Here at Aphrike, we have a blog series called ‘Destination Spotlight’, it will be a series filled with content on all our favourite destinations in Southern Africa. We can think of no better destination to start the series with than the Tuli Block in Botswana.

Where?

The Tuli Block is tucked into the South Eastern Corner of Botswana on the border of Zimbabwe, separated by the Shashe River and the border of South Africa, on the other side of the Limpopo River.

The Tuli Block is a massive Wilderness area, 800 000 hectares in total. It’s a destination often overlooked by travellers or commonly used an overnight stop on the way to more northern destinations in Botswana like the Okavango Delta. The area is worth more than an overnight stop and we suggest you give it a chance for the below reasons:

Rich History

The Tuli block is rich in history; If you look carefully on a bush walk you will find relics of the middle stone age in the form of stone tools as well as archaeological remains of the late stone age. Bushman paintings are found dotted all over the basalt rocky outcrops (also known as ‘Koppies’) which are unique to the area and remnants of the Mapungubwe dynasty are found in the form of pieces of pottery which cover the floors of ancient caves in and amongst the Koppies. The Moutloutse Riverbed, a mostly seasonal but incredibly scenic area, was the site for the discovery of Botswana’s first diamonds. Soloman’s Wall, a well-known historical site in the area, is a massive dolerite dyke found on the banks of the Motloutse.

Fascinating Topography

As mentioned above, the basalt koppies in the Tuli block are certainly a defining feature. Perched among these you will find some of Africa’s oldest Baobab trees. This dramatic landscape is enough of a reason to visit the area and it provides a backdrop for some amazing landscape photography, rich reds and greens by day and star-peppered Baobabs by night!

The Great Limpopo River is lined with towering Jackalberry, Apple-leaf, Leadwood and Sycamore Fig Trees, a stark contrast from the arid surrounding but a welcomed oasis providing shade for an afternoon picnic, morning coffee or if you are feeling adventurous, a camping trip.

Guest feedback common to a post Tuli block visit is usually around the awe-inspiring amount of space one feels upon entering the area. The possibilities of exploration seem endless once you immerse yourself in this special place!

Wildlife & Birdlife

Besides the longing we all get for that overwhelming feeling of freedom a visit to the bush provides us, the main reason why most people visit is so they can immerse themselves in the diverse and wild natural habitat of different species of fauna and flora. The Tuli Block has some of the best game viewing in Africa – most notably at Mashatu Game Reserve but the whole area has abundant wildlife populations. You can see the big three in the Tuli Block, there are no Buffalo and Rhino can only be seen inside Limpopo Lipadi, a fenced off Private Game reserve located in the Western side of Tuli.

Hundreds of elephants will provide you with hours of entertainment and great photographic opportunities and large groups of Eland are a welcomed sight. The predator numbers are healthy and the destination is good for spotting lion, leopard, Cheetah and Wild Dog! The Koppies provide Habitat for hyena dens, both brown and spotted, and the large tracts of grassy savanna are home to many a dazzle of Zebra.

For those interested in birding, Tuli has over 350 bird species. The Kori bustard, Africa’s largest flying bird, is a common sighting in the area. The dry season (June – October) provides for great birding around the pans, some naturally formed while others are solar pumped by Reserve operators. Huge flocks of finches, quelea and canaries can be seen flying in to grab drink and at dusk and flocks of Burchells sand grouse gather, chiming a peaceful call while drinking and absorbing water into their breast plumage for chicks back at the nest.

Accommodation Options

There are accommodation options to suit all budgets. Mashatu Game Reserve is the largest Game Reserve in the area and is host to luxurious accommodation options as well as a more rustic tented camp. Tuli Safari Lodge located in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve is also a more luxurious accommodation option.

Limpopo River Lodge is a great self-catering and camping option, the chalets are situated on the banks of the Limpopo River, each well-equipped and provide for a very comfortable stay! Tuli Wilderness Safaris offers a range of accommodation in their portfolio, a self-camp/self-drive option as well as a fully catered option inclusive of all safari activities.

