THE WEATHER
The climate over most of southern Africa is
temperate. Hot, humid conditions are usually
encountered in the Tuli region. Heavy summer
thunderstorms of short duration in the late
afternoon and evening may be experienced. Rainfall
occurs mostly during the summer months (December -
March).
January:
Average Temperatures: Max: 37° C/99° F Min: 24°
C/75° F
The New Year begins with the area looking lush
with verdant plains and dense greenery. There is
copious standing water in the veldt, due to heavy
summer rains that normally begin in early December.
Zebra and Waterbuck begin to give birth to their
young. Kudu start calving towards the end of the
month. Elephants are to be found in large numbers,
with migrant herds moving into the area. Enormous
herds of up to 200 congregate, with all taking
advantage of the new green vegetation. Temperatures
may be high, reaching between 35°c and 40°c.
Fortunately the heat may be moderated in the
afternoons and early evenings, by the build-up of
clouds and the possibility of a welcome
thundershower. Cheetah normally also make an
appearance, drawn to the area by concentrations of
Impala moving from the woodlands into the open
plains. The Impala are lured out by the tender new
grass shoots, which cover the plains in delicate
shades of green, particularly to the north and east
of the Majale River. If the rains have been
plentiful, the Limpopo River may be flowing strongly
and there is a good chance of flash floods occurring
in the Majale, Pitsani, Nyaswe and Matabole Rivers.
February:
Average Temperatures: Max: 40° C/104° F Min: 23°
C/73° F
This is one of the hottest months of the year,
with temperatures soaring. The conditions are
similar to those of January. Kudus continue to calve
and there is a good chance of seeing late Impala
lambs, tottering along on spindly, wobbling legs
behind their mothers. Due to the excessive heat, the
animals wisely begin to seek shade before 8 o’clock
in the morning, only becoming active again in the
late afternoon, just prior to sunset. Tropical
thunderstorms are still a regular afternoon feature
and there is still a high probability of flooded
rivers to add some excitement to game drives.
March:
Average Temperatures: Max: 35° C/95° F Min: 21°
C/70° F
Finally the harsh, searing heat of summer begins
to abate and there is less likelihood of rain. A few
late Kudu calves may make a bemused appearance in
the beginning of the month. Large nursery herds of
gawky Impala young are found, kept under some
control by the watchful eyes of their mothers. The
bush is still dense, but the bright shades of green
are starting to become duller as the year
progresses. Due to the decrease in rainfall, the
characteristic carpets of yellow flowers, so
prevalent in the early summer months, begin to
disappear.
April:
Average Temperatures: Max: 30° C/86° F Min: 18°
C/64° F
This is a truly splendid time of the year. It is
now autumn and the daily temperatures are most
pleasant with balmy days and nights. The trees are
still green and the bush is thick. Groundcovers
growing away from the larger watercourses are
starting to change colour to the browner shades of
winter, as water becomes scarcer. A hush begins to
fall over the bush, as the myriad of insects, frogs
and reptiles quiten down in preparation for winter.
Flocks of migratory birds also begin to congregate
in the treetops, gathering themselves together for
the long flight northwards to sunnier climes and
greener pastures. The rains have abated, although
late unseasonable showers may occur, but this the
exception rather than the rule.
May:
Average Temperatures: Max: 31° C/88° F Min: 12°
C/54° F
The transition from summer to winter occurs
rapidly in the Limpopo Valley. Temperatures begin to
drop rapidly after sunset and both evening and
morning game drives require warmer clothing.
Although chilly in the morning, the days are clear
and pleasant with crisp blue skies. Now that the
rains are over, the veldt begins to dry out and game
begins to congregate around the major watercourses,
such as the Limpopo and associated wetlands, as well
as the artificial waterholes scattered throughout
the reserve. Deciduous trees begin to loose their
leaves, with crisp, crackling drifts of golden brown
leaves forming on the ground and tree bases. The
grasses, forbs and herbs gradually begin to fade
away. As the vegetation begins to thin, the elusive
leopard is more frequently seen. Lions, which
dispersed with the game during the wet season, now
begin to concentrate their activities in the central
area of Mashatu.
June:
Average Temperatures: Max: 29° C/84° F Min: 9° C/48°
F
Winter is now upon us and has spread its chilly
grip on Mashatu. Most of the natural pans and pools
have now completely dried up. Elephant and a host of
other species begin to frequent the artificial
waterholes at both Main and Tent Camps, which makes
for exciting mealtime viewing. Predator sightings
are good at this time of the year, due to the
thinned out vegetation and concentrations of game,
cheetah however are scarce. In general the game is
more active later into the day.
