SA Grensposte - SA Ports of Entry: Ratho Bush Camps - baobabs, crocs, and people with guts

Sandra Boshof is known as the Baobab woman of Mapungubwe. She started a business with a group of local people to make Baobab tree replicas from banana tree leaves. Today these trees are distributed through retailers in most areas of the country.

But there is more. Sandra is also a fanatic nature guide and animal lover. She has her own collection of sable, bush babies, warthogs and more. And then she has the Ratho Bush Camp, 15 km from the Pontdrift border post. This is on the same farm where her husband, Johan, is running a transport business to Botswana, and her daughters are managing a crocodile hatchery with about 18,000 crocs at any time.

Amazing people, but Ratho Bush Camp is also an amazing camp. There are two sections: the tented camps with all facilities and ideal for groups of up to 10 adults with children, and the 4x4 bush camp situated on an island in the Limpopo river.

There are no fences here and game are free roaming from Botswana and surrounding game farms. The water hole right in front of the tented camp is popular and we saw herds of elephant, waterbuck, kudus, impalas, baboons, mongooses visiting. A vulture restaurant, regularly stocked with the left overs from the crocodiles ensure a prolific bird life. Fish Eagles will wake you in the morning and remind you of their presence all day long. Large groups of Maribus complete the picture perfect sundowners.

The entrance gate to Mapungubwe National Park is only 60 km away from Ratho.
There is so much more to tell about this place and its people. Have a look at www.ratho.co.za