What Experiences does the Tuli Block have to offer:

• Walking Safaris
  • Mashatu Game Reserve
  • Tuli Wilderness
  • Tuli Safari Lodge
• Game Drives
  • Limpopo River Lodge
  • Tuli Wilderness
  • Mashatu Game Reserve
  • Tuli Safari Lodge
• Photographic Safaris
  • Mashatu Game Reserve
• Cycling Safaris
  • Cycle Mashatu (Mashatu Game Reserve)
• Horse Riding Safaris
  • Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris (Mashatu Game Reserve)
• Voluntourism
  • Wild at Tuli Safaris
• Cultural Excursions
  • Wild at Tuli Safaris

Getting There

Driving

The Tuli Block is about a 6-hour drive from Johannesburg and about 8 hours to Maun if you are heading to the Delta. The Botswana border posts are usually quiet and relatively pain-free should you have the right documents – it also helps to greet the official with a friendly ‘Dumela’! If you are going to Mashatu, bear in mind that when the Limpopo River is flowing you will leave your car on the South African side and cross the river via cable car – an adventurous start to your safari! For the other border posts, Martin’s Drift and Platjan being the most commonly used, check the opening and closing times and if its flood season, it’s worth double checking that the bridges are all clear!

Flying

The quickest and easiest way to get to Tuli is to fly to the Limpopo Valley Airfield, located in Mashatu Game Reserve. There’s a twice weekly service from OR Tambo to Limpopo Valley on Thursdays and Sundays, and flight times are designed to fit with international arrivals and departures.

One can also charter a plane to the Tuli Block. There are several landing strips depending on which accommodation you will be visiting. These charters can carry on to Maun should you be visiting the Delta as your next stop! Contact Sales@angelgabriel.co.za for more information.

If you have any more questions about the Destination, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

To understand how to sell your tourism product you need to understand the psychology of a prospective guest and the buying process they go through when putting together their itinerary. This is easier said than done though as technology has changed the face of tourism industry for both the traveller and industry supplier and will continue to do so going forward! Travel has also become much more personalised, making the understanding of the user journey incredibly important for you, the supplier, when executing your content marketing strategy.

1. Inspiration stage

This stage can either be planned or spontaneous, for millennials spontaneous travel has become a common occurrence and we owe this mainly to social media and the beautiful travel content that is generated daily. Although spontaneous travel is less common for inbound African itineraries for logistical and price reasons, decisions are still easily made when exposed to content online.

• Googling destinations (According to Skift, Travel Trends Company, 80% of travel searches start on search engines)
• Social media Searches & Inspirations

This is where your tourism brand can deliver quickly through powerful content. Short videos and beautiful photos are key to capturing your future guests’ attention in the inspiration stage.

Content marketing feeds into the process by providing strategic answers to search queries. At this stage your future guest is not only interested in your establishment but rather the destination as whole so make sure your content is relevant to your product as well as your destination.

2. Planning Stage

By this stage the guest has made up their mind about where they are going to stay. If they have chosen your establishment as their destination of choice, then it means they will engage further with your website before making a booking. This means that the digital assets on the website need to be as informative as possible without over-whelming the consumer. By digital assets we mean…

• An up-to-date photo and video gallery
• Activities information
• An informative blog
• Fact Sheets
• Location and getting there
• Information on the different seasons, packing lists and relevant FYIs
• Contact Form or contact details which are easily reachable

At this stage travellers will also turn to Online Reputation Management platforms like TripAdvisor. They will compare your establishment’s reviews to others, look at the ranking of places in the area and take part in discussion forums. It’s important to make sure your content on sites such as TripAdvisor is updated and your responses to guests is friendly and professional

3. Booking

It’s a known fact that shopping carts in the tourism industry have an abandonment rate of over 75% so its important that the customer journey is fine-tuned at this point.

• Mobile optimised website
• Easily accessible availability calendar
• Pricing options
• Simple and fast payment methods

If your customer is booking through an online platform like booking.com then make use of a channel manager which will seamlessly integrate this process into a central booking function.

4. Experiencing

The guest experiencing moment provides you with the perfect opportunity to drive guest satisfaction through the roof, that is, if there is a well-thought strategy in place.

As a tourism product owner, you should always bear in mind that a guest who is impressed by a great experience shares it with his peers on social networks and the proceed to enter positive reviews on sites like TripAdvisor. This is not a small thing. 84% of social media users agree their friends’ and family’s vacations inspire them and reviews have a 95% influence on bookings.

Keep Guest feedback forms and contact cards in the room and encourage guests to complete these, follow your social platforms and share any content they captured during their stay! Listen closely to their experiences and embrace feedback which can be used to consistently improve customer experience!