Leshiba and it’s magical mountains is a travel destination for an authentic experience.
Over the years, Leshiba Eco Lodge was re-created into an authentic traditional Venda village with the help of internationally renowned Venda artist. The walls and over 40 sculptures are made from traditional clay and dung bricks, making Leshiba an authentic African ‘work-of-art’.
Leshiba Venda Village accommodation was the original homestead for Maulaudzi family, and Joyce who grew up in the village is now the manager.
Besides traditional Venda village-style accommodation, Leshiba offers luxury sites named: Mwedzy (meaning Moon in Venda), Duvha (the Sun), and Lavish suites: Naledzi (the Star), Tadulu ( the Heaven) and Miloro (the Dreams).
Leshiba private game reserve offers unspoilt nature with a variety of wildlife and activities for the whole family.
The activities, besides game viewing, include hiking on mountain trails, horse riding and visiting San rock paintings.
Leshiba is estimated 430km from Johannesburg and the last 7 km offers an adventure 4×4 drive up the mountain to reach Leshiba.
However, if you opt-out from the low range 4×4 drive, Leshiba does offer pre-organized transport from the carport below the maintain.
Is COVID panic justified?
The Covid-19 has trapped us between two fires with seeming no escape appearing on the horizon.
On one hand, we sit with a government who seemingly has forgotten about the COVID threat but is following another (unknown) agenda.
On the other side, we are bombarded with tons of information, most of it is in words we don’t understand and frequently appears directly contradictory. Furthermore, a cure is just a pipe dream.
After my 50 years in the medical field, I will explain our current situation in non-medical terms on how to understand and give perspective about Covid-19.
Unravelling the COVID pandemic can be compared to building a 1000 piece jig-saw puzzle.
To illustrate and understand the ‘COVID picture’, there are however a few catches:
- Firstly you are not given a picture of the puzzle, only a hint that it is either a chameleon (an innocent creature but can change appearance) in a tree, or it’s a cobra snake ( a deadly viper) lying in a footpath.
- To make the challenge more difficult you receive 1100 pieces of a puzzle; 1000 real and 100 fake pieces. And to add to the confusion, you receive the pieces in small batches.
Quite a challenge!
Research scientists supply information pieces bit by bit with no guide where and which of it fits in the picture, that either being a bit of the sky or the cobra’s eye or a fake piece. Frequently the scientist themselves don’t even know where their small piece fits in when they do their research. This is why initially everything seems confusing or contradictory.
How long will it take to complete the puzzle, 2-3 years at the current rate but a bit faster if the picture (vaccine) is supplied however much faster after 60-70% (herd immunity) has been achieved or the quickest, if the pieces are numbered at the back (medical cure), is given. But then where do you find numbered puzzle pieces!?
This is where we stand now. We have only just started with our puzzle and currently, my ‘chameleon’ might look like your ‘cobra’.
We already (think we) know some risk factors: High blood pressure (ACE enzyme giving more blood clotting), diabetes (low resistance to infections and ? also obese) including cardiac and cancer patients especially combined advance age.
Quo Vadis: With our current understanding in mind, what do we know at this moment?
The picture will only take shape with herd immunity, (60+%) infections or an effective vaccine become available in the distant future.
Lockdown had initial value, but to continue, will practically delay completion of the puzzle picture. If you want lockdown to succeed it must be a 100% absolute lockdown for 2-3 years, being obviously ridiculous and not achievable.
Governor of New York State, confirmed 18th May 2020, that there have been more COVID cases with people who stayed at home and only went out to exercise, compared to the people who were actively involved in their workplace.
The insistence from certain authorities to do fanatical 20+ seconds repeated hand washing and disinfecting and sterilizing all objects, surfaces and places, needs critical evaluation.
Our surroundings are filled with trillions of bacteria and microorganisms, and the majority are benign and much needed to maintain our immune systems to protect us. To sterilize all your household surfaces repeatedly and wash your hand incessantly when alone at home with no risk of viral contamination from outside sources serves little purpose except for killing friendly bacteria. It is well known that your hands contain protective oils to protect you against bacteria. By excessive handwashing, you remove the protective oils, leaving your skin vulnerable to bacterial growth. It is very different when you are directly in a bacterial/viral compromised situation. Then it is imperative to use ALL available sanitation tools available. The word is: ‘common sense’!
The same applies to masks and gloves. Learn how to use it CORRECTLY, otherwise, it adds to the problem with minimal benefit.
How will this affect our workplace?
Well-thought through safety measures must be adhered to at all times. Work from home will escalate combined with remote conferencing.
How will it affect our leisure and travel?
Game park and eco-lodges, as well as camping, will be vitally important due to natural social distancing and structural protections eg. exposure to fresh air and outdoor activities. The same will apply for beach holidays and aquatic sports.
These responsible tourism options will become more popular. And this situation can also present new exciting opportunities for restructuring and planning responsible tourism.
