Since the pride of lions was translocated from the Reserve to another part of Botswana some time ago, it is…
Making the most of their stays, Nancy and Guido go out twice a day to soak up the goodness of…
The green season in the Tuli Block is an amazing time to visit Limpopo-Lipadi, as shareholders Guido and Nancy found…
With autumn and winter approaching in the Southern hemisphere and spring awakening north of the equator, the migratory birds are…
When the Limpopo River is low, a lot of animals make the most of it, while looking if the grass…
Besides the smaller hornbill species (yellow-, red- and grey-billed) Limpopo-Lipadi boasts the presence of some Southern ground-hornbills. If they are…
Shareholders Paul and Cheryl have over the years compiled an incredible amount of data and stories of the Reserve’s wild…
Birding season is still very much on. And although theses tawny eagles are not migratory but year-round residents, shareholder Conny…
Bi-annually we at Limpopo-Lipadi do an elaborate count of our animals, to see which animals are thriving, others who may…
With our bias on wildlife animals (and often less so on the abundant flora of the Reserve), shareholder Conny wants…
It had been a couple of weeks since the Limpopo-Lipadi wild dog family had made a (visual) appearance. They seemed…
Birds’ breeding season is in full force. So many birds raising their fledgelings before they fly off from their place…
Every once in a while shareholder Anton takes his family to Limpopo-Lipadi. It may not seem obvious to some of…
There are times at Limpopo-Lipadi that you don’t see our elephant breeding herd at all, but then there are days…
Shareholder Conny recently visited the reserve end of November with her friends and they were witness to some rather unusual…
Some of the nicest or cutest ways to encounter wildlife is not always when you drive out in the Reserve,…
The number of leopards that shareholders Paul and Cheryl spotted during their recent stay is incredible. Although there still is…
Nature is quite unpredictable, so we all as shareholders accept that there will be visits with many good sightings, but…
Shareholders Paul and Cheryl Freund finally made it back to Limpopo-Lipadi last October after almost three years of Covid break….
Shareholder Guido spent some fabulous weeks in the Reserve. Read what he contemplates: “In my view all young animals are…
After winter’s dryness and sometimes well before the summer rains start, the mopane trees begin to pop their ‘elephant ear’…
Limpopo-Lipadi’s emblematic wild dogs travel across the reserve in a matter of hours. The whole reserve of 20,500 hectares is…
Operations Manager Duane keeps a close watch on Limpopo-Lipadi’s flora and fauna and works with a Reserve Management Plan to…
There are days that it is quite a challenge to spot animals, especially when the bush is thick in some…
That we as shareholders are mere intruders in the space of the wildlife in our Reserve, was once again made…
This European Roller had a good start of the day when his breakfast was simply flying past it one morning,…
Picture this: a beautiful morning where the cry of the African fish eagle resonates far and beyond the African horizon. We…
With an endangered brown hyena population across Southern Africa, Limpopo-Lipadi is very lucky to have a healthy brown hyena population….
Limpopo-Lipadi’s shareholders have the exclusive front seat to the best things a safari has to offer, like enjoying the bush…
Shareholders Guido and Nancy were at the Reserve in March and were – as you can read here – very…
As it happens, Limpopo-Lipadi has quite an impressive leopard population, but even the regularly visiting shareholder sometimes finds it hard…
More adventures of Martina and Jost during their stay at the Reserve. “In front of our lodge we saw a…
The green summer season is sometimes viewed by some as less exciting, as it can be very hard to see…
These are harrowing times for some creatures. Shareholders witnessed a lot of wing-flapping and screeching going on at one of the sandy islands in the Limpopo River. Read more about the water thick-knees and the small croc in the Limpopo-River.
The emblematic Limpopo-Lipadi wild dog is critically endangered. We used to have more than 35 wild dogs until rabies wreaked havoc on the pack. Now, with a new alpha male and female, this pack is looking strong and healthy again.
