Ninjas of the Bush & The Lodge Life No One Warns You About!

Africa with André · 2025-05-07

22:05

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”

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

Africa with André

"Africa with André" is a podcast where we "Celebrate Africa - One Story at a Time". With this podcast, I want to break down the misconceptions and misunderstandings that many people have about Africa – and to create a positive image of the continent.
Through interviews with partners and friends in tourism, we will listen to their stories: their experiences, their projects and about how they have made a difference in the lives of others.
I’ve worked in the Africa travel industry for over 25 years, and I’ve had many conversations over the years, both with guests and travel colleagues about spending time in Africa: what they expect it will be like, what they worry about. What their understanding and image of the continent is.
This podcast is not about giving you the normal tips of what to do – I am going to assume that you know that you will see Table Mountain when you’re in Cape Town. Rather, our conversations will highlight some of the goosebump moments you could have, and introduce potential new destinations to you.
I want to help you understand how a holiday in one of Africa’s 54 countries is something to be excited about, like a 5 year old is in the days before Christmas.
And just a quick note at the end: this is a project of love – not a job. I choose friends and partners that have stories which I find interesting and inspiring – and I hope you do too.

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