In the eastern corner of Botswana, where the legendary Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet, lies one of the world's largest private game reserves. Some 71,000 hectares in extent it is owned by an assortment of commercial lodges, syndicates and individuals who, in the early 1960's banded together in a joint conservation effort and formed The Northern Tuli Game Reserve. Once a part of a vast ecosystem, the reserve has spectacular scenery, an incredible diversity of wildlife and some 350 bird species. It is rich in history and pre-history and its fascinating past stretches back thousands of years when early Stone Age and Iron Age peoples roamed these parts.

This is a semi-arid land where temperatures can reach more than 40 degrees C in summer but drop to below freezing during the winter months. The rainfall is erratic and droughts are commonplace and for most of the year the smaller rivers contain little or no surface water, although the Limpopo has several permanent pools that provide some respite for thirsty animals.