Euphorbia Mashatu
Southern Africa
Euphorbia Mashatu
Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
www.kaelodestinations.com/euphorbia-mashatu/
HOTEL INFORMATION
Group
Kaelo Destinations
Shareholders
Privately Owned: 70% by Mashatu Investments (Pty) Ltd trading as Kaelo Destinations, 30% by Botswana Development
Date of Creation
October 2021
Hotel General Manager
Elias Molapong holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Management and extensive hospitality experience. He joined the Mashatu team in January 2021 and, after working at several properties within the portfolio, was appointed General Manager of Euphorbia Mashatu in August 2023. Elias leads the lodge with a strong focus on operational excellence, team leadership, and the delivery of consistently high service standards.
Hotel Positioning
5-star Luxury Safari Villas
Development Strategy
Euphorbia Mashatu will be positioned as a premier luxury safari experience in Southern Africa through curated partnerships, increased trade visibility, and alignment with leading global travel networks. As part of Mashatu Game Reserve, the focus is on reinforcing its reputation for exclusivity, exceptional guiding, and conservation-led tourism. The strategy targets discerning and ultra-high-net-worth travellers across established and emerging markets, while expanding the luxury client base and identifying sustainable growth opportunities through selective market development and strategic collaborations.
Euphorbia Mashatu
History & Story
Euphorbia Mashatu’s story is inseparable from that of Mashatu Game Reserve, a privately owned conservation area in Botswana’s Northern Tuli Game Reserve, where South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana converge. The reserve was created with a long-term vision of restoring wilderness, protecting wildlife corridors, and demonstrating that responsible tourism could play a meaningful role in conservation and community upliftment.
Mashatu, known as Land of the Giants, is renowned for its large elephant herds, exceptional predator sightings and strikingly diverse landscapes. With an international airstrip located in the reserve, guests can fly directly into Mashatu for seamless access.
Nestled in an exquisite Euphorbia forest, Euphorbia Mashatu is the embodiment of five-star luxury set deep within vast, untamed wilderness. An exclusive sanctuary where thoughtful architectural elegance exists in perfect harmony with the raw, intricate beauty of the landscape. A place where every detail is curated for an exceptional experience for the discerning traveller seeking both transformative adventure and profound relaxation.
The eight private villas are architectural masterpieces, their graceful forms inspired by the indigenous Mopane pod. This unique design draws the surrounding nature in, while the use of sustainable practices including solar power ensure your luxury escape leaves a light footprint on this precious environment.
Each villa is completely private with spacious interiors and exteriors, luxurious amenities, indoor and outdoor showers and inviting plunge pools with incredible views of the surrounding wilderness.
The “nest lookout” offers spectacular views of Mashatu Game Reserve and the Majale River below – the ultimate sunrise setting.
Exclusivity takes centre stage, with just four guests per safari vehicle and the privilege of only three vehicles per wildlife sighting. The Euphorbia experience goes beyond the ordinary, with a range of adventure activities: game drives; night drives; walking, cycling and horse safaris; community visits; professional photographic hides (day and overnight); fly-camping sleepouts; and soothing in-villa spa treatments.
As the sun sets, the focus shifts to fireside enchantment where the culinary team crafts delectable dishes with an authentic African twist, served in intimate lodge settings under uplit Euphorbia candelabra and a night sky full of stars. Euphorbia Mashatu is where world-class design, refined service, and the wild heart of Africa converge for a journey you won’t forget.
Date Renewal
No major refurbishments have been needed for the lodge; however, the solar plant has been upgraded to power the whole of Euphorbia Mashatu.
Date added extensions
N/A
Main Strengths, Special Touch
• Exclusive luxury safari within the private Mashatu Game Reserve.
• Contemporary villas with a unique design that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
• Private plunge pools and panoramic views.
• Exceptional game viewing, world-class guiding, and a private safari experience with up to three vehicles per sighting only.
• Adventure activities including cycling, walking, horseback, and night safaris; photographic hides; spa treatments; culture, heritage, and community visits.
• Sustainable, conservation-led approach.
• Personalised, private, and authentic safari experience.
Location
Mashatu is the epitome of all that defines wilderness areas in Africa. A hidden gem situated in Botswana, Mashatu Game Reserve consists of 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of privately owned land in the conserved wilderness area known as the Northern Tuli Game Reserve.
The reserve lies in the remote eastern corner of Botswana where the great Limpopo and Shashe Rivers converge, where Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe come together. This exceptionally diverse landscape includes wide open plains, grassland, riverine forests, rocky hills, marshland and majestic sandstone ridges.
Key sites/activities in the area
• Morning and afternoon game drives.
• Night drives.
• Walking safaris.
• Community visits.
• Photographic hides: Matebole (day sessions – up to 8 pax) and Lala Limpopo sleep-out hide (up to 4 pax). Guests do not have to be photographers to partake in these experiences. Hides are closed for December – February.
• Night under the stars experience (fly-camp)
• Cycling safaris (e-bikes and mountain bike).
• Horse safaris (for experienced riders).
• Archaeological ruins.
• Serokolo spa (in-room spa treatments available).
Fun Facts
Mashatu Game Reserve is known as “Land of the Giants”: Mashatu has one of the largest elephant populations for a private reserve in Africa.
Mashatu named Best Game Reserve in Southern Africa 2025 by World Luxury Travel Awards.
Wildlife documentary – « Mashatu – Land of Leopards »: launched in 2026, and aired on Nat Geo Wild, February 2026. Mashatu has become well known for exceptional leopard sightings.
Private land: with 42000 hectares of unfenced traversing.
Diverse landscapes: a true wilderness with a diversity of ecosystems and a variety of interesting landscapes
Euphorbia Mashatu is named for the landscape: the lodge takes its name from the ancient euphorbia trees scattered across Mashatu Game Reserve.
Expert guides: with an average tenure of 14 years, with some guiding the way for an impressive 40+ years.
An all-year destination: green and shoulder season specials are during the typical ‘rainy-season’ for African Safaris, but Mashatu has 93% rain-free days a year.
Since 2024, the Land of the Giants Cycling Event has raised over BWP 1,9 Million for anti-poaching and regional conservation.
Children’s Corner
Minimum age 16. (Exceptions may be made for exclusive-use/full-buy-out bookings).
HOTEL FEATURES
Accommodation
• Number of villas: 8
Restaurants & Bars
Restaurants: Euphorbia Mashatu offers an all-inclusive , gourmet dining experience. There are multiple dining areas: indoor, outdoor (covered), outdoor (boma – under the starts) and optional private dining.
Bars: one indoor bar/lounge and multiple seating areas. A curated selection of beverages are inclusive, while some premium drinks are available separately.
Wellness
In-room spa treatments available; private plunge pool per villa; yoga mats and weights provided in each villa.
Corporate & Celebration Events
N/A
Extra Notable Features
N/A
Hotel and restaurant Awards
2025
• LuxLife Magazine – Mashatu Game Reserve – Best Wilderness Retreat & Game Reserve 2025.
• 2025 World Travel Awards – Mashatu Game Reserve – Best Game Reserve Southern Africa.
2024
• Safari Awards – Euphorbia Mashatu – Best New Safari Property Finalist.
Number of employees
32