Tuli Safari Lodge Tuli Block Botswana

Tuli Safari Lodge is situated in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, a unique and historically significant location within
Botswana where the country meets its neighbours Zimbabwe and South Africa and at the confluence of two great
rivers, the Limpopo and the Shashe. Tuli Safari Lodge is located between the time-sculpted kopjes of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve and the legendary Limpopo River. Tuli Safari Lodge was once a farm, originally registered in 1957. Come and experience the Tuli magic, a timeless Botswana safari in a majestic wilderness setting, easily accessible from South Africa.

email: tuliblock@go.botswanatravelservice.com

The Northern Tuli Game Reserve is located in the easternmost corner of Botswana, close to the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site in South Africa. Here is a unique, timeless corner of Africa where nature and culture combine in spectacular wildlife, breathtaking landscapes and fascinating history.


Set in spacious gardens along the banks of the Limpopo River against a backdrop of stunning sandstone outcrops, Tuli Safari Lodge is also unique. Here the welcome is genuinely warm and the ambience is charmingly ageless.

Each day brings a new adventure as Tuli offers a truly authentic wildlife experience. Here roams the largest elephant population on private land in Africa, together with leopard, cheetah, wild dog and lion, vast herds of plains game and over 350 bird species.


At Tuli, you set the pace with varied activities to enjoy and idyllic grounds to relax in. Game drives and bush walks with exceptional guides, hides tucked away in the bush (where you can also stay overnight for the ultimate back-to-nature experience!) and horse rides in the wild.
The echo of ancient cultures resounds at the many sites of archaeological and spiritual significance, whilst meaningful visits with local communities showcase contemporary rural Botswana life.

Accommodation at Tuli Safari Lodge Tuli Block

8 Tented Suites are under draped canvas and elevated. Large wrap-around decks are designed to provide a relaxing outdoor space with views over the Tuli grounds and surrounding bush. The interiors are a modern take on classic 'out of Africa' décor, with a flowing open plan design.

Tuli Safari Lodge - a timeless Botswana safari experience in a majestic wilderness setting, easily accessible from South Africa

All suites feature an island bed, lounge area, freestanding bath, separate wet room shower, double basin vanity area, toilet and lots of all-important hanging and drawer space plus tea/coffee facilities, hairdryer and safe. The tented suites are 72m2 plus 60m2 decking.

2 Classic Suites are thatched with solid walls and air conditioning. Both have very similar internal layouts and features to the tented suites, with a shaded veranda area.

All the suites can be made up as doubles or twins and are large enough to accommodate two children under 12 on single beds sharing with their parents if required. We can pair suites for families or friends who would like some separation without being too far apart!

Tuli Safari Lodge provides an idyllic base from which to explore the Northern Tuli Game Reserve - a unique, timeless corner of Africa where nature and culture combine in spectacular wildlife, breathtaking landscapes and fascinating history.


Set in spacious gardens along the banks of the Limpopo River against a backdrop of stunning sandstone outcrops, Tuli Safari Lodge is also unique. Here the welcome is genuinely warm and the ambience is charmingly ageless.


The lodge traces its origins back to 1964 when the Northern Tuli Game Reserve was created, and as such it is unconventional in design and layout (please see our lodge layout map) and has a charming home-from-home feel.

Facilities:

Tuli Safari Lodge’s extensive grounds – always a few degrees cooler than the surrounding reserve - make the Lodge
a really relaxing retreat in its own right. There is plenty to do within the Lodge, with a large swimming pool, waterhole,
hide, walking trail and lots of lovely vantage points overlooking the Limpopo River and game reserve.

Curio shop selling local crafts, books, clothing
Thatched bar & raised wooden deck
Swimming pool with a shallow section for kids
WiFi in public areas
2 hectares garden of lawns and riverine trees
Parking
All day coffee and tea

Common bird sightings include: Swainson’s Spurfowl (Francolin), Crested Francolin, Helmeted Guineafowl, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Rock Dove, Cape Turtle-Dove, Laughing Dove, Namaqua Dove, Meyer’s Parrot, Grey Lourie, African Cuckoo, Jacobin Cuckoo, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Diderick Cuckoo, Common Swift, Red-faced Mousebird, European Roller, Purple Roller, Lilac-breasted Roller, African Grey Hornbill, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Red-billed Hornbill, African Hoopoe, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, Reed Cormorant, African Darter, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, Hammerkop, African Sacred Ibis, Egyptian Goose, White-faced Duck and many more.

