The Massingir Private Reserve is located in the southern reaches of Mozambique, tucked away between, on the one hand, the vast expanses of the Karingani Private Reserve which itself adjoins the Limpopo National Park and Kruger National Park, and so forming part of the massive expanse of the Limpopo Transfrontier Park, and, on the other hand, the vast wild expanses of Community Areas, surrounding these protected areas.

Having become a part of the Zambeze Delta Safaris, or ZDS, the Stable in 2022, the Massingir Private Reserve has become the next chapter in Mozambique’s wildlife and wild lands conservation story, following in the footsteps of, Coutada 11, a place where sustainable hunting, responsible tourism, community upliftment, education and participation, all are weaved together so as to become another beacon in the fabric of the ZDS conservation legacy.

From its true African bush veld, to natural pans, from thorn veld to mopane thickets, from sand veld to grassed savannas, the Massingir Private Reserve offers home to a full complement of browsers and grazers alike, with the superb genetic bloodlines of buffalo, nyala, kudu, and other plains game, providing exceptional individual trophy opportunities to be taken within this diverse wild and natural landscape.

As a ZDS family member, you would have become accustomed to and/or would have experienced, hunting with ZDS’ team of first class professional hunters; and be pleased to know that they, together with both their usual and local trackers who know the land and its wildlife intimately, will provide a hunting experience, and trophies to take home together with those memories, beyond anything you have dreamed of or experienced to date.

Hunting on the Massingir Private Reserve embraces the true “fair chase” ethos and the classic safari experience of days gone by, and whether you are tracking elephant bulls or dagga boys, solitary or in bachelor groups, or searching for that exceptional kudu or nyala bull, your hunting instincts will be on red alert, adrenalin coursing through your veins, and your skills tested to their limits, but all under the safe hand of the ZDS team.

Massingir Private Reserve, from the moment you are served your “first light” cup of coffee from the veranda of your bungalow while watching the animals of the night depart from, and those of the day arrive at, the water hole situated close by, until resting your weary feet and slaking your dusty dry thirst at the fire pit, before a sumptuous meal, in the late evening and twilight, your visit to the Massingir Private Reserve is all about you, and providing you with the best African wildlife experience possible

In pursuing your adventure at the Massingir Private Reserve, you simultaneously contribute not only to sustaining its ecosystem and wildlife through funding anti-poaching initiatives, habitat restoration and preservation, and so direct conservation of the Reserve itself, but, as importantly, contribute to the wellbeing of the surrounding Communities and educating their youth, so that they remain participants in the protection of wildlife and wild places into the next generation and beyond.

Employment opportunities, meat-distribution programs, and educational support are vital components of this project building a tangible link between conservation success and community well-being. It’s this balance that defines the Zambeze Delta Safaris philosophy: wildlife and people finding the balance so that they can not only live, but thrive together.

The Experience

At the heart of the reserve lies Leadwood Camp a base designed for comfort in what can sometimes be tough natural surroundings. You will enjoy tastefully appointed and comfortable rooms, hearty bush cuisine, and evenings shared around the camp fire, reflecting on the day’s pursuits. Each visit is more than a safari; it’s an immersion into the rhythm of the wild, where the sounds of the African night, where the cough of a leopard or the call of a hyena, remind you that you are experiencing one of the African continent’s last truly untamed wildlife areas. ZDS offers you the opportunity to experience the Massingir Private Reserve and so become part of the spirit of Mozambique’s wild south a place where conservation, adventure, and authenticity come together in perfect harmony.