Limpopo-Lipadi has such a variety of birds that are often overlooked when searching for the bigger animals. These beautifully colourful birds are hard to find at times, but it’s interesting to learn about their behaviour.
This photo of Nigel Nicholls in Limpopo-Lipadi is magnificent. Alison managed to make it look like he was sitting quite peacefully on a folding chair right in front of the lions.
Did you know that elephants usually have one tusk that they use more than the other (just as humans have one dominant hand)? This elephant bull seems to be left-handed.
Spring and summer days in Botswana can be incredibly hot and what is better during these hot months than taking a mud bath at sunset. It cools the elephants off, protects them from insect bites and serves as sunscreen.
Sometimes you see more by sitting in a hide (blind) and waiting for the wildlife to come to you. Alison filmed these beautiful zebras one quiet morning.
On her recent stay, Martina Glatzl got stuck in the middle of an elephant herd, but it wasn’t an ordinary herd.
Shareholder Martina had a nice long stay at Limpopo-Lipadi. She was lucky to have the most amazing sightings—especially at night.
Our operations manager, Duane recently spotted a wild dog pup, bringing new hope to the reserve’s endangered but beloved wild dogs! They are the second most endangered animal in Africa, with a population of ± 6 600. What a great way to start the week!
What a great way to start the week! Our reserve manager, Duane spotted a wild dog puppy a few weeks ago. We’re not quite sure if there are more, but for now, we’re just over the moon about this one new member of the pack!
Hippos are living the life with the Limpopo River still flowing strong. In a while, the river will drop and they will have to find refuge downstream, but for now, we can still enjoy them at Harry’s Camp.
With the exceptional rains of the summer, the grass is still standing tall, and bushes and trees are still full of leaves. Although it’s beautifully green, it does make it difficult to spot game. Luckily birds are easy to spot higher up in the trees.
Operations manager Duane seems to have all the luck, seeing Limpopo-Lipadi’s pack of wild dogs more often than anyone else. Recently, he noticed that the alpha female is showing signs of pregnancy. Hopefully, we’ll see some pups soon!
On the riverside, where most lodges are, you’ll regularly see a group of five roaming elephant bulls. Recently, they were spotted crossing the water into South Africa—without papers, passports or PCR tests. How lucky that we get to see them in the reserve!
Mornings are cold this time of year, and the guinea fowl have taken to the habit of warming up on the sandy roads. Run, run, run… That is what they do before at long last they lift off and get out of our way.
After one and a half years and two cancelled attempts, shareholder Eric was delighted to finally be able to return to a beautifully plush reserve and spend some time in the Botswana bush.
The lion is king of the African bush, even at Limpopo-Lipadi. Alessandro Gruzza took some beautiful photographs of a nine-year-old male and his pride when he visited our beloved reserve earlier this year. Read his story.
Working with animals has always been a part of Gabriella Postiglione’s plan. Her journey has taken her from Italy to America, Tunisia, South Africa and Botswana, where she completed her PhD working on our beloved wild dogs.
During your evening drives in the reserve, you may spot their shining eyes bouncing around in your torch beam, or they may wake you up in the early hours of the morning to their ear-splitting shrieks: the elusive and incredibly cute bush baby. Read more about these cuities.
On the list of wildlife spotters is always the ‘Big Five’ (rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo). But did you know, there’s a complimentary ‘Small Five’? At Limpopo-Lipadi you can find the Big Five (save the buffalo), but also the Small Five.
Jackals have somehow never really made the safari A-list. Monogamous, social and smart, jackals are also highly vocal and often you can often hear them calling each other while you’re having your sundowner drinks on one of our plains, so keep your ears peeled.
Dung beetles spend their entire lives rolling dung uphill, living in it and fighting off pirate beetles that try to steal their hordes. Watching them puts the past year of our lives into a rather harsh perspective.
In 2019, management and the game reserve council approached shareholders about the importance of selective bush-thinning in the reserve’s encroached and formerly overgrazed areas. We’re happy to report a positive difference in the past year.
