Northern Botswana
Selinda Camp
Selinda is an intimate camp offering understated luxury on the banks of the eastern Selinda Spillway, a waterway that links Botswana’s Okavango Delta to the Linyanti and Kwando marshes, rivers and floodplains. The shaded camp is raised a metre or so off the ground and offers extraordinary views over the floodplains, waterways and wide-open savannas which are only broken by attractive palm islands. These views are among Selinda’s most compelling features.
The recently refurbished Selinda Camp has nine spacious guest tents under thatch, each with two comfortable three-quarter sized beds draped with flowing mosquito nets adding to the romantic atmosphere. The thatch roof combined with ceiling fans and roof vents cool the living space during the hot days. The rooms have spacious, en-suite bathrooms, with full sized stone baths and antique showers. Dual vanity basins complement the sense of luxury and sliding doors allow for privacy or create an open-air bathroom feel as well.
Activities in the Selinda Reserve include both day and night game drives in open 4×4 vehicles. Game viewing is of a high standard, particularly in the drier months. Typically seen in the Selinda area are giraffe, baboon, black-backed jackal, elephant, wildebeest, cheetah, crocodile, lion, wild dog, hippo, honey badger, reedbuck, roan, sable and a host of birds. For the more energetic, short guided walking trails are available on request within the vicinity of the camp.
Facilities
Large thatched rooms with huge bathrooms with shower and bathtub. Large communal area has dining room, bar, lounge and plunge pool.
Local Wildlife
Large numbers of elephant are seen here throughout the year plus healthy populations of both sable and roan antelope, giraffe, baboon, black-backed jackal, hippo, honey badger, reedbuck and many predators including lion, leopard, wild dog and occasionally cheetah.
Optional Activities
Night and day game drives, guided bush walks and boat-based activities (when water levels permit) are all included on a shared basis.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
The owners of the lodge are keen wildlife photographers. Be sure to check out their superb photos in the lodge for hints of the shots you could capture too.
If you have any questions regarding our Botswana tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
On behalf of my wife and myself, I would like to thank all at Reef and Rainforest for arranging so superbly yet another exceptional wildlife experience. As you are aware our ‘expeditions’ tend to be species led and this year’s brief was to observe and photograph the ‘Three Big Cats of Africa’ in a truly wild setting (i.e. no fences). Your recommended destination, Botswana, did not let us down, in fact the whole trip proved an outstanding success in all aspects.
We stayed in three camps (three nights in each) across the Okavango Delta and surrounding area, each provided a different environment which ensured our aims were met. Each camp was run to a very high standard, was extremely comfortable and provided excellent meals. The quality of guiding and tracking in all our camps was of the highest standard. As Botswana manages its natural resources so well all the camps were small (no more than 18 guests) ensuring a very intimate safari experience in pristine wild African habitat.
I am delighted to report our big cat objectives were realised. All observations were lengthy and offered excellent photographic opportunities. However, unexpectedly, the highlight of our spectacular trip turned out to be sightings of two separate packs of African Painted Dogs. We visited two dens, the first had a very healthy number of adult dogs, approximately fifteen and eighteen pups. The second had seven adult dogs and sixteen pups. At Lebala we had the privilege of spending a prolonged period of time following the pack of dogs as they hunted, an experience we will never forget.
When one also considers the significant mammal and bird species we observed, Botswana is truly a must visit destination for the wildlife enthusiast. Incidentally we also observed three serval and two African wild cats. We also thoroughly enjoyed our few days at Victoria Falls, possibly the most spectacular waterfall in the world, the hotel in Zimbabwe was excellent. Viewing the falls from the Zambian side and also the helicopter flight are both well worth doing.
This was our third consecutive trip with Reef and Rainforest, and I would be very surprised if there is not a fourth being planned very soon. Thank you all once again.
