Selinda Explorers Camp
Selinda Explorer Camp details:
Location: Selinda Area
Best time to visit: All year round, hot in summer,with Summer rains.
Trip summary:
Remote bush camp on the Selinda Spillway allowing for exploration outside of the vehicle, by foot and canoe.
Trip activities:
Game Drives, Bush walks, Canoe Safari.
Can this trip be modified:Possibly
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
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 jackelberry 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.
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 Zibadianja lagoon 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.
While guided walking and canoeing is a focus, 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.
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.
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 veranda
If you’re reading this and the camp looks and sounds familiar it is This is right down to the last teaspoon of Lukula Camp that was in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve,relocated to the Selinda Reserve.
The exclusive-use camp is chargeable not per person but per camp up to a maximum of eight guests.
A separate guide’s tent is available for those bringing a private guide. Perfect for small groups and families, or for couples or single travelers wanting total exclusivity (minimum charge: 4x per person rate). Closed December to February. Access via light aircraft to Selinda airstrip.
Accommodation & 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.
Experience and Wildlife
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 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, steenbuck, lechwe, impala. Nocturnal species include civet, serval, wildcat, honey badger, springhares, aardvark and aardwolf.
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