Shareholder Malcolm and his family made their way to our beloved reserve for a trip that way too short. Crossing borders again wasn’t as easy as it usually is due to restrictions. Read all about their experience.
So happy to be back after so many months, shareholder Malcolm and his family were soaking up the experience once again. Read all about the regeneration of the bushveld after record amounts of rain over December.
With the first rains upon us, it will not be long before we see the first impala and wildebeest lambs. Read more about the ram’s playfighting to prepare them for adulthood.
On one of his late afternoon inspection drives in the reserve, general manager Glen counted himself a lucky man to be able to enjoy the beautiful Botswana sunset at Tholo Dam in the company of some thirsty zebra’s.
General manager, Glen has the privilege of wandering off into the reserve whenever duty—or sometimes leisure—calls for it. And sometimes he makes a friendly encounter, like this up-close-and-personal with an elephant.
The season just before summer really hits us, is an excellent game-viewing season for small and shy antelope like the steenbokkie, who is proof that if you’re not strong, you’d better be smart.
Newsflash from our Operations Manager, Duane. Just when he thought that the wild dog population on the reserve would die out, he got some very exciting, very reassuring news, Read all about it!
Symbiosis is a way of life. It helps certain species survive against the odds. Read more about the species at Limpopo-Lipadi who help each other survive and what we humans can learn from them.
The giraffe, abundantly present in Limpopo-Lipadi, is the tallest animal in the world and its silhouette is unmistakable: long and tapered legs, a massive body and a very long neck. Unfortunately, the giraffe’s legs are too long, or its neck is too short to reach the ground, depending on your point of view. Eating is not a problem because it feeds on leaves and twigs from the trees that only it, with its 5m height, can reach. But, bending over to drink is really complicated.
Our general manager, Glen, had some close-up encounters with a bull elephant on a mission.
A couple of days ago Glen, our general manager, and Duane our reserve manager, received a report from the Anti-Poaching Unit that the lions had killed a young giraffe just off the main road as you head towards Two Cribs. Read his story of a day brimming with adventure.
The lockdown in Botswana was a period on intensive work, especially when it came to finalising and implementing the conservation plans of our interlinked ecosystems for the years to come. Read reserve manager, Duane’s views of our ecosystems.
This is a rather rare, though admittedly not the best, photo on our blog. Some animals in our reserve are rather unhabituated, so it was a treat to have a pack of banded mongoose sit still for a couple of seconds and make eye contact.
Reserve manager, Duane and general manager, Glen, and a handful anti-poaching and staff members are the only ones left on the reserve during the Botswana lockdown. Read about their close encounter with an unhabituated elephant cow during a patrol.
Paul and Sheryl Freund have had some incredible leopard sightings. This past November was no exception. The heat had many animals drinking at Tholo dam, including some leopards, who only came out at dusk or at night. Read about Paul and Sheryl’s sightings here.
In 2018 Aileen Oosterling many hours with four lion cubs, watching the play and goof around with each other. Two years later, she got to see them again! All grown up now and on their own, away from the pride.
Honey badgers are formidable fighters and not even lions want to mess with them. But, they are shy and not very often seen. Paul and Cheryl Freund were lucky enough to see them for a few seconds before they disappeared in a hole.
There are guests at Limpopo-Lipadi that come to the reserve and claim to hardly ever see a leopard. Then you have others who prove the opposite. Last November shareholders Paul and Cheryl had numerous incredible viewings.
Shareholder Aileen has been spending a lot of time at the reserve lately and gladly shares her sightings and stories with us. This time she writes about the many southern masked weavers building their nests.
Ryan and his guests were the last shareholders at the reserve before it closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Game drives were generally disappointing. But then, at Middle Plains, they saw her. A fit lioness, looking for her next meal.
Life in the bush is not a walk in the park. You always have to be on high alert and vigilant about the danger lurking behind every tree or bush. Sticking together on open terrain is a very good way to steer clear of lurking danger.
