Wildlife Overview

Great wildlife viewing is probably Africa's main visitor attraction and Botswana is an outstanding place in which to experience some of the best there is to see. Many of us have heard of the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert - two very different but fascinating eco-systems. Limpopo-Lipadi brings together the best of many worlds with its diverse ecology of dense bush, forested areas, 21km of river front, rocky hills and koppies, its open plains and more. This diversity accounts for the abundance and variety of fauna and flora found on Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve.

Everyone who has been on safari has heard of the so-called "Big 5" - a short-list of the animals most dangerous to man from the days when shooting game with guns was the priority of most visitors. Today this concept is becoming increasingly out-dated as visitors become more interested in endangered species, quality encounters with elusive or unusual creatures, and gaining awareness of the secrets of the bush at all levels of size - from elephants all the way down to the tiniest bugs. So although Limpopo-Lipadi does boast elephant and leopard - the latter particularly abundant - buffalo are absent due to foot and mouth disease control regulations in force in Botswana.

Lions roam the area along the Limpopo and currently there are two lions within the reserve having made their way in, probably through warthog burrows under the fence. We have plans to re-introduce a larger lion population to the reserve once our cheetah and wild dog populations are fully established, hopefully in 2012-13. A list of animal species on the reserve can be found here.

But Limpopo-Lipadi offers far more than megafauna: African wild dogs roam the reserve after our successful rearing and release, sightings of some of the bush's most secretive animals are increasingly common with visitors watching civet, aardwolf, brown hyena, aardvark and porcupine. Much of this is only possible because of our low density development that affords privacy, time and the opportunity to explore at your own pace, whether alone or accompanied by one of our experienced rangers, and indulge your own passion.

So whether you want to:

• Spot butterflies flitting around a valley filled with sweet-smelling acacias in full bloom
• Stake out one of many waterholes visited by leopard in the afternoon sun
• Enjoy a cool drink by the river while kingfishers hover above
• Track the wild dogs on foot through the bush
• Search for velvet bugs emerging after the first rains
• Comb the bush for hidden elephants after checking their latest GPS collar data
• Relax in a hide to watch the incredible birdlife that surrounds you wherever you are
• Walk out to pools in the river to spot dragonflies basking on the rocks
• Sit quietly by a hyena or aardwolf den to catch a glimpse as they emerge at dusk
• Climb Lipadi Hill and wait for elephant shrews to emerge at your feet

... it's possible at Limpopo-Lipadi. Indeed the list above is just a small example of things our shareholders already do and it doesn't end there. To find out more about the different animal groups on the reserve and some of our key species have a look at the other items in this section of the site.