Botswana: A Diamond in the Rough with Undiscovered Frontiers of Opportunity

by Charlotte Ashton Botswana

 

 
If you’re seeking a new trend in travel for 2008, a fresh investment and lifestyle opportunity or you just want to broaden your physical and spiritual horizons, then the time is right to discover Botswana.
 
As one of the most dynamic and successful economies and one of the most progressive and politically stable nations on the African continent, Botswana is ironically one of the least well-known countries in Southern Africa – so let’s uncover this diamond in the rough and unveil an as yet undiscovered frontier of opportunity: –
 
Botswana: Introducing a Diamond in the Rough…
 
Botswana, landlocked and bordered by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, is officially ranked by the credit rating analysts at Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s as the best credit risk in Africa, it has one of the most dynamic economies on the African continent and Transparency International rate Botswana as the least corrupt nation in Africa.  Significantly it is also the one country in Africa to have an advanced, progressive and thorough programme for dealing with HIV/AIDS.
 
Independent from Great Britain since 1966, Botswana has managed to maintain one of the highest economic growth rates in the world ever since and is considered a middle-income nation according to UN rankings.  Until recently the majority of the nation’s economy was built on cattle farming and mineral extraction – principally diamond mining – but in an intelligent effort to diversify the economy away from overdependence on these two sectors alone, the government of Botswana is doing everything it can to foster and develop its emerging tourism industry.
 
Tourism is a very strong area for development and there is massive potential in this industry sector in Botswana.
 
Tourism focus is principally aimed at the promotion and development of conservation, safari, game and eco projects within the nation’s extensive nature reserves.  To support economic diversification and to enable the development of the tourism sector specifically, the government has abolished foreign exchange controls, reduced corporate tax to an attractive rate of 15%, removed restrictions on the foreign ownership of local companies and adopted both a Privatisation and Competition master plan to bring foreign direct investment to Botswana.
 
Botswana: Unveiling an Undiscovered Frontier of Opportunity
 
One of the most exciting, ambitious and fascinating tourism and investment focused projects to take advantage of the new supportive governmental legislation is the Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve – and for anyone with a passion for Africa, travel, wildlife, conservation, big game and unique potential, the Limpopo-Lipadi project represents unrivalled opportunity.
 
As an investor into the reserve you will be contributing to a unique and internationally acclaimed ecosystem sustainability model that Limpopo-Lipadi founders hope will set the standard in conservation sustainability in the 21st century. This sustainability model includes:
 
  • Training you to become a ranger to self drive, walk and sleep in the bush or be driven by experienced rangers;
  • Managing the reserve using a unique model based on a new approach to ecosystem management;
  • The eco friendly way in which to design, construct and manage the lodges. This ensures minimising carbon, water and waste footprints.
  • An unique approach and way in which Limpopo-Lipadi enables all stakeholders to benefit from the reserve;
  • A uniquely structured financial model that ensures that no monthly or annual operational costs need to be paid by the investor;
  • The Limpopo-Lipadi support the promotion of Motswana history and culture;
 
As an investor into the project you own the game and wilderness reserve which is at an exciting point in its development; you will be able to visit the reserve as often as you like, be part of the decision making process of the reserve or just simply enjoy the many diverse ecosystems when you visit., Your capital will be used for everything from further land purchase to the development of the lodges, camps and two commercial tourism properties for the introduction of paying guests to the reserve. 
 
While you are on the reserve you can choose to stay in any of the six lodges and camps, all of which are completely differently designed in different locations to maximise your accommodation experience. You can choose to stay at the Island Lodge, River Camp, Kirkia Forest Camp, Mountain Rock Lodge, Marula Tree Tented Camp or Wilderness Tented Camp. These lodges and camps enable you to enjoy the reserve through the diverse seasons in different locations and cater for your every bush experience need.
 
This is a project for passionate people that will enable the preservation of spectacular landscapes, the protection of untouched archaeological sites and the reintroduction of species such as white and black rhino, wild dog, sable antelope and lion into a reserve that already covers a vast expanse of over 80,000 acres of stunning ground and has 21 kilometres of valuable river frontage on the famous Limpopo River, immortalised by Rudyard Kipling in ‘The Elephant’s Child.’
 
According to Judge Nigel Willis, Chairman of the Limpopo-Lipadi project, “an investor seeking a long-term and unique opportunity, as well as a project that they can be passionate about and hands on with, will be unlikely to find a more exciting and potentially profitable project than this.”
 
