OUR HISTORY
PHOTO VEHICLE
Enjoy the most amazing photographic experience when joining us in Mashatu Game Reserve. We own and manage state-of-the-art photographic hides and a specially designed photo vehicle, ensuring guests capture the best of Mashatu's wildlife. Our team of resident wildlife photographers, experts in both photography and the Mashatu ecosystem, provide personalized guidance and expertise in the hides and on the photo vehicle. Guests can also book 1-hour tutor sessions at camp between drives. The hides and PhotoMashatu services are available as additional activities for guests at any Mashatu Game Reserve camps, with advance booking recommended. All guests are accompanied by a PhotoMashatu guide to enhance their photographic experience.
LALA LIMPOPO SLEEP-OUT HIDE
Building on the success of our renowned Matebole Hide and the many award-winning photographs captured from it, we are thrilled to introduce a completely new experience for photography enthusiasts and wildlife lovers alike. A unique underground sleep-out hide that allows you to observe and photograph the nocturnal species of Mashatu Game Reserve.
With innovative lighting, our tried and trusted underground hide expertise, and a comfortable suite to relax in - you can now create incredible never-before-seen images from dusk till dawn.
Imagine relaxing in a cozy suite, looking through windows at ground level and watching elephants drinking some 3 meters away. Nighttime sensors around the waterhole alert you to animal presence, ensuring you never miss a photo opportunity. Custom lights enable you to capture stunning nighttime scenes, with a control panel to adjust light strength as well as side, front or back light options.
Details:
Accommodates 4 individuals comfortably in two bedrooms, plus 1 tour leader.
Features a kitchen, lounge, bathroom facilities, courtyard, and the highlight: an eye-level photographic "area."
Meals are conveniently delivered directly to the hide.
Hide session begin at 4pm and ends at 9am the following day.
Booked on exclusive use only.
Recommended lenses: From wide angle to ultra-zoom lenses: 16-35, 24-70mm, 70-200mm and up to 500/600mm lens.
Exclusive Access:
Accommodates only 4 guests, providing an intimate, private experience to observe and photograph from dusk till dawn.
Nocturnal Photography:
Capture nocturnal wildlife activity with custom lighting, enabling you to create stunning nighttime images.
Unique Sleep-Out Experience:
Comfortable sleeping arrangements within a hide that offers both accommodation and a prime viewing location.
Innovative Design:
Equipped with lighting controlled by remote, ground-level windows, and sensors to alert you to nearby wildlife, ensuring you never miss a shot.
MATEBOLE UNDERGROUND HIDE
At a waterhole situated where many elephant paths converge, a shipping container has been converted into a hide and strategically sunk into the ground in prime elephant habitat. Inside, you look out the window openings at ground level, offering a unique perspective as if lying on your stomach and looking upwards. The hide is sturdy, completely elephant-proof, allowing you to watch and photograph the animals with ease as they go about their business.
The Matebole Hide is in an ecotone between mopane grasslands and the denser central game-viewing region of Mashatu. This unique combination of habitats supports a wide diversity of bird and mammal species. In the dry season, elephants migrate daily through this region, moving north in the evenings to feed and returning south in the mornings. The Matebole Hide is situated along these main migratory routes, ensuring frequent elephant visits.
The hide comfortably accommodates up to eight photographers, allowing them to lay out their lenses and capture the classic scenes of Mashatu as they unfold before them.
Details:
Accommodates 8 people and is booked per person on a shared basis.
A choice of morning or an afternoon session, lasting about three hours
There are options to book the hide on an exclusive use basis and for full days.
Recommended lenses: From wide angle to ultra-zoom lenses: 16-35mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm and up to a 500/600mm lenses.
Prime Location:
Situated at a waterhole where elephant paths converge, ensuring frequent wildlife visits, especially during dry seasons.
Diverse Species:
The hide is located in an ecotone between mopane grasslands and denser areas, attracting a wide range of bird and mammal species.
Unique Ground-Level Perspective:
Capture wildlife from a low angle, offering an intimate and immersive photographic experience.
Comfortable Setup for Photographers:
Accommodates up to 8 photographers with ample space to lay out lenses and gear for uninterrupted shooting.
PHOTO VEHICLE
The Photo Vehicle is a fully customized design, boasting support for bean bags and cameras to ensure efficient and stable photography. It features cushioned, dustproof, and waterproof storage compartments for quick access to your lenses and other photographic gear. With two rows that can accommodate up to 4 people, the vehicle is ideally suited for 2 individuals, each having a row to themselves.
This unique vehicle combines the comfort of a private vehicle with an exclusive photographic journey. Alongside the Mashatu ranger/driver, a dedicated Photo Mashatu wildlife photographer joins you, providing technical and compositional guidance, predicting animal
behaviour, and skilfully positioning the vehicle to capture the best lighting, angles, and surroundings for your photography.
Ultimately, the Photo Vehicle delivers a very productive photographic adventure, enabling you to seize all the visual opportunities during your game drive.
Customised for Photographers:
Features support for bean bags, waterproof storage for camera gear, and ample space to spread out equipment.
Guided by Experts:
A dedicated wildlife photographer accompanies the drive, helping with technical and compositional guidance.
Flexible Setup:
The vehicle is designed to accommodate up to 4 people, offering personalised space for optimal photography angles.
Perfect Positioning:
The vehicle driver and photographer work together to position you for the best light, terrain, and animal behavior for incredible shots.