Selinda Explorers Camp

OVERVIEW:

Selinda Explorers Camp is a wonderful expedition-style camp with an enchanting location on the banks of the Selinda Spillway as it flows into the Linyanti river. Small, intimate, and exclusive, this is an ideal choice for anyone seeking a combination of adventure and unassuming, quiet luxury. Selinda Reserve offers guests 130,000 hectares of picture-book private wilderness to explore on land and by boat, season-dependent. Without sparing any of the luxuries associated with Great Plains Conservation properties, the camp delivers an authentic explorer camp experience with considerable style. Accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, all wildlife-viewing activities, and park fees.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

Selinda Explorers Camp is located in a remote part of the 130,000-hectare Selinda Reserve along the banks of the Selinda Spillway, which is often a dry riverbed but links the Okavango to the Linyanti wetlands during periods of high flood. Access to the camp is by light aircraft from Maun (45 minutes) or Kasane (50 minutes), followed by a 45–50 minutes’ game drive transfer.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT SELINDA EXPLORERS CAMP: 

Guest accommodation at Selinda Explorers Camp consists of four explorer-style canvas tents, three designed for a maximum of two adults and one two-bedroom family tent for a family or group of four. All tents are raised slightly off the ground on wooden platforms, with private covered verandas and classic camp chairs under a canopy of African ebony and mopane trees. Inside each spacious standard tent, you’ll find enormous vintage kilims, a double or twin bed/s, trunk-style bedside tables with reading lanterns, a writing desk, a standing fan, and a wardrobe. A canvas partition separates the en-suite bathroom, which includes twin copper washbasins, a walk-in rain shower, and a flush toilet. The family tent benefits from two bedrooms, each with its own separate bathroom, as well as dressing and washbasin areas.

The main areas at Selinda Explorers Camp are split between two open-fronted tents, the communal dining room in one and a comfortable lounge in the other. Both are an extension of the camp’s bygone era ambience, with oversized Persian carpets, floor cushions, campaign-style furniture, antique trunks, and softly lit lanterns. Outside on the sand, you’ll find the inviting campfire, where guests gather to exchange safari stories over pre-dinner drinks. There’s also a small plunge pool on its own wooden deck, with spectacular views of the surrounding wilderness.

ACTIVITIES AT SELINDA EXPLORERS CAMP:

Selinda Explorers Camp offers some classic safari activities within Selinda Reserve, including:

• Game drives

  – Selinda Explorers Camp’s custom-made Land Cruisers are ideal for exploring Selinda Reserve in the early morning, afternoon, and evening. Look out for lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo, while smaller predators include cheetah, hyena, jackal, and the elusive wild dog. Herbivores such as hippo, giraffe, zebra, red lechwe, roan, and sable are also common. Lined ponchos are provided in the vehicles for the chilly early mornings!

• Guided walks

  – Walks usually begin from camp early in the morning before the heat sets in and offer awe-inspiring opportunities to closely observe the smaller lives of Selinda – the plants, insects, and birdlife – in the company of a knowledgeable wildlife guide. The reserve also boasts over three hundred bird species, not least an entire colony of African skimmer, fish eagle, slaty egret, and double-banded sandgrouse. Please note that 12 years is the minimum age for walking safaris.

• Young explorers program

  – Tailored for Selinda Explorers Camp’s younger guests, the young explorers program teaches children all sorts of bush survival specifics, including animal calls, tracking wildlife, and other exciting topics and tools related to life in the wild.

• Catch-and-release fishing

  – Spend a peaceful morning out on the water with a catch-and-release fishing experience. Please note that this experience is prohibited in January and February, when there is a moratorium on fishing.

• Canoeing trips

  – Seasonal canoeing on the Selinda Spillway is an experience guests won’t want to miss. The two-person Canadian-style canoes are stationed in front of the camp for guest use at any time. Please note that this activity depends on the Selinda Spillway’s water levels, so do contact the Yellow Zebra team for further details on when to visit. The minimum age for canoeing is 12.

*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.