Big hotels with quick turnovers and guest congestion will find it difficult to compete.
Air travel will change. Long-distance flights will be a health challenge and to a lesser degree short-haul flights.
I feel somewhat sorry for the young and single people who want to be part of the ‘dating game’ being able to, or not able to maintain social distancing.
To summarize, social distancing will be with us for a long, long period of time. Improving health standards will be imperative and we will have to learn to live with the virus for many years.
Written by: Dr Johan Van Rensburg
Make the most of the challenge currently, for now, this will also pass.
Post-Corona pandemic change is inevitable, but how we adapt to it is crucial for our survival.
The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted in untold misery and disaster for the human race but paradoxically resulted in a welcome boost for nature. For once, after decades, the Earth can ‘breathe’ again. The signs are there. The air over Europe is 40% improved after a few weeks of rest, and the murky waters in the Venetian canals are clear again with dolphins present. In Asia, the summits of the Himalayas are again visible, the first time in human memory. This all because of a massive drop in human activity and actions.
It is prudent to take stock of where we stand and where we are going to.
It is painful and also disgraceful to admit that this catastrophic event is mostly self-inflicted caused by human actions or neglect to act in other instances. To only blame the Chinese for this disaster because of their disregard for animal rights and destructive ecological practices is disingenuous. We, the rest of the world, is equally to blame. We only have to look at pollution (air, water, environment), overpopulation, habitat disruption, harmful policies, health and hygiene standards coupled with civil disobedience to understand the cumulative effect on the pandemic.
Charles Darwin aptly said, “adapt or perish.”
Before the pandemic world/international travel was one of the fasted growing industries and ecotourism, responsible tourism was growing even faster.
Post Corona, the tourism landscape will transform dramatically. With the newfound realisation of social responsibilities combined with less disposable income, tourism will never be the same.
We can safely predict the ‘new’ tourist will become more discerning and demanding how their hard-earned money will be spent.
This new (or not quite so new) trend, places exciting new challenges for both the consumer and the service provider.
Our carbon footprint can be either uplifting or destructive, depending on our choices and actions.
As the responsible traveller, we must adhere to strict eco principals and standards. It starts with our choice of accommodation and transport. We have to verify or check to see if the lodge/hotel or reserve comply with responsible and eco standards. Relying on promotional marketing claiming ‘eco’ is not sufficient. We must check their credentials and grading (eco grading) we have to be alert to identify the ‘green washer’ who falsely proclaim to be eco for marketing reasons. We must take care to select locations or establishments who respect and improve nature as well as uplifting the local community. Also important to determine if their facilities and practices are truly and genuinely eco-friendly.
Eco-standards and grading
The service provider, on the other hand, has different challenges and opportunities to comply with. The current lull in local and international tourism is the ideal opportunity to get the ‘house in order’ and improve the infrastructure to comply with eco-standards and responsible tourism. Looking for, or improving renewable and energy-saving strategies, implementing water-saving policies, re-looking at amenities in the rooms and prioritise kitchen and catering standards to improve eco ratings. Use the available time to implement bush clearing of invader plants and trees and utilise the wood thus harvested for fire-making. What a better opportunity to rope in the already struggling local community, to render cultural and other uplifting activities to the establishments for the benefit of the guests. Planning new activities like birding, game drives and cultural visits, can be stimulating for the owners and also enhance their reputations. This is but a few examples, but the list can be much more extensive.
We have no choice but have to adapt to survive.
The current time is the best opportunity for all involved parties to unite their efforts to establish a true eco-community and grading for our tourism market. Here we include service providers, consumer individuals and groups combined with other involved experts to set a credible standard and grading process to guide the tourist in their decision making as well as the service provider in understanding the expected standards.
Looking for panoramic views of sunset sky – a vast stretch of starry sky – soothing sound of the stillness – unique fauna and arid beauty in Tankwa Karoo. Skoorsteenberg Eco-Farm offers for ecotravellers two self-catering farmhouse units, each sleeps six people. An ideal ‘home’ away home for a whole family including your furry family members.
Skoorsteenberg eco credentials:
Our debris does not form part of the ecosystem.
We have visited Mabuasehube, Botswana previously, however, when our friends, Heinrich and Wendy, invited us again to join them, we said yes.
That meant cancelling our pre-planned holiday to Thailand, and instead of sipping the cocktails in the sparkling pool, we were to test our endurance for the January heat in Kalahari.
Our route was planned via Bray border post, overnight at Cornwall farm, 6 nights at Mabuasehube, then take the Nossob track to Kgalagadi and drive down to Rooiputs.
By the time we sat in our camp chairs at Mpayathutlwa camp in Mabua, drinking in the scenery together with ice-cold gin and tonic, the tension of urban living had lifted from our shoulders.
