Claudio and family from Italy

My family and I enjoyed every bit of the African Bush experience. In just one day we saw all possible sightings. Elephants, White Rhinos, Elands, a Jennett, Baboons, Eagles, Owls and even a 2m+ Egyptian Cobra that had just swallowed something huge, according to its diameter, while basking in the sun along the path.

I even got through my 4x4 and 1st Aid exams gaining the privilege to drive the powerful Land Cruiser with my friends like a true ranger (almost...)

The units of River Lodge are up to a 5 Star Standard and the 1st class kitchen facility adds that touch that makes you feel you're in your African overseas home.

My friends and family can't wait to be back to experience even a better experience once that the project progresses both on logistics (other camps), animals (release of Wild Dogs, Black Rhinos and Lions) and the recent Iron Age and earlier sights found on the property make the place a true gem that outstands any private game reserve. Not to speak of the great people that run the place with exceptional knowledge, skill and sensitivity.

Ciao, Claudio
Rome, Italy

The Stakeout - Walt and Thea Tingle

When he came, he came in silence and with great grace. His approach was a feline ballet of intricate steps over and around the stalks of grass and the twigs and the rocks that could have signaled his approach.

A moment before, Petros had whispered "He's coming", and had switched on the spotlight aimed at the bushbuck the leopard had killed in the early morning. He was there, a meter from his kill, deciding between fear and hunger. Finally, he crept forward and began to eat. Two shareholders and two guests watched in awe.

Along with the sounds of the leopard's feeding, we could hear the calls of the birds of the African night. The alarm calls of animals who caught the scent of the leopard as they passed nearby startled us. We could also hear laughter and music from the quarters of the anti poaching team only a few hundred meters away.

Earlier in the morning when one of our scouts had reported finding a fresh leopard kill, Petros had said, "We must make a plan. We will go there late this afternoon and we will wait very quietly in the Land Cruiser until after dark. If he is still hungry, and if we don't scare him, and most of all if we are lucky, we may see the leopard."

Petros has guided a former President of the United States and the current President of Botswana. When he makes a plan, it seldom fails.

We did wait, and wait some more, and Nkwe did come. For a thrilling twenty minutes or so we experienced the kind of African Magic we had hoped to find when we committed to the Limpopo-Lipadi Game Reserve project. We couldn't be happier with our decision.

Walt Tingle and Thea Holmes, Shareholders

Dr. RD Marks and Lisa De Groot, Guests

What do you do with 3 boys (6 - 10) at LL?

The week (11- 18 July) flew by too fast and was really too short for all the things we wanted to do! LL certainly did not disappoint in topnotch bush adventure.

Even though I have been to LL almost every month over the last 3 years, we now had the opportunity to discover some of the little hidden secrets - such as the Hippo pool near River Camp which is invested by gigantic crocodiles and hippos galore. Yes, we saw them on numerous occasions as we carefully stalked up to the river bank. Unfortunately we were never ready with cameras to capture any, as they would vanish too quick, but I took the pool on one occasion here.

We loved the long walks and mountain biking trips along the river bank. One morning as I was jogging past Island Lodge, I was surprised by a young elephant bull grazing on the leaves of a Knobthorn, just in time to make a fast retreat before it sniffed me.

On their little ventures around camp Philip, Carl and Malan soon discovered a hole with real muddy clay and it turned out to be their bush haven as they got their hands dirty by forming all their favorite animals. Carl found a small bee-eater in front of the lodge which seemed quite happy to hop into his hand.

We were so surprised by two small baby elephants walking right through our camp one morning. They must have strayed from the herd and walked right beneath the two strand electric wire (which keeps out the larger elephants) onto our front porch. They flapped their ears as if to say "don't mess with us" and then moved out again. One fellow though he could walk right through a tree and was stopped dead in his tracks. He obviously needs some more bush gym training. Even though we tried to herd them clear of the fence, one of them touched the strands and was shocked right off his feet. Stunned for a few minutes it lied there and then got up with flapping ears again - as if to say: "I'm tough enough - nothing gets me down!" And he walked right out of camp. We were too flabbergasted to take much footage so only got this clip of one of the elephants.

Of course another highlight was the visit to the wild dogs and tracking the white rhino breeding herd with the anti-poaching team. Both these breeding programs are doing very well.

We also walked along the springs near Longope to look for the Python pools, but were not able to find any of the big ones out from hibernation yet.

Another highlight was the climbing of LL hill in search of the hyena den. The boys absolutely loved it as you can see here and here. We saw lots of game out on drives but missed the leopard by 30 minutes as Lucky saw it at two cribs.
More videos to be seen on my Youtube and more pics on my www.facebook.com
Jacques

Thomas & Evelyn Rupperti, Vienna, Austria

Small miracles of „Noah´s Ark“

I ´m talking about „small“ miracles of LL because I definitly think people are generally focussing too much on big game and forgetting about the small things.

But even if there is no animal to be seen – the bush is talking to you – showing exciting tracks, smells and sounds……

For me and even to Thomas the most precious thing in LL is definitly to WALK in the bush ( with ranger or near the lodge even without) and watch the small, usually regarded as less spectacular things just like butterflys, dragonflys and beetles, birds, plants and trees, but also kudu, impala and warthog and a lot of other wild animals can cross your way...

We have never been so close to wilderness before as in LL, never learned so much about the bush and life in the bush. And we never felt at home like in LL – thanks to the great stuff and talented rangers.

