Selinda Explorers Camp

By helicopter it took around 40 minutes to cover the approximately 80 miles from Tawana to Selinda Explorers camp, a tiny tented camp tucked into a riverine forest along the (then) dry Selinda channel. When we stepped out of the helicopter on what was another scorching hot day in northern Botswana, we had seen a lot on our trip to that point. But we had seen neither leopards nor cheetahs. So for those last three nights, our objective was two-fold: find these two (often) elusive members of the big cat family and try to see 111 different bird species in 72 hours. Which qualifies one for membership of Great Plains’ 111 club and scores you a nice cap in the process.

Selinda Explorers feels and is remote. For me personally it is the ideal iteration of a safari property. A truly classic tented camp, Selinda Explorer has three custom designed canvas guest tents and one 2-bedroom family tent. The main area consists of two inviting lounge and dining tents, with the entire camp exuding an atmosphere of warmth and genuine hospitality. A long day out in safari? This place, its people, and the manner in which they treat their guests will have you revived and re-energized in no time whatsoever. 

With our guide Esefa behind the wheel, our afternoon drive took us in a westerly direction along the mostly dry Selinda spillway. I don’t believe we were ever out of sight of what turned out to be an abundance of general game including zebra, kudu, tsessebe, buffalo, giraffe and more. And we started to set a good foundation with the bird list with many woodland species. 

Our dinner that night at Selinda Explorers was, I think, the most fun and enjoyable of any of our meals on safari. With just the six of us tucked in around a beautifully set table, it was as private as it could be and it felt like and sounded like we were in Africa. An approaching thunderstorm added a note of excitement as rain was on everyone’s mind. We would gladly have been drenched to the bone to see some relief for the wildlife and the environment. 

As it turned out the thunderstorm and rain held off until the wee hours of the next morning, and not without some concern on my part as to being safe from lightning. But first, it was time to just enjoy the delicious dinner prepared by the Great Plains chef. Dinners on safari are an opportunity to look back upon the day, recount some interesting or memorable sightings and to appreciate just how special it is to spend another night on safari.  

Zarafa Camp

For the last two nights of our Botswana safari, Great Plains Conservation upgraded our party to their Zarafa camp, a deluxe Relais and Chateaux property located in a great spot overlooking the Zibadianja Lagoon. Even after just one night, we had already grown quite fond of Selinda Explorers but the area was still in the grip of a heat wave, so the prospect of airconditioning in the sleeping areas at Zarafa made it an offer we couldn’t turn down. 

Highlights of our stay at Zarafa included extraordinarily good big cat viewing, starting with a male leopard on the way in, shortly to be followed by what turned out to be our only cheetah sighting of the entire trip. But first, the leopard sighting. It was an enthralling experience, from beginning to end. To start with, it was a miraculous effort by Esefa to spot the leopard in the first instance, as obscured as it was in a big tree, a good 30 meters or more off the road. Once we approached closer, the leopard twice relocated and each time we got a better view. Initially on a branch in the tree with a decent background (meaning not completely backlit) and then it climbed down. Walking straight towards our vehicle in really good light, the leopard then took a look at a nearby tree and, just meters away from us, clambered straight up. It was so close that we could hear the leopard’s claws scratching on the tree bark.  

About 40 minutes after we had been admiring the leopard, we were looking at spots of a different kind, this time watching a sleek cheetah as it made its way across an open area, not far from the Selinda airstrip. The cheetah was not quite as obliging in terms of providing us with photo opportunities, but it didn’t really matter. It was a cheetah and for several persons in our group, the first one they had ever seen. Over the next couple of days we were to enjoy another fascinating sighting of a female leopard who had dragged her baby impala prey into a tree. Also, we were fortunate to bump into 10 more lions, among others, two of the best looking males we’ve seen in a long time, the so-called Army Boys. A big cat bonanza if ever there was one. 

Over the course of three days in the Selinda area we racked up 120 different bird species: with extensive wetlands as well as mixed woodland, riverine forest, open floodplain and acacia thickets, the area has significant habitat diversity which is what it takes to support such an abundance of species. Cracking the 111 species mark would not have happened without our guide Esefa’s enthusiasm and expertise. I think he liked chasing the 111 bird target as much as we did!

Zarafa is a property which delivers a superior wilderness experience on many levels. The under-canvas tented rooms are massive and make a few days on safari about as much fun as can be imagined. Chill out in the plunge pool on a hot day, soak away a dusty day on safari in the large tub or take a quick shower indoors or outdoors – my best advice is to do them all. The four huge guest suites consist of a lounge area which flows to a beautiful bedroom and an open layout indoor bathroom with a gas fireplace, shower and claw-foot bath. A hand-crafted Zanzibar door at the entrance sets the right tone: this is not a run-of-the-mill tent by any stretch of the imagination.  

Being on safari at a deluxe property like Zarafa is synonymous with being pampered and we certainly were. Get ready for the full treatment: delicious, elaborate and expertly prepared meals, served with panache and elegance. Select a fine wine – bubbly if you prefer – from the sizable private wine cellar, or request your favorite cocktails with or without alcohol. Spend a bit of time at the outdoor gym with expansive views over the Zibadianja lagoon.  

Even so, and despite the luxury surroundings, Zarafa is very much in the wilderness and you don’t have to go on a game drive to experience it. One of the best spots in the area is the large deck right in front of camp, overlooking the massive Zibadianja lagoon. At the time of our visit the lagoon was mostly dry, but the remaining water attracted many herds of elephants, which would slowly move into the water from out of the woodlands, quench their thirst and then just as peacefully as they arrived, wander off in another direction. At times there were close to a hundred elephants or more at the same time. Peering through a telescope on the deck, it was possible to pick out the matriarch – the one who keeps things together for the herd – and to take a closer look at the tiny baby elephants, usually seen just a few meters away from an adult female, and often shielded between several of them. 

On the morning on which we had to say our reluctant goodbyes at Zarafa, Kathy and I decided to go and have a quick look at the gym – on the extreme left hand side of the camp – and to take a few pictures from there. What we had not reckoned on or planned for was an ‘elephant delay’ which occurred when a solitary bull elephant quietly made his way right up to the gym as we were looking in a different direction. We knew better than to try to dart across in front of him. So we just waited for a few minutes, giving him some space. With one eye on us and very much aware of our presence, the bull elephant moved past the gym from our left to our right and walked away, using the same path which we had used to get to the gym. We sighed a small sigh of relief, looked at each other with raised eyebrows and walked in the steps of the elephant, back to the lodge. Our safari was over.  

Our colleague Lyndon has visited several Great Plains properties recently so he is well equipped to answer any questions you may have about combining some of Great Plains’ Reserve Collection or Explorers camps in your safari itinerary. Great Plains have a range of first-class properties in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Lyndon can be reached at lyndon@fisheaglesafaris.com or by calling and leaving a message at 713-467-5222 or 1-800-513-5222.