We are John and Julie, permanent residents of Botswana. We built and have now been resident in our house for 28 years. The house is on a small 12 ha family farm, with 3 other houses where my children & families live. The reason for a housesitter, is that my youngest daughter – who does not live on the farm- is getting married in Spain, so the whole family will be departing for a period of time.
Our House sitter request is actually more for dog sitters of 4 much loved friends – weimeraner, pointer, Labrador, Labrador x; Max, Rusty, Bella & Kubu. They love a human prescence and as I write this they are all lying around me. I am sitting on the verandah looking out over a beautiful green garden at the ducks flying by on the river.
The farm is situated 15kms from Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, a thriving town supporting the tourism industry. Good quality fresh and dry goods are available, as the town is the supply base for the luxury camps of the Delta, and several cafes serving excellent coffees and freshly prepared food. 1.5 kms along the gravel road leading to the farm is Delta Rain Camp, where the restaurant produces a great pizza or burger.
The house itself is very comfortable with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, wifi and satellite tv. A daily domestic worker takes care of laundry, cleaning etc on Monday to Friday, and a dishwasher, washing machine, tumble drier, fridge/freezer/icemaker are available. House sitters will be expected to feed and care for the dogs & 2 cats. There are 6 horses and various poultry on the farm ( fresh eggs are available daily ), and resident farm staff to care for these, and the grounds, whose quarters are about 200m from the house. The housesitters will also be asked to liase with farm staff for the 10 days when all other family members are also away, just to check that there are no problems; and to contact relevant people to deal with problems, if necessary.
The farm has 500m river frontage on the Thamalakane River. Hippos are often chilling outside in the river, and the birdlife is amazing – resident fish eagles and giant eagle owls, to name a few. We also have an entertainment area on the farm with our own Padel Tennis Court, 15m lap pool and thatched bar – a resort in itself !
We have lived here for 28 years; security has never been an issue, but there are active community WhatsApp groups, with the leader of our local group being the nearest neighbor, 2km away.
We look forward to hearing from any interested sitters, and hopefully, welcoming you to our home in May.