In the green season it may take some effort to spot animals between the vibrant green bushes and tall grass. But sometimes it’s just luck when you almost literally stumble across a leopard, about to get her paws on dinner. Watch the video of one such an encounter at Limpopo-Lipadi.
With so many migratory and resident birdlife in the green months, there’s also a lot of nesting going on. Unfortunately, that means that there are also a lot of raptors circling, trying their luck. Read more about a young Wahlberg eagle trying his luck with some weaver parents.
A couple of months ago, shareholder Ian visited the reserve with a friend from Germany. They saw almost every wild African animal on the reserve, except for the buffalo. They had a wonderful time and even played a little football with some of the anti-poaching guys.
One of the upsides of being a shareholder, is that you have the reserve to yourself from time to time. It’s also a downside because there’s no one to alert you of amazing sightings. Luckily, on a quiet morning, we heard a call over the radio of a wild dogs sighting. Read here.
Summer at its heights means that it is birding galore at Limpopo-Lipadi, with so many migratory birds taking up residence at the Reserve in this period. Anton Kruger and family spent a couple of days at the Reserve recently and shared some of their ‘catches’ with us. Enjoy!
During a sundowner self-drive in October last year, shareholders Clive and Jill saw a spectacular brown hyena, soaking up the sun and taking a bath in Tholo Dam. It was quite a sighting. Read about it here.
Anton Kruger is a shareholder of Limpopo-Lipadi, who always surprises us with his beautiful photos and stories. He tells about his most recent visit in the ‘green season’, making it clear that going on a safari is a great adventure for all, even for small kids. Read his story and enjoy his fantastic photos.
The Elephant breeding herd is often followed by several young males and, just like young human lads, they want to…
Sometimes, the simple act of sitting in a hide opens you up to the most incredible sightings. Read Martina’s story of a herd of elephants that seemed to unite with some old friends. I must have been quite a sight!
It is so important to avoid overgrazing popular waterholes by luring territorial animals like impala to other grazing areas. In this pursuit, we’ve introduced a new waterhole at Limpopo-Lipadi, called Wilderness. Read more about it on our blog!
Let’s face it, vultures may not be the prettiest of birds. They are often reviled for their looks and have…
Shareholders Clive and Jill were privileged to see not one, but two of the notoriously fearless (but shy of humans) honey badgers taking on a python in a small umbrella thorn tree! It was quite a sight! Read more on our blog!
Patience really is a virtue. Even when you feel like there are no more animals left on the reserve, if you patiently wait, they will come to you. Hunker down in a hide and wait it out!
Shareholder Guido van Toorenburg recently had an extraordinary few sightings at Limpopo-Lipadi. Not only did they see one of the cheetah brothers that everyone assumed had left the reserve, they also saw not one, but two lion kills! It was an exciting stay this time around! Here is his story.
The more time you spend on the reserve, and especially at waterholes, the more likely you are to see some very special events.
So, as bushbucks are abundant around the lodges, they are less so in the rest of Botswana, and we cherish their company, with the little munching noises and the crackling of leaves and branches.
Bird photography is a special form of wildlife observation. It requires a good eye and a good camera. With the enormous variety of bird species at Limpopo-Lipadi, it is definitely worthwhile to invest a bit of time and effort into birding.
For many of us, sundowner time is the best time of the day. The golden hour just before the sun sets creates the most beautiful light for photography, nocturnal animals come out, and it is the time for drinks at a well-chosen spot to enjoy the light, the animals and the company you’re in.
Long-time shareholders, Walt and Thea have been frequenting Limpopo-Lipadi on a regular basis. When they come, they like to stay…
Summer is here and it is getting hot out there, so we need to protect ourselves from the blistering sun. But it’s not just us humans who need to watch out for sunburn. Some animals do too.
A couple of years ago, Limpopo-Lipadi had a large pack of the endangered African wild dogs. What a delight it was to encounter them so regularly out on their hunts, or lazing around near a waterhole or in the shade.