All investors further benefit from having the option of driving or walking with experienced rangers in the reserve or even qualifying to self-drive and explore freely.  They can sleep on tree platforms or in game hides, they can fish in the Limpopo River or picnic in the bush, they can star gaze, wildlife watch and lose themselves in the breathtaking beauty of the Botswana countryside.  There will be local knowledge courses available so that investors and their guests can learn about anything and everything to do with the reserve – from the trees that grow within it to the species that inhabit it, from the stars that light up the night sky above it to the Setswana language spoken within it.
                                                                                                    
This is an investment opportunity like no other – it is an opportunity for passionate people, people who prefer to earn their rewards rather than simply buying them, people who want hands on exposure to the development of an exciting tourism project and more significantly, people who want to be a part of preserving and enhancing the natural landscape of a stunning African nation. 
 
For more information please visit http://www.limpopo-lipadi.com/default.aspx
 

Limpopo-Lipadi

by Charlotte Ashton Botswana

As individuals we are becoming increasingly aware of our ongoing ethical and ecological obligation to our planet. Now that we understand more about global warming, about the daily loss of species of flora and fauna and the irreparable damage that has already been done to this incredible world of ours, we are working harder collectively to stop the harm and reverse the negative trend that has wounded our earth.

To celebrate and encourage this ongoing global advancement, Homes Overseas Magazine was proud to include the category of ‘Best Sustainable Development’ in its award series last year, and this category was always going to be a very tough one to win. Of all the categories in the award series, ‘Best Sustainable Development’ required that extensive proof be given for not just the short-term sustainability of a development’s model, but the ongoing and long-term plans that the developers had for the delivery of a flawless sustainability model.

The out and out winner of the category in 2007 was Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve in Botswana; and the judges of the ‘Best Sustainable Development’ category were certainly convinced by Limpopo-Lipadi’s commitment to the delivery of its establishing principles of preservation, enhancement and setting the global benchmark for unique sustainable developments.

The stunning Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve was the rightful winner; it has at its very core a code of conduct for the directors, the staff and the investors which is the embodiment of sustainability, and this is reflected in the logo the company has chosen which depicts the preservation of the circle of life in Africa – which is the ultimate vision and goal of everyone involved in this unique and fascinating project.

Limpopo-Lipadi has a series of core sustainability principles, cornerstones and guiding ethics that fascinate all those who learn about the development and which ensure that the development of the game and wilderness reserve remains absolutely on track over time and that the circle of life is not compromised. 

For example, for the investors there are philosophies and practical guidelines in place to ensure that an investment is not just merely of passive benefit to Botswana and the native people who work within the reserve. Rather investors at Limpopo-Lipadi are encouraged to be passionate about the reserve, the wildlife and the environment. They can receive training to become rangers, they are given the freedom to create their own bush experience and they are encouraged to be fully involved in the reserve’s activities and in important decision making processes – so much so that Limpopo-Lipadi becomes not just a valuable investment asset but a second home for every single investor.

In terms of the management of the reserve, there is the ecological and environmental focus which ensures that Limpopo-Lipadi’s carbon, water and waste footprints are minimised, that micro ecosystem management is effective and that rather than having any form of negative effect on the surrounding environment, the reserve supports nature and wildlife and enhances and protects the Botswanan landscape. 

The personnel and humanitarian focus ensures that staff are taught and supported, that ultimately the reserve will be entirely staffed by local citizens and that the surrounding Motswanan community is supported with the infrastructure it needs as determined in direct consultation with elected representatives of the people.

Alan Marneweck, Director of Limpopo-Lipadi perfectly sums up how the reserve represents the circle of life on every level: “There is sustainability in the financial model of the reserve, there is sustainability in the ongoing promotion of the history and culture of Motswana, Botswana and Africa, there is sustainability in the way Limpopo-Lipadi strives continuously to be the best company to work for and ultimately there is sustainability in every aspect of the social responsibility, environmental preservation and investment enhancement elements of the game and wilderness reserve’s founding and guiding principles.”

If you are personally driven to ensure that our planet is protected and that every living element on earth is preserved, you will find that the Limpopo-Lipadi development in Botswana embodies your principles. You will also find that it was the concept of likeminded visionaries and that by investing in the development you can not only make a practical and very real difference to the world by putting your money to good use in Africa, but that you will benefit so much more by being able to become actively involved in the development and even the running of the reserve.

There are different levels of investment involvement that you can commit to – from a purely financial point of view, entry level investment is EUR 135,000, but in terms of the difference that you can practically make and the benefits that you can personally witness and enjoy, they are limitless.

For more information please contact 00 27 82 333 1905 or visit www.limpopo-lipadi.com.