The Leopards of Mashatu
Meet the leopards that have made Mashatu the 'Land of Leopards'
We’ve shared the latest blog from Mashatu Game Reserve about their captivating leopards:
Find out why Mashatu is dubbed the 'Land of Leopards' - where guests regularly encounter these magnificent cats throughout the reserve, often witnessing several individuals during a single stay.
For generations, Mashatu has been known as the Land of the Giants — a vast private wilderness shaped by ancient elephant paths and home to some of Southern Africa’s most remarkable giants. But spend time here and another reputation quickly emerges.
The Land of Leopards.
Leopards are woven into the Mashatu safari experience. Guests regularly encounter these magnificent cats throughout the reserve, often seeing several individuals during a single stay. And with every sighting comes the opportunity to look a little closer — to recognise a familiar face, learn a name and begin to understand the individual behind the spots.
Because the leopards of Mashatu are not anonymous.
They have territories. Lineages. Personalities. Mothers, daughters and sons. Some are established territory holders; others are young and still finding their place. Together, their stories form a living part of the wilderness that makes Mashatu so special.
The release of the award-winning documentary Mashatu: Land of Leopards in 2025 brought this hidden world to audiences far beyond Botswana, following a leopard family over three years and revealing intimate glimpses into the lives of these extraordinary cats. The film has now added a third accolade to its growing list of recognition, receiving the Heinz Sielmann Film Award at the 2026 GREEN SCREEN Festival.
While the film introduced some of these remarkable cats to audiences around the world, there is nothing quite like encountering them here — in the wilderness they call home.
So, meet some of the leopards of Mashatu.
Mohoyo
Male | Meaning “Fig Tree”
Fully grown and aged 10 or more, Mohoyo is the dominant territorial male of Mashatu’s central area. His name means Fig Tree in the local language, a fitting reminder of the way the landscape itself often becomes part of a leopard’s identity.
Mohoyo was once known for being particularly shy, but these days he is far more tolerant of the vehicles that follow his movements. Still, he has retained his reputation for being somewhat unfriendly — perhaps an understandable characteristic for a male who has spent years defending his territory.
Image by Go Yamagata
Euphorbia
“Candelabra tree”
Euphorbia, aged six years, is named after the distinctive Candelabra tree, as he was born during the time Euphorbia Mashatu lodge was built.
Today, he occupies the northern section of the reserve and is most often seen by guests staying at Tent Camp. His name is a small reminder of how deeply the leopards of Mashatu are connected to their surroundings.
Image by Gregory Piper
Lepako
Meaning - “Big fallen-over dead tree”
At just three and a half years old, Lepako is still finding his way. His name means big fallen-over dead tree — the place where his mother gave birth to him.
Unlike the established territorial males, Lepako is currently nomadic, moving across the reserve as he searches for a place of his own. He is still finding his feet, learning the landscape and, ultimately, trying to establish a territory he can claim as his own. His story is one of transition — a young male on the threshold of adulthood, with an entire wilderness still ahead of him.
Image by Wim Voster
White Cliff’s Female
A legacy continued
At 13 years old, White Cliff’s female is the third generation of territorial female leopard in the White Cliff’s area.
She is also the twin sister of Motswiri.
Her story represents something larger than one individual: a lineage of territorial females continuing through the landscape, generation after generation.
Image by Penny Robartes
Motswiri
meaning - “Lead wood tree”
If one leopard has become synonymous with Mashatu: Land of Leopards, it is Motswiri.
Her name means Lead wood tree in Setswana, and at 13 years old, she is a seasoned female who knows her territory intimately.
Motswiri is particularly skilled at hunting impala in the wild sage — an environment where her stealth and patience give her the advantage.
She is also the twin sister of White Cliff’s female, linking two of Mashatu’s established females through the same family story.
For three years, cameras followed Motswiri and her family for the documentary Mashatu: Land of Leopards, offering an extraordinary glimpse into a world that most people would rarely, if ever, see.
Image by Wim Vorster
Moshoole
meaning “Fever Berry tree”
At 13 years old, Moshoole is named after the Fever Berry tree.
She is the mother of Lepako, the young nomadic male still searching for his own territory.
Their stories therefore remain connected — mother and son sharing the same landscape, while living very different chapters of their lives.
Image by Shem Compion
Ma-Tuli
— guardian of her territory
The age of Ma-Tuli is unknown, but her territory is well established.
She is the territory holder in and around Tuli Safari Lodge, where the landscape has become her domain.
Image by Wim Vorster
Graham’s Tree Female
A mother and daughter story
At nine years old, Graham’s Tree female takes her name from a massive Mashatu tree that serves as a landmark within her territory.
She is the daughter of the late Mathoja female and the mother of Lerato, making her another important link in the reserve’s leopard lineage.
Her story continues through her daughter, who is now beginning to establish a territory of her own.