So we would like to say a big „thanks“ to all, that made this kind of miracle possible – to give Southern Africa back a piece of nature offering us the possibility to share the adventure of creating a new kind of Noah´s ark!

Die kleinen Wunder der Arche Noah

Nicht nur Elefant, Rhino und Leopard sorgen in LL für das ultimative Buscherlebnis – es sind auch die kleinen Wunder, die den Zauber des Wildnis ausmachen: vom Schmetterling über die bunte Vogelwelt bis zu den abendlichen Campbesuchen der Buschbabies, von der Gottesanbeterin bis zur Babykobra vor der Haustür – die Wildnis ist überall…

Für uns war es eine besondere Faszination, den Busch auch zu Fuß erleben zu dürfen – auf Spurensuche mit Petros oder alleine in der näheren Umgebung unserer Lodge. So aufregend die Gamedrives auch sind, die uns zu Blesbock, Eland, Giraffen, Rhinos, Elefanten und vielem mehr brac

hten – zum richtigen “Buschfeeling“ gehört ein ausgiebiger Walk – mit offenen Ohren und Augen, stets bereit, auf Wildtiere zu treffen – oder ihnen auch rechtzeitig auszuweichen! - und begleitet auf Schritt und Tritt von den kleinen Wundern von Limpopo Lipadi.

Hier – Spuren vom Wasserbock, der am Morgen seinen Durst am Limpopo gestillt hat. Dort die markanten Fussabdrücke der Hippos, die in der Nacht vom Fluss zum Grasen heraufgestiegen sind. Vom Fluss hört man ihr Grunzen..

Hinter der nächsten Biegung treffen wir auf eine Warthogfamilie, die uns ungläubig anstarrt, bevor sie sich in die Büsche verzieht. Schmetterlinge umgaukeln uns, allen voran die herrlichen Monarchen, aber auch die bunten Heuschrecken, der schillernde Skarabäus und knallrote Libellen sind allemal ein Photo wert.

Wenn der Wind günstig steht, kreuzen auch Impala, Kudu und Steinböckchen den Weg – und eine Familie von munteren Eichhörnchen äugt neugierig aus einem Loch im alten Baumstamm.

Die „Flying Bananas“, die gelbschnäbeligen Hornbills, streiten sich aufgeregt auf den Ästen des abgestorbenen Baumriesen, Roller und Kingfisher zeigen sich ihre ganze Farbenpracht, eine kleine Leopardenschildkröte schleppt sich ins sichere Gebüsch.

Und selbst wenn weit und breit kein Tier zu sehen ist: Der Busch spricht zu uns - durch Spuren, Gerüche, Geräusche..

Noch nie waren wir so nah am Puls der Wildnis wie in LL. Noch nie haben wir in so kurzer Zeit so viel erfahren, so viel gelernt: 4x 4 Wheel Drive, Erste Hilfe, vieles über die Tierwelt, die Säugetiere, die Vögel, die Reptilien und Insekten, über Spurenlesen und Verhaltensweisen..

Noch nie haben wir uns im Busch so wohl gefühlt wie in den herrlichen Lodges von LL, fürstlich umsorgt von einer bemühten Stuff und im Busch erstklassig geführt von Petros und Co.

Danke an alle, die dieses „Wunder“ möglich gemacht haben – die Afrika wieder ein Stück Natur zurückgegeben haben und uns die Chance geboten haben, auf diese außergewöhnliche Art und Weise daran teilzuhaben!

Thomas und Evelyn Rupperti

Shareholder Participation at LL: Walt Tingle

One of the key aspects which attracts us as shareholders to LL is that we have the opportunity to participate in any of the projects happening on the reserve. We are currently busy with reintroduction of Cheetah and so various shareholders took some time out to come and help. We were rather lucky to capture a sighting of one of our Cheetah chasing an impala. What we did not expect to capture, was Walt Tingle from USA deciding that the impala needed some help! See the video clip.

Walt and Thea are a fantastic couple and their enthusiasm is contagious. They certainly contributed extensively to the LL culture. Here is their story:

A little over a year ago the name Limpopo-Lipadi meant nothing to us. Now, however it means a great deal. It means a life long dream has come true.

As a child I was fascinated with stories of Africa and the wild animals to be found there. I longed for the day I would finish school and set off for the life of the professional hunter, sitting around the campfire at night regaling my clients with tales of close calls with dangerous game. Probably fortunately for me and my imaginary clients, reality took over and I chose a very different, but equally exciting career path. A lot of good luck came my way, and one of the most lucky events was meeting a woman who came to love Africa as much as me! We took a number of safaris together and eventually were married on safari in South Africa.

We often discussed how great it would be to live in African game country for part of the year, but we couldn't find any practical way to do it. Then through our connection with African Wildlife Foundation, we learned of Limpopo-Lipadi. It sounded like the answer to our dreams, but it was scary to think of committing financially to a project that was still mostly on paper. We decided to risk taking a trip to the reserve to see for ourselves if this scheme looked like a dream or a nightmare!

Soon after arriving at the reserve and meeting Jacques, Alan and some of the other principals, it became apparent that they were all totally committed to the success of the enterprise and that their vision matched ours. We decided to make the leap and have been so glad we did - glad enough in fact to have recently increased our investment!

The youthful fantasies of calmly protecting clients from assorted charging beasts may never have come to pass, but the dream of the two of us enjoying the African bush together as shareholders in a reserve full of wild creatures has indeed come true!
Walt and Thea Tingle

USA

Paul Klomp from Holland got the best shots last week