Limpopo Lipadi

[Bugs]

The reason for this trip was to convince my better half that I had spend our money well.

 

I must say that our safari breaks are becoming more sedate lately, and "chasing game" is not the highest priority. We really are focusing on chilling and soaking the atmosphere in. We were so comfortable to relax at the lodge, and do a few walks with the camera identifying birds and taking photos.

 

Bird photography is both easy and incredibly difficult. Birds are so beautiful, all you have to do is get focus and click, but its not so easy, as they don't sit still, and always hiding. Never give you a chance to focus, and hide behind things. Anyway, - here are some of my attempts.

 

The woodlands kingfisher and paradise fly-catcher are very dominant sounds during december.

[Bugs]

We saw some naked predation as well.

 

there was a small Scotia tree near the river that was full of Mopani worms. I noticed that the little tree was running out of leaves for the worms as the worms grew each day. Then out the blue, a monitor climbs the tree and starts to eat the worms. Buy the time we had left, there was only one lonely worm left on the tree.

 

[Bugs]

Some more photos - just for fun.

[twaffle]

Really enjoying the macro photos and some of the bird ones are great. What a wonderful life you have (some days!).

[lipadi]

Hi Treepol,

 

We had very good rains at Limpopo-Lipadi a week ago (130mm in a day), and hopefully more to come by end March / April.

 

In the Tuli, nights are relatively cold from end of May til mid August (+/- 2 weeks). In September, the weather should be gorgeous, mild at night and in the mid / high 20s at daytime.

 

Why don't you pop around and have a look at LL as well...

 

regards,

bruno

 

 

 

Can anyone tell me what the rainfall in the Tuli Block has been like this season?

 

The Northern Tuli Predator Project blog indicates there were good rains in early December but I'm wondering if these were sustained? I'm interested in Mashatu as I know the rangers were hoping for a good rain this Christmas.

 

I'm returning to Mashatu in September which is later than I have visited in previous years - what sort of day/night temperatures can we expect?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Pol

[RedLeopard]

One evening we met a Roman Spider

 

Bird photography is both easy and incredibly difficult.

 

Those red romans are definitely crazy. I remember nearly jumping out of my skin the first time I saw one scuttling around the unit!

 

And I agree completely - bird photography is a nightmare, you really do have to be exceptionally close to get frame-filling shots, which is a major challenge in itself, nevermind all the twigs that are always in the way!

 

Love the pics :-)

 

 

Magnus

[Treepol]

Lipadi, thanks for the rainfall update, here's hoping it keeps tumbling down for another few weeks.

 

Regards,

 

 

Pol

[Sverker]

Roman spiders aka sun spiders are a little scary. So fast and big. When they sneaked into my house my cats chased them. The spiders put up a fight, snapping with there jaws at the cats but finally they became food ...

[Jochen]

J. - its not that expensive at all. It cost one tenth of what my game farm cost, and the annual levies are probably what I am loosing in a month on the game farm anyway. But its bigger and is fully natural. In fact the annual levies are less than I donate each year to other organizations. Its kinda like a holiday house - but better.

 

 

Then you are a rich man, dikdik, and I am not.

 

 

Well... why don't I throw it on the board here? Nothing special about my situation anyway. Here goes; suppose we'd sell our house here (not completely ours; small loan still going), and we do so right now (ic while we're still young ...ish). We'd have a capital of about USD 500K. I guess that's about typical for a childless couple making decent money. Nothing to brag about, nothing to be ashamed of either.

 

 

That's the capital that we have to buy ourselves a life in the bush. It's gotta be a place where we can stay permanently, and make some money (just enough to survive plus a yearly airline ticket to visit the folks back home). Also; income means citizenship.

 

Mission impossible?

 

LL cannot provide that. Maybe it's a good deal if we were retired.

 

Ciao,

 

J.

[Jochen]

How about this is the next venue for an ST get together

 

I'd like that!!

[Bugs]

 

Then you are a rich man, dikdik, and I am not.

