Ever dreamed of running a safari lodge? Thijs Claassen did—and then found himself fixing water pipes at dawn, dodging elephants, and managing last-minute vegan wedding requests… in the middle of the African bush! In this episode, we take you inside Elephants Crossing, a lodge nestled in the breathtaking, malaria-free “Welgevonden Game Reserve”, where Thijs and his wife Noortje built their dream after leaving the Netherlands.

Expect funny stories, heartwarming moments, and a glimpse into what it takes to run a luxury lodge in the wild. Plus, why are elephants called "the ninjas of the bush"? Tune in to find out! 🐘

Deutsch: Du kannst diesen Podcast auch auf Deutsch hören: “Africa with André auf Deutsch”

** Please tell your friends about this podcast, and leave me a rating on Spotify or Apple. I would love to hear from you - send me your questions, comments and ideas to podcast@africawithandre.com **

Elephants Crossing Lodge: https://elephants.crossinglodges.com/

Welgevonden Game Reserve: https://www.welgevonden.org/

South African Tourism – Limpopo province: https://south-africa.net/south-africa/limpopo/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africa_with_andre

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Sound credits: uppbeat.io/ and https://pixabay.com/

Botswana is one of the ultimate destinations if you want to go on safari. Why is travelling to Botswana more expensive than other destinations? How do you run a camp or lodge in what feels like the middle of nowhere? What should you know about a visit to this country in southern Africa? James, who works at Desert & Delta Safaris, explains this to us. He also talks about his favourite birds (one sounds like a champagne cork!), and about a new opportunity for visitors to see the cultural side of the country. Be inspired to travel!

Deutsch: Du kannst diesen Podcast auch auf Deutsch hören: “Africa with André auf Deutsch”

** Please tell your friends about this podcast, and leave me a rating on Spotify or Apple. I would love to hear from you - send me your questions, comments and ideas to podcast@africawithandre.com **

Desert & Delta Safaris: https://desertdelta.com/

Nxamaseri & Tsodilo Hills: https://desertdelta.com/camps/nxamaseri-island-lodge/

Tsodilo Hills on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsodilo

James’ podcast “Inspiring African Travel”: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LK7s27vRQl19aGlUGw8AC?si=db3ab6533e22487a

Aardvark: https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/aardvark

Bird: Collared Pratincole: https://ebird.org/species/colpra and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_pratincole

Bird: Black-bellied bustard: https://ebird.org/species/bkbbus1 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-bellied_bustard

Botswana Tourism: https://www.botswanatourism.co.bw/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africa_with_andre

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Sound credits: uppbeat.io/ and https://pixabay.com/

What happens when a child growing up in a remote village never sees a map, a book, or a story about the world beyond their home? Hilma Weber knows firsthand—and she’s on a mission to change that.

In this episode, we chat with Hilma about her journey from Namibia to Switzerland and how her passion for books led her to create library boxes for underprivileged children. We dive into her beautifully illustrated Children’s Picture Atlas of Namibia and Africa, why maps spark curiosity, and how she’s inspiring a love for reading.

Plus, we hear a hilarious story about a roaring competition that terrified some chickens! 🦁📖🐔

Deutsch: Du kannst diesen Podcast auch auf Deutsch hören: “Africa with André auf Deutsch”

** Please tell your friends about this podcast, and leave me a rating on Spotify or Apple. I would love to hear from you - send me your questions, comments and ideas to podcast@africawithandre.com **

Hilma Weber website: https://hilma-weber.com/

Examples of Hilma’s books: https://hilma-weber.com/books/

- Children’s Picture Atlas of Namibia

- Children’s Picture Atlas of Africa

- The Treasure Hunt (A Tale of Friendship)

- Hear Me Too

- The Feelings

Development Workshop Namibia: https://dw-namibia.org/ecd.php

Information about The Sahel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahel

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africa_with_andre

Subscribe to Email reminders when episodes go live: www.africawithandre.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/africawithandre/

Sound credits: uppbeat.io/ and https://pixabay.com/