OUR STORY
“Quality is expected, senses are awakened.”
Vision & Values
From vision to living legacy, Kaelo Destinations is the expression of travel that honours place, people and planet. This is the story of two wild corners of Africa, shaped by the Lansdown family’s enduring commitment to conservation, authenticity and sustainable travel.
The name Kaelo is derived from the Setswana word meaning “to guide,” “guardian,” or “to nurture.” It embodies the collection’s purpose: guiding travellers and partners with care, nurturing landscapes and communities alike.
What began as two exceptional places is now the foundation of a thoughtfully-curated collection of destinations. As properties and destinations join the collection, the same purpose-driven ethos carries through.
From Botswana’s sandstone ridges to Mozambique’s soft sand, the vision and values remain the same:
Conservation-first Tourism
Protecting wild terrain and ensuring wildlife corridors that enable wildlife to roam freely.
Authentic Experiences
providing travellers with unique experiences across beautiful natural wonders – going beyond to offer immersive yet nonintrusive experiences, where travellers feel truly transformed.
Community Upliftment
Building and empowering surrounding communities through local employment, sourcing materials, and education that fosters human wildlife harmony and understanding.
“Game reserves like Mashatu and sanctuaries like Pambele are critical in serving as safe havens for wildlife to live and roam freely from the threat of poaching or hunting. Our ambition is to make a shining example of how you can run conserved spaces, protect wildlife, the habitat, and the community around it.
You cannot have conservation without having the support of the community. Through education and empowerment, the local community will not only be able to protect these pristine areas but also share fairly in its benefits.”
Stephen Lansdown CBE, majority owner of Mashatu Game Reserve and Pambele Mozambique.
History & Heritage
The Northern Tuli Game Reserve extends over an area of 72,000 hectares,
making it one of the largest privately owned game reserves in Africa.
Heritage of Places
Botswana
“Land of the Giants”
In the remote eastern corner of Botswana lies the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, a vast expanse of wilderness where the Shashe and Limpopo rivers converge, marking the borders of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Spanning approximately 72,000 hectares of privately-owned land, this landscape is home to 48 species of mammals and over 350 bird species — a spectacular wilderness framed by sandstone ridges, mopane woodlands and riverine forests.
Within this wild terrain sits Mashatu Game Reserve, approximately 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) in size, which converts to 60% of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve – where elephants roam freely, leopards thrive and birdlife is ubiquitous. Additional areas to explore whilst at Mashatu include Solomon’s Wall, Mmamagwa, the Amphitheatre, the Tuli Circle and the Confluence of the Shashe/Limpopo Rivers. We also visit various cultural and historic battle sites, including bushman painting sites.
Mozambique
Ocean, Sanctuary and Legacy
On the remote San Sebastian Peninsula, within the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary and facing the turquoise waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago, lies Pambele Beach House — an exclusive-use home for up to ten guests, across four seaside villas, each crafted with local materials and artisan touches.
Pambele is built on the same foundations of sustainable purpose: solar-powered, off the grid, natural water filtration – blending barefoot-luxury with environmentally conscious design.
Interesting Facts
Under the Lansdown family’s vision, Mashatu and Pambele are more than safari and beach destinations.
They are custodial landscapes, where guest experiences amplify the land’s story rather than diminish it.
“Our involvement in Africa started as a visit, but became a commitment to protect, to set an example and to let nature lead.”
– Maggie and Stephen Lansdown CBE, majority owners of Mashatu and Pambele.
Mashatu named Best Game Reserve in Southern Africa 2025 by World Luxury Travel Awards.
Wildlife documentary, “Mashatu, Land of Leopards”, filmed entirely on the reserve has won two awards for “Best Scientific Film” and “Best Screenplay Award”.
Since 2024, the Land of the Giants Cycling Event has raised over BWP 1,9 Million for anti-poaching and regional conservation.
Pambele named in Conde Nast Traveller’s Best Places to Go in 2026 feature.
Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary designated a “Gift to the Earth” by the WWF.
The protection of the Vilanculos Wildlife Sanctuary in Mozambique ensures rich marine and land biodiversity, including endangered species like dugongs.
Pambele overlooks the Bazaruto Archipelago, a protected national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A new chapter
in extraordinary travel
