The Lala Limpopo Sleep-Out Hide

This past weekend, I had the chance to explore the latest development in Southern African wildlife photography. The newly constructed Lala Limpopo Sleep-Out Hide in Mashatu is poised to become a huge draw for photographers seeking that elusive, hard-to-capture image of nocturnal wildlife with various lighting options. However, this hide offers more than just photographic opportunities - it prioritizes comfort as well. To best summarize the experience I had at the Lala Limpopo hide, it would need to break it down into a few categories.  

Hide layout and comfort:

Upon entering through the courtyard and stepping into the hide you will find a well-equipped, dining area, comfortable seating to relax. Simple but well laid out bathroom and separate toilets. Proceeding further, you will enter the main hide area, which contains rest areas with beds on both sides off the large room, with privacy partitions to ensure a comfortable overnight stay. Each rest area is equipped with an air conditioning unit, guaranteeing maximum comfort during the night.  

Despite the harsh weather conditions we encountered, it was overcast and windy, with some rain falling during the night. The hide provided a cozy and pleasant environment.  

Food and drinks:  

The dining experience at the Lala Limpopo hide is straightforward, as one would anticipate. Throughout the night, there is a plentiful supply of snacks, including nuts, biltong, and fruits, for guests to enjoy. The evening meal, which is primarily composed of finger foods, is brought from the lodge and served in the comfortable kitchen area. Drink orders are placed before departure for the hide and are kept in the kitchen's fridge. Overall, the approach is very simple and homely, perfectly complementing the ambiance of the hide.  

Wildlife and Photography:  

The hide is still in the process of being accepted by the local wildlife, though some species have already adapted quite well. The Spotted Hyenas have been readily visible at the waterhole throughout the night, and the Black-backed Jackals have also grown comfortable with the presence of the photographers. Elephants too have been regular visitors and are oblivious to the photographers’ excitement. This has allowed for some excellent photographic opportunities with these species already. Additionally, the team has also spotted a Genet, and they anticipate that it is only a matter of time before this animal and others, such as Honey Badger, Porcupine, and African Civet (we saw the tracks for all 3 species outside the hide), become accustomed to the hide and start showing themselves, providing further photographic prospects in the coming months.  

The lighting setup is designed to provide excellent side lighting, with additional tube lights placed underground and in line with the furthest lights to create a beautiful rim lighting effect for subjects approaching the waterhole from the front. This lighting configuration results in a gorgeous overall lighting quality.  

 The recommended lens choices would be a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens and a longer prime lens with a large maximum aperture, such as a 400mm f/2.8. This combination of lenses proved to be highly effective in capturing the desired shots.  

 All in all, this was a great experience at Lala Limpopo Sleep-out Hide. The comfort of the hide way surpassed my expectations and the wildlife and lighting was really good and will only improve as the hide becomes part of the area. The future here is incredibly bright (Pun intended).

I’m really looking forward to seeing all the great images to come from this hide.  

Wildlife Images & Blog by: Darren Donovan  

Lodge Shots by: Mike Dexter

Did you know? The PhotoMashatu concession at Mashatu Game Reserve is a proud product of C4 Photo Safaris.  Part of our offerings are the well-known Matebole hide and our brand new Lala Limpopo Sleep-Out hide.