Greetings to all friends, customers, suppliers and fellow wildlife enthusiasts!
As we come to the end of another year, it is pleasing to reflect on what has been a successful and enjoyable year sharing many safari experiences with both new and old clients. The year has flown by and we would like to wish all our clients a merry christmas and a very prosperous new year.
In this edition:
· Bushlore news and 4x4 rental specials
· Bushlore launch of Motorhome division
· Botswana park fees update
· World cup draw
· Wildlife and the environment – leopard research update
Bushlore News
1. 4X4 Rentals – Summer Special
We are maintaining our discounted rates on all 4x4 vehicle rentals from January to March. This offers excellent value to be had in renting one of our 4x4 campers (your home and transport) to go and explore the countryside.
2. Safari Special – “Boets of Botswana” – February 2010
Finally after much request we have decided to put together a special offer on a Botswana safari visiting some of the wildest and most highly rated reserves and wilderness areas in Southern Africa. Offer is to friends and family and anyone who you know would enjoy 10 days in the wilds of Botswana. For a full itinerary contact Clyde on
Pricing:
R890.00 per person per day.
Total : R11570.00
4 persons sharing a vehicle
Includes
4x4 camper vehicle and equipment
Fuel
Reserve entry fees and accommodation
Not included
Food and drinks
Based on 4 people sharing per vehicle.
2. Bushlore Motorhomes
We have acquired a fleet of Motorhome vehicles for rental. We are focussing on the 4 and 6 berth models at competitive rates and equipped for African conditions. For full specifications and prices please visit www.bushlore.com or www.motorhomecamper.com
3. BOTSWANA SELF DRIVE AND CAMPSITE FEES
There has been a lot of speculation and a number of rumours regarding the availability of the Botswana campsites to the public and the accessibility of the Botswana parks by self drive in the future.
To clarify;
- The Department of Wildlife and national parks in Botswana have privatised various campsites within the National parks but have not closed off access in any way. Access to the parks is unchanged
- Reserve entry fees and vehicle entry fees remain the same and are paid directly to The Department of Wildlife and national parks in Botswana.
- The campsite fees which were PULA 30.00 per person are now between 100 pula and 250.00 pula per person depending on which campsites are used. There are two or three campsites which now charge in USD at a rate of USD 50.00 per person per night. Fortunately the higher rates are only applicable to a couple of campsites.
- The above will result in additional cost when self driving into Botswana parks however if planned correctly there is still very good value to be had visiting these parks. The game viewing opportunities are phenomenal and we believe that for most camps the charges are a more realistic rate than the 30.00 pula previously charged.
- There should be some benefit to the privatisation of the camps – far easier, more available bookings and better maintained ablutions and facilities.
- The current set up is on a trial basis
4. World Cup Draw
The final draw for next years FIFA World cup took place in Cape Town recently with our very own Charlize Theron adding some glamour to the event. From all accounts it was a major success and now it is truly all systems go for June next year. The draw does favour some of the traditionally stronger European teams but there will be no easy matches. Some selected teams and their locations are:
South Africa – Johannesburg, Pretoria and Bloemfontein
France – Cape Town, Polokwane and Bloemfontein
England – Rustenburg, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth
USA – Rustenburg, Johannesburg and Cape Town
Germany – Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg
Australia – Durban, Rustenburg and Nelspruit
Netherlands – Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town
Italy – Cape Town, Nelspruit and Johannesburg
Spain – Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria
The Waterberg Wilderness Reserve is offering special World Cup Safari packages at www.waterbergwilderness.co.za and is close to the Polokwane stadium
5. Bushlore on Facebook
We have set up a page on Facebook, this is mainly to display images from past clients. Please visit Bushlore here on Facebook to view photos from previous Bushlore experiences. If you have photographs that you would like to add please send them to
6. Wildlife and the environment – Update on Leopard research
Bushlore sponsors Leopard research programme
The Leopard is an apex predator and plays an important role in the environment. Where Leopards still occur, it is usually a sign of a reasonably healthy ecosystem. It is important that we preserve these ecosystems in order to ensure the survival of many key species and the genetic variance required to secure future populations.
Huge tracts of land are used for farming but still offer sanctuary for certain animal species. These include the Leopard which is still quite widespread but under a lot of hunting pressure in these areas due to the conflict created by stock losses. Management strategies are required to ensure that the Leopard and other species can survive on farmland and that farmers do not suffer huge loss in the process. The Leopard also represents the wild areas of Africa, when the Leopards disappear it is usually also the first sign of a collapsing ecosystem and the disappearance of these wild areas.
‘The ecology of the Leopard in a game farm environment in the waterberg’ is a research project initiated and funded by Bushlore in order to understand the exact ecology of the Leopard in a farming environment and to come up with sustainable management plans to ensure the survival of the Leopard in a farming environment.
A student is conducting the research on a permanent basis using various techniques including satellite collar tracking and the latest technology motion detecting cameras. A female Leopard has been collared with a satellite tracking device which allows us to monitor movements and gather more accurate information. A male leopard will also be collared and research compared with other areas. Research of this nature is a long process but we will keep you updated on any progress or interesting news
Kind Regards
The Bushlore Team
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