behaviour. This is key to capturing images that capture the spirit of the individual that we train our lenses upon, and the way that we as individuals interpret the sightings ourselves. We are able to connect with the nature and create our emotive experiences through our imagery.
The lions, too, provided us with some photographic opportunities: of course, some more engaging than others (yes, sleeping lions, I’m talking about you!). We witness a variety of behaviour from the lion we encountered that left us entranced as well as dismayed. One such entrancing sighting was a lioness who had made a kill in one of the tributaries that feeds the Majale River. Blood covered her face, but that was not the only reason why we were caught up in her energy. This lioness has 4 cubs, and they are not habituated to vehicles, unlike her. At the sound of vehicles, these little creatures went running for the hills. After looking and calling for her cubs, she saw them in the distance and went back to her meal. While we remained extremely quite and sensitive to the sighting, we captured some images of her while she was relaxing before chasing jackal away. The next day when we saw her in the same area, the cubs were still skittish but not as afraid. They will become habituated and used to the vehicles in the next upcoming weeks.
A harsh reality of nature too, was seeing the end result of an encounter between lion and leopard. We found the striking Motswiri female in a tree on our first morning game drive, but I noticed her behaviour was not relaxed. She was sitting in the tree as if she had climbed up to get away from something. She kept looking along the river bank, switching between calling her 10-month old cub, to growling and snarling. A vehicle radioed our guide to confirm that a lioness, who we had seen the previous night and was assumed to have likely stolen this leopard’s kill, was around seeking this leopard. Once the lioness was out of sight, Motswiri quickly climbed down the tree and trotted speedily across the dry areas of the river to the other side, continuing to go further down river.
Predicting where we thought she may appear, we went ahead and waited for her. She did not arrive after us waiting for a while. Deciding to drive into the area where she had perhaps stayed, we saw another leopard lying on the ground. It was her cub! We were all excited until I noticed something was wrong with his back. Approaching him slowly, we saw that his back had been broken and dried blood crusted the area. While we cannot confirm if it was a lion or another male leopard that did the damage, I believe it could have been the lioness and the male we had too, seen in the area. It was a scene full of deep sorrow. Not only had I seen, spent time with, and photographed this young male two months back, it is never easy to see an animal suffer. There was no evidence of his body later that afternoon. That was the last time we saw Motswiri on this tour: looking upon her cub from a distance.
With the abundance of rain, much of the Majale River is saturated with some water still flowing. Where the leaves of Mopane trees would typically be a mixture of rusty reds and sunset oranges, many where still green and large breeding herds were still gathered together to enjoy the continued bounty of food!. No African wildlife experience is complete without elephants, and Mashatu is fondly called “The Land of Giants” for a good reason! These giants remain a constant highlight, their presence adding both drama and tenderness to any photographic safari. During our morning excursion at the Matebole hide, we were treated to the magnificent sight of elephants coming to drink at the waterhole—a scene made even more special by the knowledge that, with water abundant in the rivers, the hide has been unusually quiet to what it would be typically during this season. I was heart-full that my guests got treated to such an experience and while it was much more relaxed given the circumstances, we still got to have a taste of a wonderful experience.
The hide experience at Mashatu offers something truly special for photographers. From the concealed vantage point, you become part of the landscape, able to observe and capture wildlife behaviour without disturbance. The anticipation, the sudden burst of activity when animals arrive, the intimate moments you witness—this is wildlife photography at its most authentic and rewarding.
Watching my guests' faces light up as elephants approached the waterhole is another reason why I chose Mashatu for my specialized tours. It's not just about the technical aspects of photography; it's about those heart-stopping moments when you realize you're witnessing something deeply special and unique.
What makes Mashatu exceptional for wildlife photography isn't just the abundance of subjects—it's the quality of light, the dramatic backdrops, and the sheer variety of photographic opportunities. From the possibility of evening silhouettes against the endless sky to the intimate portraits possible at the waterholes, every moment offers potential for that engaging shot.
The reserve's varied terrain provides diverse shooting opportunities within a single location. Rocky koppies offer elevated perspectives, riverine areas provide lush green backdrops, and open plains allow for those sweeping landscape shots that capture the essence of wild Africa.
As this tour concludes, I'm already anticipating my return in just two weeks as I lead a family on their private Okavango Delta & Mashatu Photo Tour. Each visit to Mashatu reveals exciting opportunities, new behaviours to be witness and photographed, new photographic opportunities. The combination of exceptional wildlife, stunning landscapes, and the ever-changing dynamics of the African wilderness ensures that no two trips are ever the same.
Mashatu isn't just a destination—it's a place where the harsh beauty of the African bush reveals its secrets to those patient enough to wait and skilled enough to capture them. For wildlife photographers seeking that perfect blend of challenge and reward, of raw wilderness and intimate encounters, Mashatu remains unparalleled.
This is why my Hides & Predators Photo Tour calls Mashatu home—because some places are simply too special, too alive, too magical to experience anywhere else.
For information on my scheduled photo tour departures, please email info@oryxphoto.com
For information on my private photo tour departures, please email private@oryxphoto.com
