After the rains… a photographer’s dream.

Green season at Mashatu Game Reserve

Is situated in the eastern extremes of the Kalahari Desert and has had 92% rain-free days a year over the past 23 years.  This means we only have an average of 30 days rain a year and most of that happens between December and February as giant evening thunderstorms.

In the aftermath of these rains, Mashatu’s landscape undergoes an incredible transformation.  Within days, the open plains that are dust bowls through the winter months evolve into fields of green with carpets of yellow flowers. It’s a spectacular sight for those lucky enough to be visiting over this period.

The yellow flowers are commonly known as Devil Thorn (Tribulus terrestris), so named because of the hard spikes of the fruit. Many animals enjoy browsing these plants including impala, kudu and baboons. Cheetahs and Lions are attracted to the large concentration of game in the area and are also regularly seen.

This is also the time of the year when the kudu and wildebeest start calving and large herds of elephant return to the area to take advantage of the new vegetation. With all this abundance of game set in a beautiful backdrop, it’s not surprising Mashatu green season has become a “must see” destination for photographers.

As I write this blog entry we’ve had 60mm rain over the last two days and it’s still coming down.  It’s so beautiful to be here and witness the bush coming alive, the animals relishing the rain and the rivers starting to flow…It’s truly a sight to behold.

We look forward to welcoming the photographers from all around the world who will be arriving soon to capture this natural marvel unique to Mashatu Game Reserve.

Photos and Text by Janet Kleyn