Jack's Camp

OVERVIEW:

Jack’s Camp is an iconic safari camp set within the otherworldly landscape of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans. Quirky, unique, and eclectically styled, this is a year-round experience with a wide range of unusual activities, not least meerkat encounters, quad biking, the zebra and wildebeest migration, Bushmen walks, and an incredible population of greater and lesser flamingos at certain times of year. The camp is deeply influenced by the life story of its founder, Jack Bousfield, and you’ll find a treasure trove of ancient artefacts collected by the Bousfield family over decades. Time and budget permitting, we recommend adding this to a safari itinerary if you’re looking to experience something profoundly different in a very special part of Botswana. Rates at Jack’s Camp are full board and include all meals, selected activities, local drinks, laundry, and airstrip transfers.

ACCESS & LOCATION: 

Jack’s Camp is located in Botswana’s magnificent Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, the remains of a vast lake that once covered most of Southern Africa. The camp is accessed by light aircraft (approximately 50 minutes’ flying time from Maun), followed by a short, 15-minute car transfer.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT JACK'S CAMP: 

Jack’s Camp offers nine luxurious, early explorer-style tents, consisting of seven twins and two doubles, and there’s also an exclusive two-bedroom villa, ideal for families or small groups. Raised on wooden stilts with distinct green canvas roofs, each tent has a large private deck with superb views and zip-up doors that lead inside. Jack’s Camp’s instantly recognisable style features plenty of mahogany campaign furniture, patterned lining that resembles wallpaper, paraffin lamps, brass fittings, four-poster beds swathed in mosquito netting, vintage kilims, and plush velvet armchairs. Each tent includes an overhead cooling system, charging points, and 24-hour solar-powered electricity. There’s a beautiful lounge area with a sofa and daybed, and outside on the terrace you’ll find a plunge pool overlooking the Makgadikgadi Pans, with more velvet daybeds and sun loungers. Every opulent en-suite bathroom features a copper basin, a washstand, a flush toilet, and indoor and outdoor rain showers. The villa, Jack’s Private Camp, is a magnificent two-bedroom, two-bathroom private option, with its own chef, butler service, dedicated guide, and private vehicle. There’s a shared living area with a kitchen, a dining area, and a lounge leading to a private deck with a large swimming pool overlooking the Makgadikgadi Pans.

The communal areas at Jack’s Camp are equally indulgent, retaining their marquee tent structure and old-world style. There’s a well-stocked bar, an antique pool table, museum cabinets displaying an exciting array of artefacts, and family photographs documenting the adventurous childhood of the camp’s charismatic founder and co-owner, Ralph Bousfield, and his late father, after whom the camp is named. A huge guest swimming pool is housed in another pavilion, with plenty of sunloungers where guests may enjoy a little respite during the heat of the day. The dining tent is a grand affair indeed, with a long 36-seat communal table where guests dine together, and outside you’ll find a convivial fire-pit, the setting for sharing safari stories under starlight. There’s also the Persian tea tent, perfect for unwinding, on one of the scattered cushions with afternoon tea and a good book. Spa treatments are available at an additional cost, and there’s a Wi-Fi connection at the curio shop tent.

ACTIVITIES AT JACK'S CAMP:

Well known for extremely high levels of guiding, Jack’s Camp is not your average safari camp! A stay here is more about appreciating an extraordinary desert landscape, savouring the ancient culture, and relishing the spirit of a grand adventure. Activities include:

• Game drives

  – Although big game isn’t the focus at Jack’s Camp, guests are still in for a treat thanks to the unique desert wildlife that inhabits the pans, including the elusive brown hyena and majestic Kalahari lion. Your experienced safari guide will lead the way, uncovering notable sights and helping you discover the desert landscape. The camp also offers accompanying bush picnics, morning coffees, and chilled drinks.

• Meet the meerkats

  – Head off at sunrise to meet the inquisitive local meerkat families as they scurry off to start their day. You’ll be able to walk amongst them, though touching and feeding aren’t permitted – and if you’re lucky, they might come close, mistaking you for a termite mound or other handy lookout point!

• Bushman walk

  – Take to the ancient desert landscape accompanied by Zu/’hoasi Bushmen and learn about their survival skills on this intriguing bush walk. Listen as they point out some fascinating tracking tips and offer insight into local delicacies, including berries, bulbs, and even scorpions.

• Horse-riding

  – Few experiences compare to traversing the Makgadikgadi Pans on horseback, and this thrilling ride brings guests close to nature, spotting wildlife along the way. Please note that this experience incurs an extra cost.

• Quad biking

  – A desert adventure awaits, as you take to the salt-crusted pans by quad bike (weather and conditions permitting). Speeding through this vast, exquisite landscape with the wind blowing through your hair is nothing short of exhilarating.

• Fallen Baobab

  –  One of Jack’s Camp’s more unusual activities is a visit to the Fallen Baobab, one of Africa’s three largest and oldest trees. Apparently, this was also the campsite of Livingstone and Selous.

• Zebra and wildebeest migration (November–April)

  – Between November and April, approximately 30,000 zebra and wildebeest migrate across the Makgadikgadi Pans. If you’re visiting during these months, this is truly a spectacle to behold – the second-largest migration in Africa.

• Scenic helicopter

  – With the doors off (or on), take to the skies on an unforgettable scenic helicopter ride, where you’ll soar above the Makgadikgadi Pans and take lunch on an island of baobabs. Please note that this activity incurs an extra cost.

• Fat bikes

  – Featuring a super-sturdy bike, able to traverse the rough desert terrain, this is a fun-filled activity for the whole family, providing an incredible up-close lens on the surrounding landscape.

• Flamingo migration

   – The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are one of the most important breeding sites in Southern Africa for lesser and greater flamingos, arriving in their millions during months of good rain. Please note that this activity incurs an extra cost. If the flamingo migration is of specific interest, please contact the Yellow Zebra team for further details on the best time to visit.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.