 

 

Well... why don't I throw it on the board here? Nothing special about my situation anyway. Here goes; suppose we'd sell our house here (not completely ours; small loan still going), and we do so right now (ic while we're still young ...ish). We'd have a capital of about USD 500K. I guess that's about typical for a childless couple making decent money. Nothing to brag about, nothing to be ashamed of either.

 

 

 

Not necessarily - I cant afford to spend $500 to $1000 pppn at other camps for example. All I know is that a share in LL is a fraction of $500K.

 

Your needs are slightly different. The moment you want to live in big five area, the size of the area and costs rise. Why not buy a house just outside Kruger or some other large reserve for a fraction of that, and then take time out more often to visit those places as often as you like. If you want to make a business out of living on a reserve/farm, then you will need at least $500K to buy the farm, (but no big predators) and then try and make a living out of hunting, or eco tourism. BUt what you buy for $500K wont get you much at all. Farms are going about R8 000 to R10 000 per hectare (stocked and operational). More if you have expensive/rare game. That is without good accommodation which you will need for eco tourism. - but its not worth over-spending on accommodation, if you only have 500 hectares. You will go in circles. Maybe you should start a thread on this topic. and we can talk money.

[Jochen]

Not necessarily - I cant afford to spend $500 to $1000 pppn at other camps for example.

Me neither. My absolute limit is $250 pppn.

 

All I know is that a share in LL is a fraction of $500K.

 

Your needs are slightly different. The moment you want to live in big five area, the size of the area and costs rise. Why not buy a house just outside Kruger or some other large reserve for a fraction of that, and then take time out more often to visit those places as often as you like.

 

Not worth it. We only get 20 days of vacation per year from our companies. That's why "a house just outside Kruger" or "A share in LL" is of no use to us.

 

The point I'm trying to make is; we either keep doing safaris as we are doing right now, or we quit jobs and make a living in the bush. That "making a living in the bush" does not necessarily mean buying a property. I know what that costs. There's other options:

- Guides and lodge managers do not necessarily own the place they work at. So that could be an option for us. In that case we could keep our house in Belgium and by renting it out making a small profit.

- Look for plot owners who do not have the funds to build a camp. We could build that camp, in return for an agreement to run it for a decent period. Profits can be split between us and the owner of the land.

[tonypark]

Eish dik dik, that looks lekker. I'm currently en route back to australia and very envious.

[twaffle]

Jochen, are you only looking st South Africa for this venture?

[Atravelynn]

This is very exciting. You just can't get enough, can you Dikdik? I like the get together idea!

[Sangeeta]

I like the GTG idea too!

 

I absolutely loved that stick insect. The cutest SI I've ever seen! But glad to skip that spider.

[Bugs]

I like the GTG idea too!

 

I absolutely loved that stick insect. The cutest SI I've ever seen! But glad to skip that spider.

 

As for the GTG - its all very very possible. I say we make a date and stick to it. Then we try and find a way of getting GW there.

[Sangeeta]

What would be good time of the year Dikdik?

 

I vote either Aug 2012 (so I can combine with Zim!) or early Dec 2012 so that we're all home in time for the holidays. Honestly, green season LL sounds as good or even better than the WS and Kwando concessions!

 

In the words of Jean-Luc Picard, Make it happen, Number One

[Jochen]

Jochen, are you only looking st South Africa for this venture?

 

No, of course not.

 

It's just that most of my safari-related friends are from SA.

[Bugs]

I am working on the GTG. Will start a thread soon. - August 2012 seems as good a date as any.

[wilddog]

I am working on the GTG. Will start a thread soon. - August 2012 seems as good a date as any.

 

Fantastic!

[Atravelynn]

Your insect macro shots are very impressive. It feels like I'm on a walking safari with you. The monitor with a lizard is a rarity too. Thanks for doing your best on the GTG!

[Tom Kellie]

~ @bugs:

 

These images shook me from late-night drowsiness.

Any one of them would be a safari highlight for me.

Your Limpopo Lipaldi report and photos are fascinating, opening up my pitifully limited understanding.

Hats off to you for these, which I admire.

The wild dogs drinking from a water trough shows a side of their character which I'd never previously seen.

Many Thanks!

Tom K.