It’s been a good summer for rainfall in Southern Africa, and farmers are getting ready for a bumper harvest. It’s welcome news too for wildlife and walking safaris, as parched bushveld has been transformed in just a few months.
Nowhere better illustrates this change than the semi-arid lands skirting the Kalahari desert. Mashatu Game Reserve gets an average of just 24 days a year when rain falls, often in the form of thunderstorms. This year it exceeded the average over the summer months, and the result is clear in the video below, with the land carpeted in the yellow flowers of Devil Thorn (Tribulus Terrestris) which the elephants love to munch.
In April, the reserve will reopen and Walk Mashatu will welcome walkers back for the 2021 season. It promises to the best time to visit for many years. Walkers in April can expect day time temperatures in the range 18-30°C, and perhaps occasional showers. From May on, it will be dry with chilly nights and perfect morning walking temperatures.
Walking safaris at Mashatu feature in Walking Safaris of South Africa.
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