Selinda Explorers Camp (Selinda Reserve) Botswana
Location:
Just one and a half hours west of Selinda main camp, Selinda Explorers Camp is poised in a remote, treasured location on the famous Selinda Spillway. As the lifeline of the Selinda Reserve, the Selinda Spillway is a crucial gathering point for the wildlife of this pristine 320,000-acre Reserve.
The intention of Selinda Explorers Camp is to offer the same quality of wildlife experience, while allowing guests to explore outside of the vehicle, by foot and canoe. This classic camp, consisting of four custom-designed tents, transports us back to authentic safaris, but with a modern twist and hospitality.
There are few places in northern Botswana as dynamic as the Selinda Reserve. The Selinda Reserve is centered on the famous Selinda Spillway, which flows through the concession from east to west linking the far reaches of the Okavango Delta in the south with the Linyanti systems in the east. It flows into the Zibalianja lagoon, then through the Savute channel and eventually ends at the Savute marsh. Therefore, it has all the advantages of both of those famous areas but with the tremendous advantage of exclusivity. It is a truly spectacular and unique landscape and you are in its core.
In balance with the wild location of this camp (about 45 minutes game drive northwest of Selinda airstrip) the camp is ecologically sensitive with 100% solar power, grey water treatment, bore-hole water for drinking, and activities that concentrate on getting back to nature: guided walking and canoeing a focus, but day and night game drives available exploring the eastern reaches of the Selinda Reserve where there is an extensive networks of tracks. It is wildlife hot spot, with huge herds of elephants and buffalo, lion, wild dog, sable and roan antelope all frequently spotted. On safari it is possible to see a tremendous diversity of species, with particular emphasis on the smaller things only seen outside of a vehicle.
Accommodation:
Subtly placed under the shade of the riverine forest, the camp is designed in the style of the early explorers both in philosophy and practice. Whiling away afternoons under the canopy of jackalberry and mangosteen trees, interspersed with walks and canoeing, make this a respite from the ‘daily grind’ of a traditional safari. Get out, stretch your legs and feel Africa’s pulse – this is the place for you.
Each of the four custom-designed, walk-in tents is expansive; however, in keeping with a bit of traditional safari, the en-suite flush loo and shower are attached and enclosed, but under the stars. Hot/Cold water are provided by jug on demand. The double-vanity copper vanities and dressing make for spacious accommodation. Stylishly decorated with campaign-style furniture, decanters of cognac and Persian rugs, the décor pays homage to the roots of safari. As a romantic touch, brass hipbaths can be portered to a nearby sand bank on the banks of the Spillway. And personal hammocks adorn each verandah. If you're reading this and the camp looks and sounds familiar, it is.
Facilities:
It’s easy to miss Selinda Explorers Camp, as it is that inconspicuous. And it is designed as such. This is not an ostentatious place, it is rather a place to get back to the nitty-gritty and focus on small details. The camp’s atmosphere of authenticity coupled with a bohemian flair makes it a relaxed place to unwind and stay a while. The canvas main area is simple, but shaded and cool, providing a place to rendezvous, contemplate and have a jolly good laugh. Dinner is served under the stars or in the dining area but always wholesome, tasty and cooked over open fire. It is this same fire that then becomes our nightcap spot – an aperitif, Amarula on ice or a nice herbal tea.
Selinda Explorers is an authentic tented camp drawing on traditions of the classic East African safari with beautifully detailed campaign style furniture made from recycled hard woods, and soft furnishings from Zanzibar and the East. Consisting of only four luxury guest tents, each with their own adjoining en-suite, private open air ‘bustani bathroom’ with explorer themed hot water bucket showers and flush porcelain toilets. Each tent overlooks the Selinda Spillway with a private verandah.
If the cool shade of the canvas and trees simply isn't enough to quell the mid-day heat, then grab the guide and go for a swim in the refreshing waters of the Spillway.
Laundry service is not provided at this camp. There will be limited power available. The tents will have individual solar panels to power lights and there will be a small generator in camp for emergency charging of camera batteries. It is recommended to bring a spare set of batteries so one set can be charged while the other is out on safari.
Game Viewing / Activities:
Selinda Explorers Camp is an ideal location for those guests that want to experience the wildlife offering of Botswana in a very private setting. The camp comes with a guide, but also has a guide’s tent for an accompanying specialist guide. Our guide will plan the whole itinerary for the duration of their stay for the guests, or in conjunction with the specialist guide.
But most importantly, this is a place of impromptu, where we act on whim and let wildlife take the lead. Typically, early morning and late afternoon to evening are prime times, but a full day out on canoe is also an option for those wanting to go further. Canoe down the Spillway; enjoy lunch and siesta and then a walk before your chariot arrives for an afternoon to evening game drive. What a wonderful day, no two experiences the same, but all ensure memories and treasured experiences in Africa.
Selinda Reserve is famous for elephant and lion, wild dog and hippo, buffalo and giraffe. Some days we will spend hours with a single herd of elephants, like in September, when herds of up to 9,000 have been recorded on the Reserve. Other days we may wait in a hide for the rare Slaty egrets to arrive and fish. Wattled cranes, a highly coveted sighting, are often spotted here. This is wild Africa, unpredictable and magical, where each day is different, thank goodness.
One of Africa's most endangered predators, the Wild dog, is often resident and the Selinda pack frequently dens in the Reserve. Other common species include: buffalo (in herds of hundreds), zebra, wildebeest, hippo, hyena, waterbuck, kudu, steenbok, lechwe, impala. Nocturnal species include civet, serval, wildcat, honey badger, springhares, aardvark and aardwolf.
Our Toyota Land Cruisers have been specially designed by the Jouberts. The thoughtful engineering provides all-round visibility with removable canvas roofs, and comfortable bucket seats. These rugged, 4X4 vehicles provide access to all of the Selinda Reserve's diverse ecosystems, and do so with ease.
Our Footprint:
Selinda Reserve is a place of peace, where tranquility replaces the chaos of the modern world. It is also home to much wildlife, all of which is cautious of the Selinda Camp's presence. It is our goal to limit our impact on the environment, to walk quietly and softly on the Earth, and that includes the noise and light pollution we generate as well as the more obvious by bi-products of our society. We are guests in this space. In limiting pollution, the wildlife is comfortable and often comes through camp. This is a gift.
A network of small tracks traverses the Reserve. If something exceptional begs our attention we do go off-road. We do this as sensitively as possible; ever aware of the impact we have on the environment.
Our water is treated through a UV filtration system allowing us to eliminate the use of disposable 500ml water bottles and still offer potable water reliably. And we operate on 100% solar with a small support generator for batteries. All our wet waste is taken to concession headquarters where it is fed into a biogas plant, which produces all the gas for our cooking. Up and coming is a new black water treatment plant called Blackbox, which will enable us to process black water in the most ecologically sensitive process.
From $915 per person
sharing. Please contact us
for a quote and suggested itinerary.