The Story So Far

Limpopo-Lipadi is a relatively new reserve but over the period since the project's inception in 2002 that have been a number of major milestones reached. Although just a few short years ago the land was being used for a range of activities including farming we are already seeing the dividends of our careful and responsible attitude to managing the wilderness. Read on to learn more about our achievements to date.

Up to 2008

  • Development of the project model
  • Begin discussions with landowners, agree the concept and gain their commitment
  • Setting up the corporate structures and registered companies
  • Obtain Ministerial approval in Botswana for the lodge developments
  • Initial fundraising, marketing and sales commenced
  • Aerial mapping of the land
  • Vegetation transects undertaken to understand our land's ecology
  • Architectural designs developed for the lodges and other hard infrastructure, including interiors
  • Electrical reticulation laid for each lodge site
  • Water and waste analysis undertaken and systems designed to manage these
  • Water reticulation for lodge sites laid
  • IT infrastructure developed
  • Environmental management plan developed and impact assessment undertaken
  • Marketing materials developed and marketing process commenced
  • Recruitment of key management and staff
  • Establishment of security and anti-poaching programmes
  • Development of fire and emergency management plans
  • Conversion of offices to house reserve operations
  • Procurement of vehicles and other plant
  • Beginning of construction of River Camp, Island Lodge and private sites
  • Beginning of construction of River Camp and Main Staff Villages
  • Installation of over 140km of high quality electrified game fencing around the reserve
  • Installation of communications systems and radio signal repeaters across the reserve
  • Setting up of our social responsibility programmes and the MOTSE project in conjunction with the local villages
  • Taking in of nine wild dog pups orphaned elsewhere in Botswana and in urgent need of a home
  • Limpopo-Lipadi awarded Gold in the Homes Overseas awards for Most Sustainable Development in the World in both 2007 and 2008

During 2009

  • Development of first shareholder courses in first aid and 4x4 driving
  • Completion and opening of our seven unit, luxurious lodge complex by the Limpopo - River Camp 
  • Recruitment of lodge operations staff
  • Sourcing and conversion of Toyota Landcruiser game drive vehicles
  • The visit of His Excellency, the President of Botswana, and the Honourable Minister of Wildlife and Tourism to the reserve
  • Continued rehabilitation of our growing pack of African wild dogs
  • Continued work on the construction of the staff villages
  • Support provided to the local schools through the funding of teachers and other community activities
  • Completion of the reserve game fence
  • Soil survey and riparian vegetation studies reported
  • First aid workshops held and emergency plans tested

During 2010

  • Release of the rehabilitated wild dog pack onto the reserve and the birth of their first and second litters of pups
  • Arrival of new wild dogs on the reserve and the creation of a new pack roaming Limpopo-Lipadi
  • Maintaining a stable financial platform for the reserve through a programme of measures designed to contain costs and generate additional income which have been accepted and supported by shareholders
  • Complete redevelopment of the reserve website and online shareholder functions
  • The design of a viewing hide at Magermans and its installation
  • Huge programme of game drive road development undertaken
  • Gathering of GPS data for new game drive roads and the creation of a new reserve map to aid navigation
  • Commencement of plans to move the administration and operations functions entirely to the reserve

During 2011

  • Completion of move of all operations and administration to the reserve
  • Recruitment of our reserve General Manager and his arrival on site
  • The birth of the first litter of wild dog pups from the new pack
  • Conversion of the General Manager's house and new reserve office
  • Design and construction of three new viewing hides at Mbusi, Mogorosi and on the banks of the Limpopo River
  • Commencement of a waterhole rehabilitation programme and the installation of three new more natural looking waterholes near the reserve office, shareholder access gate and on the Northern Plains
  • The launch of our Facebook page
  • Introduction of a trail camera monitoring programme with regular image updates provided to shareholders online
  • Development of plans for Island Lodge and consideration of an airstrip

You can find out more about a number of these achievements elsewhere on this site.