Image by Wim Vorster
Lerato
meaning “love”
At three and a half years old, Lerato represents what comes next. Her name means Love in Setswana.
She is the daughter of Graham’s Tree female and Mohoyo male — bringing together two established bloodlines of Mashatu’s leopard population.
Still young and nomadic, Lerato is now busy establishing her own territory.
Image by Laura Dyer
A land written in leopard tracks
These are only some of the leopards that call Mashatu home.
Territories change hands. Cubs grow into adults. Young males leave their mothers in search of a place of their own. Established females pass their knowledge and bloodlines into the next generation.
This is what makes seeing a leopard at Mashatu so much more meaningful. It isn’t simply the thrill of spotting one of Africa’s most elusive big cats. It is knowing that the tracks in the sand belong to an animal with a territory, a lineage and a story. That the silhouette beneath a tree might be Mohoyo, Kanda, Motswiri or Lerato. That the leopard watching from the riverbed is an individual you may come to recognise by name.
As Botswana celebrates 60 years of independence this week, there is perhaps no better time to celebrate the conserved landscapes and remarkable wildlife that roam freely and form part of the country’s natural heritage.
We invite you to journey to Mashatu and perhaps, somewhere among the ancient trees, golden grass and rocky outcrops of the Land of the Giants, you will meet one of the cats that has made Mashatu famous as the Land of Leopards.
To begin planning the ultimate leopard safari in Botswana:
Travel Promoters expands portfolio into Botswana and Mozambique with Kaelo Destinations
Travel Promoters expands portfolio into Botswana and Mozambique with Kaelo Destinations
Sussex based Travel Promoters, one of the UK’s leading luxury representation companies specialising in Africa and the Indian Ocean, is delighted to share its appointment by Kaelo Destinations from 1 September 2026, including the iconic Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana’s Tuli Block and the Pambele Beach House in the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mozambique.
L-R Leanne, Ailsa, Rosanna, Tracey, Claire and Jen with Danita and Laura in front
This new partnership will see Travel Promoters’ dynamic team of six taking on the international sales and marketing for Kaelo’s growing portfolio of conservation-led destinations, working closely with Head of Sales Jen Dunlop-Jones and Marketing Manager Danita Stevens and their teams on the ground.
Claire Roadley at Umlingo will continue to support on the PR side.
The Kaelo Destinations (meaning to “guide, guard and nurture in Setswana) portfolio currently comprises three Collections, namely Luxury, Safari and Explorer, with each targeting a slightly different demographic – from those wanting ultra luxury and exclusivity, to more affordable camps for multi-generational families – as well as options for adventurers wanting to truly immerse themselves in nature, explore on foot and sleep under the stars.
Kaelo Destinations also has its own fleet of aircraft, based at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg, ensuring seamless access into Pambele and Mashatu (with a private airport situated within the privately-owned reserve).
“We are delighted to be expanding our portfolio into Botswana and Mozambique with Kaelo Destinations, two of Africa’s most pristine wilderness and coastal settings. We admire the progression and positioning of Mashatu and Pambele since their launch and are excited to work alongside this passionate team. Properties with active owners/investors are exactly the kind of purpose-driven, design-led properties that resonate strongly with our UK and European trade partners and their clients.”
Kaelo Destinations, owned by Stephen Lansdown CBE and his wife Maggie, was officially launched in February 2026 as a curated collection of exceptional places defined by natural beauty, authentic experiences and conservation.
Both destinations are highly acclaimed, with Mashatu Game Reserve recently recognised as “Best Game Reserve in Southern Africa” at the World Luxury Travel Awards, while Pambele Beach House was named among Condé Nast Traveller’s “Best Places to Go in 2026”. Both destinations were recently recognised in the Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, with Kaelo Destinations being awarded “Best Safari Company in Africa 2026”.
“Partnering with Travel Promoters is a strategic step in strengthening and expanding our international market. Ailsa and her team have a strong reputation and longstanding relationships across the luxury travel trade, and share our ethos of sustainable, responsible tourism - which sits at the heart of everything we do.”
The partnership reinforces Travel Promoters’ commitment to representing distinctive, sustainability-focused luxury properties across Africa and beyond, providing a dedicated on-the-ground team to drive growth in one of Kaelo Destinations’ most important source markets.
For more details:
Visit the TP trade room or email team@travelpromoters.co.uk.
For any media enquiries email danita@kaelodestinations.com or claire@umlingo.co.uk.
About Kaelo Destinations
Founded under the vision of Maggie and Stephen Lansdown CBE—entrepreneurs, philanthropists and passionate conservationists—Kaelo Destinations is a purpose-led hospitality collection bringing together exceptional destinations across Southern Africa and beyond.
Guided by values of conservation-first tourism, authentic experiences and community upliftment, the collection currently includes Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana and Pambele Beach House in Mozambique, with further offerings set to join the portfolio as Kaelo continues to grow.