Lesedi Game Reserve

Lesedi Game Reserve, bordering the renowned Mapungubwe National Park and Botswana’s Tuli Block, presents a unique opportunity to acquire one of South Africa’s most distinctive wilderness properties. Covering 21,332 hectares under nine title deeds, this remarkable reserve lies along seven to eight kilometers of Limpopo River frontage, forming part of an unbroken 121,000-hectare conservation landscape shared with its neighboring parks and reserves.

The property encompasses three main lodges: Lesedi, Naledi, and the Somerville Operational Base. Each offers a combination of comfort, scale, and potential for revitalization. Lesedi Lodge features ten guest rooms accommodating up to twenty-five guests, a PH house, a caretaker’s house, and an infinity pool overlooking the Limpopo River. Naledi Lodge, set on a hillside with panoramic views of a major dam, offers eleven ensuite rooms with air conditioning, staff housing, a working butchery and cold room, and a pool. Somerville Base includes the manager’s residence, a guest rondavel, a pool house, a workshop, a butchery, a laundry, and several staff houses, serving as the logistical and maintenance hub of the reserve.

Electricity is supplied by Eskom Power, and both lodges have sustainable boreholes. The reserve contains multiple boreholes, some requiring pumps and solar upgrades, and four large dams: Onrust, Bultpan, Vergenougd, and Lilydam, along with a new waterhole at Somerville. It also features an extensive 700-kilometer internal road network, providing full access across the property. Solar energy is considered the most sustainable long-term solution for both lodges and water systems.

Lesedi forms part of an open ecosystem that extends into the Tuli Wilderness in Botswana and the Mapungubwe National Park in South Africa, allowing free movement of wildlife across borders. The reserve hosts three of the Big Five—lion, elephant, and leopard—with frequent movement of cheetah and African wild dog. Game numbers can be increased through improved water distribution and feeding programs during dry months, enhancing both eco-tourism and controlled hunting opportunities under permit.

The property’s extensive Limpopo River frontage, together with twenty-three confirmed Bushman rock paintings and its proximity to the confluence of the Sashe and Limpopo Rivers where South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe meet, add exceptional scenic and cultural value. The surrounding landscapes are part of the historical Kingdom of Mapungubwe, Southern Africa’s first recorded civilization dating back to the thirteenth century. Ancient rock art and archaeological remnants bear witness to this rich heritage.

Access is excellent, with an estimated one hour and thirty minutes by air from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or thirty to forty minutes from Polokwane International Airport. The property has an existing private airstrip suitable for turboprop aircraft, requiring only minor refurbishment. From the airstrip, it is a ten-minute drive to the nearest lodge.

The reserve currently employs five staff members on short-term contracts. There are no land claims, and all corporate entities are fully tax-compliant.

Lesedi Game Reserve stands as an extraordinary private wilderness and an exceptional investment within South Africa’s conservation and tourism landscape. It represents a rare opportunity to own part of a vast transfrontier ecosystem of nearly 121,000 hectares, rich in wildlife, cultural history, and long-term potential for restoration and sustainable development.