This Camp is famous for its resident pride of lions who apparently like the campsites as much as campers do, and some have developed a peculiar fetish for car tyres. Indeed the lions were waiting for us. Either vocal or visible in the close distance during our stay. At the next-door campsite, the lions occupied the A-frame most of the day and using the camp chair as a urinal. There they “owned” the camp during the heat of the day while the campers were either driving around or forced to drive around because of the lions.
We saw notably fewer antelopes compared to our previous trip in March 2014. Most likely the harsh heat and lack of rain had driven animals to migrate to less hostile grounds. However it is not the number of animals that make an enjoyable game viewing, but often the small things like blooming desert lilies popped out from the bare sand.
Sustainable tourism
There are not many wild and natural places left, let’s cherish them.
The next three days we stayed at Lesholoago no2 campsite. It had all the camp “luxuries” (water and ablution ) and in my opinion one of the best views over the pan. The flat horizon over the pan made a 180 degree stretch of the sky into a magnificent sunset tableau. Distant rain clouds painted the sky in hues of pinks and purples with streaks of rain appearing red. Every sunset is different, and I have seen many spectacular ones, yet I feel this one would have been priceless if on the art gallery wall.
As expected, the days were boiling hot, with + 36 degrees at 6 in the evening. The best way to prevent heatstroke was to hibernate under a shady spot, depleting our stock of liquid refreshments. During our stay, we encountered quite a few uneaten carcasses of Gemsbok who probably have died from the drought.
At the Lesholoago campsite, we were expecting to meet the tyre fetish Lion as encountered during our previous visit. However, Lions were replaced with a gang of Hyenas; raiding our campsite every night in search of takeaways. Of cause, we left out of their reach, but in the morning we found a massive bag of wood dragged into the bushes and our car tyres tasted, – out of revenge (maybe). Swarms of termite nymphs appeared in the evenings for their suicide mission. It was fascinating to see the nymphs fly under the camp light, wiggling off their wings and join to move in a clockwise motion. The merry-go-round wheel got bigger and bigger, and BIGGER on the sand as millions of them joined in. By the morning the campsite ground looked like a termite nymph mortuary. It was the most bizarre activity. I am yet to find an explanation for it.
The next day a deep sandy road was waiting for us on our way to Nossob, – a challenge that we have been looking forward to. Beautiful terrain with changing vegetation and bouncy dunes.
To sum up, our Mabua to Nossob trip was a leisurely holiday. We had a great time without any let-downs from our cars or other possible mishaps. The only disappointing and annoying factor was finding cigarette-buts and other confetti such as cut cable ties; tins and beer caps at the campsites. My husband with our friends and I are regular 4×4 travellers and have noticed that lately, these findings become more prevalent.
It takes just a common sense, that beer cans will not burn to ash in the fire and ain’t going to disintegrate into the sand. More appalling was a discovery at the Matopi no2 wilderness campsite, – in the centre of the campground stood a hundred years old tree, a magnificent beauty ravaged by selfish campers for firewood. I cannot comprehend why would anyone go for 4×4 camping in the wilderness who does not respect nature and promote conservation. I hope that people would come to realise that we do not own nature and our debris does not form part of the ecosystem. https://ecoexploreafrica.com/what-is-ecotourism/
Eco safari experience in Big 5 Game Reserve – with added big smiles from the lodge staff making you feel genuinely the most important guest. Exclusive Wild Ivory Lodge is an intimate place where you find privacy and the time to rejuvenate in the midst of sounds, views and smell of African ‘bush’. The lodge has no fences, that makes you feel all the
All units are having a panoramic view to enjoy the morning coffee admiring the changing canvas of sunrise colours of the plain below.
We particularly like the self-catering option, two bedrooms well equipped spacious family unit that is situated high up in the mountain. It is connected to the pain Lodge with a steep winding pathway.
On our first game drive, we were treated by Herbert, our guide, to a sighting of three rescued cheetah orphans feasting on an Impala. The rest of our stay filled with excellent game drives with almost all the Big 5 sightings and unforgettable experience of dust billowing mock-charging elephant. And one of the most memorable sundowners was with Rhino and a suckling calf in sight as golden glowing sun rolled down to the horizon. Truly very special!
Wild Ivory Eco-lodge in Welgevonden Game Reserve
Panoramic view over the plains of Big 5 Game Reserve
The next morning we woke up to the sound of Hyena calls; they were strolling around the waterhole below the deck, just a few meters from our tent and as they left, a herd of Zebras took their place – no need even to drive around for the sightings 😉 🙂
As always, it is not just the place, location and great sightings – it is warm and welcoming people that add to the experience.
Our stay at Wild Ivory Eco Lodge was complimented by the attentive Ginag – manager; Herbert – our guide; Joseph – a chef with a biiiig smile (Joseph was so accommodating to my vegetarian requests) and Nomsa, Sarah and Lazarus. Thank you, everyone!
