Northern Tuli Game reserve Travel Guide
The largest private game reserve in Botswana offers a unique safari experience in an ancient landscape.
Situated in the eastern corner of the country, where Botswana’s borders meet South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Northern Tuli Game Reserve is a remarkable conservation success story, of private land set aside as a sanctuary for wildlife and wilderness.
Covering a massive 178 000 acres, the Northern Tuli Game Reserve is one of the largest privately owned reserves in southern Africa, conserving an incredible diversity of animal life and landscapes. With just a handful of private concessions within the reserve, travellers can look forward to expert safari guides and unique wildlife encounters.
Northern Tuli Game Reserve offers a safari experience entirely different from the tourism hotspots of Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta in the north of the country. [hyperlink these]
Here where the Shashe and Limpopo Rivers define the borders of three countries you’ll find a dramatic landscape of rocky outcrops and inselbergs, of ancient baobab trees and lush riverine forest. It’s equally a landscape of ancient history, of San rock art and the Iron Age settlements of the 1000-year-old Mapungubwe World Heritage Site set just across the border in South Africa.
Expert safari guides will bring this incredible landscape to life on daily safari drives to discover the region’s wildlife. Northern Tuli Game Reserve is home to some of the highest concentrations of elephants in Africa, alongside large numbers of lion, leopard, cheetah and large herbivores.
The Northern Tuli Game Reserve is also, like so much of Botswana, a must-visit for keen birders. More than 350 species have been identified here, including the rare Egyptian Vulture and Pel’s Fishing Owl
Just a handful of luxury lodges share the landscape of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, and as they are situated on private land, not within a national park, are able to offer remarkable night drives, bush walks, mountain biking and horse-back safaris.
Forget about hopping onto Zagat for a restaurant recommend. During your stay in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve you’ll enjoy all of your meals at your chosen luxury lodge.
Lodge chefs pride themselves on ensuring the dining experience is as memorable as the safari drives, from lantern-lit bush dinners to sumptuous afternoon tea served before your evening safari drive. During your stay you’ll also enjoy, weather permitting, an unforgettable dinner in the ‘boma’. These outdoor enclosures, typically situated near the lodge, are the perfect setting for enjoying the al fresco barbecue feast of traditional African dishes.
Cotton clothing in neutral colours is best on safari, and pack items that will allow you to dress in layers: a warm fleece for cool morning safari drives, and airy cotton shirts for the heat of the afternoon. Don’t forget a swimming costume for the lodge pool, and plenty of sunscreen.
Lodges usually offer a safari boutique stocking personal hygiene basics, branded clothing and souvenirs, but don’t forget your camera, spare memory cards and specific charging cables.
The Tuli region is an excellent year-round safari destination. Summer (October-March) is the most scenic time to visit, as brief afternoon thunderstorms bring rain that transforms the landscape into a sea of green. Summer is also ideal for birding, with the arrival of migrant species. The dry winter months (May-October) bring cool nights and mild days, with excellent game viewing as animals congregate at the permanent waterholes.
The risk of malaria in Northern Tuli Game Reserve is extremely low. Consult your travel doctor at least three weeks before departure for professional advice.
A reserve bordered by three countries? Click here to find the Tuli region on a map of southern Africa.
Scheduled flights link Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport with the airport at Polokwane, a two-hour drive from the Northern Tuli Game Reserve. However, private air charters (from Johannesburg, or further afield)) offer more convenient direct access to the Limpopo Valley Airfield, conveniently situated for lodges in the Reserve.
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