Botswana Game Reserve shares

Mma Ramotswe, the only lady private detective in Botswana, might call it The Case of Buying Part of a Game Reserve and Saving the Black Rhino. For now aficionados of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency can invest in the Limpopo-Limpadi Game and Wilderness Reserve in Botswana, Africa where they can observe lions, leopards, hippos, elephants and crocodiles from two luxury lodges and four bush camps. Purchasers also can get involved in reintroduction programmes on the 32,450-hectare reserve with 21 kilometres of Limpopo river frontage for black rhino, sable antelope and wild dogs. Buying fully tradable shares, at £107,423 a share (based on today's exchange rate EUR - GBP), in the public company running the reserve grants owners a certain number of days on the reserve, along with guests. For instance, purchasing three shares (£322,269) entitles you to stay on the reserve as often as you like within the 90-days normally granted to visitors in Botswana along with 11 guests, while one share (£135,000) allows you to bring five guests to Limpopo-Limpadi. Some of the infrastructure already is in place and construction has begun on the lodges, restaurants and other facilities. There is no definite completion date yet for the South African-backed project. Winner of the gold award for sustainable development in the 2007 Homes Overseas awards, the scheme is eco-friendly and employs local labour. Botswana is a stable democracy and has one of the lowest crime rates in the area. The site in eastern Botswana is in a malaria free zone and is about a four-hour drive to the nearest airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, or you can fly direct to Limpopo-Lipadi in a small plane as the reserve has its own airstrip. An investor seeking a long-term and unique opportunity, as well as a project they can be passionate about and hands-on with, will be unlikely to find a more exciting and potentially profitable project than this, says Judge Nigel Willis, chairman of Limpopo-Lipadi. The intrepid will take pleasure from wilderness walks, sleeping on tree platforms or in game hides, fishing in designated areas along the Limpopo and picnicking in the bush. You can go one step further and train to become a ranger, or be accompanied by experienced rangers. Or, like Mma Ramotswe, you can brew up a pot of redbush tea and simply celebrate the beautiful untouched views. For more information on the Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve, please visit www.limpopo-lipadi.com