July:
Average Temperatures: Max: 29° C/84° F Min: 8° C/46°
F
The conditions are much like those in June. The
days are still good, with crisp mornings. The nights
can be very cold. Elephant may begin to dig for
water in the sandy riverbeds, providing water not
only for themselves, but a variety of other animals.
This is also a favorable time to visit the
archaeological site at the Motloutse River. The
summer vegetation has disappeared and a host of
interesting features are now visible.
August:
Average Temperatures: Max: 31° C/88° F Min: 13°
C/55° F
Conditions are extremely dry now. The floodplains
and grasslands adjacent to the Limpopo are very dry
and barren. The bush has become harsh and almost
inhospitable, with absolutely no groundcover, only
dust and rocks visible for kilometers. The veldt has
all the typical winter hues of brown and red, as the
Mopane leaves start turning. The weather is fine
with temperatures increasing slightly. The early
mornings and evenings being not as cold as in June
or July. August is a showy month, with respect to
sunsets. Due to the very dry conditions, large
quantities of dust is taken up into the air, giving
rise to spectacular pyrotechnic displays as the sun
sinks below the horizon.
September:
Average Temperatures: Max: 36° C/97° F Min: 16°
C/61° F
This is a month of great contrast. The bush is
still very dry, a condition exacerbated by winds,
which blow from August through to October. However,
many trees begin to blossom, in anticipation of the
rapidly approaching summer. The vibrant hues of the
blossoms enliven the bush, providing a bountiful
treat for baboons and other hungry inhabitants of
the bush, all of whom have struggled through the
lean winter months. Temperatures begin to creep
upwards and game drives are once again early morning
and late afternoon affairs, as a wise means of
avoiding the debilitating midday heat.
October:
Average Temperatures: Max: 39° C/102° F Min: 19°
C/66° F
Temperatures begin to steadily increase and
conditions are becoming desperate for many of the
herbivores. This is due to subregion frontal systems
touching on the Limpopo Valley, bringing superheated
air into the region. There may be an occasional
tropical thunderstorm, but this early rain is sucked
up like a sponge by the barren earth. This welcome
water is however not enough, and seldom results in a
notable floral display. Predators have a field day,
as many of the game are weak and tend to restrict
their activities to the area close to the
waterholes. The lack of dense vegetation and the dry
powdery soil make tracking lion and leopard an
easier task and often result in exceptional
sightings. Elephant listlessly wait out the dry
season, moving from waterhole to waterhole, where
they take full advantage, wallowing and drinking for
hours. They will feed on the surrounding vegetation,
moving into the bush on feeding forays when
temperatures have dropped sufficiently for them to
forage out of the protective shade. It is also at
this time that eland begin to calve.
November:
Average Temperatures: Max: 37° C/99° F Min: 22°
C/72° F
Summer is now in full swing at Mashatu. The
temperatures are high and there is a lot of humidity
in the air. The chances of convectional
thunderstorms are great, although the real rains are
still at least a month away. Some of the summer
migrant birds begin to arrive. The characteristic
call of the Red-chested Cuckoo rings out clearly,
heralding the approach of better times for all. Once
good rains have fallen, the small, drab, but
extremely vocal Monotonous Lark keeps the bush awake
day and night with its irritating call, as they
perch on every treetop.
December:
Average Temperatures: Max: 33° C/91° F Min: 20°
C/68° F
The most vibrant month at Mashatu. Rains are a
regular part of the day, with spectacular
thunderstorms rumbling in from the northwest in the
afternoons, complete with dazzling lightening
displays. Flash floods come bursting down the
rivers, sweeping the accumulation of dirt and debris
away, leaving fresh, clean channels once again. The
whole of the bush looks as if it has been freshly
washed and scrubbed. The veldt is transformed into a
golden carpet of acres and acres of yellow flowered
“Devil Thorns”, interspersed with a myriad of other
vibrantly coloured flowers. Swamps and marshlands
along the Limpopo fill with water, and provide an
irresistible attraction to the droves of water
birds, all of whom are taking advantage of the
biological explosion of insects, amphibians and
reptiles. Impala and Wildebeest give birth to
numerous gangly, wide-eyed young, which shortly
after birth are gamboling and bounding on the
plains. This is Mother Nature’s way of swamping the
predators with an excess of provender, thereby
ensuring the survival of the species. Migratory
birds arrive en masse, with enormous flocks of
White, Black and Abdims storks roaming the plains.
Lesser-Spotted and Steppe Eagles compete to annex
every available treetop and the trill of the
Woodland Kingfisher fills the air. The bush is alive
and an avian and insectile cacophony fills the air
night and day, emanating from every clump and
thicket.
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