Mammals in the Reserve include: Aardvark, Aardwolf, Chacma Baboon, Bushbaby (Greater, Lesser & Thick-Tailed),
Bushbuck, Bushpig, Caracal, Black-Footed Cat, Cheetah, Civet, Dassie (Rock & Yellow-Spotted), Common Duiker,
Eland, Elephant, Elephant Shrew, Bat-Eared and Cape Fox, Genet (Large And Small Spotted), Giraffe, Scrub and
Spring Hare, Hippopotamus, Impala, Black-Backed Jackal, Klipspringer, Kudu, Leopard, Lion, Mongoose (Banded,
Selous, Slender & White-Tailed), Vervet Monkey, Cape Clawless Otter, Pangolin, Striped Polecat, Jameson's Rock
Rabbit, Serval, Tree Squirrel, Steenbok, Warthog, Waterbuck, African Wild Cat, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra,
Hyaena (Brown & Spotted) and Honeybadger. Rhino And Buffalo are not present in the Reserve.

Trees found along the trail include Apple-Leaf (look out for barbets, owls & rollers, as well as large blue charaxes butterflies); Umbrella Thorn (look out for Meyer’s parrots); Fever Trees (a favourite of vervet monkeys); Large Fever-berry (loved by the squirrels & bushbuck and a favourite of the green-veined charaxes butterflies); Leadwood; Large-leaved Rock Fig (look out for the bushbuck, vervet monkeys, baboons and an array of pigeons, parrots, louries, barbets, bulbuls & starlings).

Where is Tuli Safari Lodge?

Getting to Tuli

Tuli can be approached from either Botswana or South Africa (the Lodge is just 10 minutes’ drive from Pont Drift
border post). Guests can self-drive, we can help arrange a road transfer or guests can fly in to Limpopo Valley Airfield
(also a short drive from the Lodge).

NB: Please note that the Botswana border authorities do not accept temporary passports. Vehicle registration
papers are also required by South Africa & Botswana border authorities. If guests are travelling to Tuli from
overseas via South Africa with children, please note that South African authorities require parents to provide full
unabridged copies of their children's birth certificates.

Border facilities
The closest border facilities for those arriving by road from South Africa are at Pont Drift, opening hours 08:00 -16:00.
Customs & Immigration are also provided at the Limpopo Valley Airfield for those arriving by air. Please see Entry
Formalities for information about visa requirements etc., as provided by Botswana Tourism. There is a third party
permit required for all foreign registered vehicles payable at the border post.

Self-drive
Please always contact the Lodge prior to travel in order to check on the status of local rivers.
Tuli Safari Lodge is around 5 hours’ drive from Johannesburg and around 6 hours’ drive from Gaborone. When the
Limpopo River is not crossable at Pont Drift, guests may leave their vehicles at the border post on the South African
side and cross to Botswana using a passenger cable car (please note that an additional cost of BWP50 per person
per crossing is levied by a third party operator for this service). A Tuli Safari Lodge guide will meet our guests on the
South African side. Please see our detailed directions. GPS coordinates: S 22 12 842 E 29 05 687

Road transfers
We can help arrange road transfers from Johannesburg, Polokwane, Gaborone or other locations. Please note that
we use third parties to provide road transfers and therefore cannot be held responsible for any rate changes or
problems with their service.

Arriving by Air
We can help organise flights via a semi-regular scheduled service (currently only available from Johannesburg) or as
a private charter (this can be quite cost effective if there are several passengers). There are also twice-daily flights
from Johannesburg to Polokwane, from where guests can self-drive or have a road transfer for the final 2 hour journey
to Tuli. Please see details for each option below.
SA Airlink operates several flights a day from OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg to Polokwane (Pietersburg). Depending
on our guests’ itinerary, a car can be hired and driven to the Lodge (approx. 2 hours) or we can help you to arrange for a
road transfer.

Angel Gabriel operates the Limpopo Valley Air Taxi every Thursday and Sunday direct from OR Tambo Airport in
Johannesburg to the Limpopo Valley Airfield which is a short drive from the lodge. $400 single and $755 return, with timings
to fit in with international arrivals/departures.
Alternatively, we can help you to organise a charter flight to Limpopo Valley Airfield

(GPS coordinates: S22 11 21 E29 07 37). The runway is 1500m long and has a tarmac surface. Please note that Tuli Safari Lodge cannot be held
responsible for any rate changes or problems with these services. Please contact us for more details on the above
fly-in options.

Combining Tuli
Tuli Safari Lodge is a great getaway destination in its own right; combining spectacular wildlife with stunning scenery
and a truly relaxing Lodge retreat. As the Lodge is so easily accessible from SA, it fits very well with a trip incorporating
the Kruger National Park or Mapungubwe National Park & World Heritage Site. It's also a natural staging post for
those travelling between SA and Botswana, en route to or from the Kalahari, Okavango Delta/Chobe, and on to
Victoria Falls and beyond. Moving on from Tuli within Botswana, Khama Rhino Sanctuary makes an interesting
stopover. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you’d like any help or suggestions on route planning or where to stay in
different locations.