Selinda Camp

Set in one of the most pristine wilderness areas left on our planet, the brand new Selinda Camp rests on the banks of the Selinda Spillway, as it enters the Linyanti River. The private 130,000 hectare Selinda Reserve boasts elephants by the thousands, regular sightings of the Selinda pack of African wild dogs as well as the famous Selinda Lion Pride recently feature in the National Geographic film “Birth of a Pride” by Dereck and Beverly Joubert. The area has a sense of remoteness, a true spirit of Africa, and is a great example of Botswana bush embodying a variety of species and rare animals.

The new Selinda Camp represents the meeting place of three cultures; European, Mokololo and Bayei and is themed to resemble that of the thatched village of Sangwali, one that used to house 3,000 warriors and sufficient enough to loan David Livingstone 200 men during his travels. Spears, shields and an African version of Robinson Crusoe is the enduring theme through the camp, and its architectural design elements center around Water, Air, Earth and Fire, all of which ground the design.

Selinda Camp’s design pays homage first and foremost to water, with splashes of blue and crystal-clear swimming pools offering views over the equally immaculate Selinda Spillway to ease your arrival, usually by boat. The billowing silks, which adorn the ceilings of the lounge area, are a tribute to Air and the afternoon breezes that ripple the endless sea of nearby grasses. Earth is represented in the cornucopia of home-grown meals lovingly prepared in our kitchens, fresh from the earth, and the bright flames of an evening Fire complete the ethos of being in harmony with nature’s natural elements.

Exclusive and private, Selinda Camp has three expansive guest tents, each covered under thatch and with large en-suite bathrooms, large private veranda and private swimming pool. Each guest tents is unique, designed with its own color palette and theme. There is in some cultures a fifth element, ‘metal’, which is also incorporated into the design.

Every space enhances what Livingstone would have had, what he would have travelled with and found. But beyond that, the spaces go back to the Robinson Crusoe feel, including textures of rope, rooms under thatch, hammocks, lots of space, nautical elements and salvaged wood.

The Selinda Suite

For those looking for the best safari in Botswana experiences available, The Selinda Suite, a Relais and Châteaux member and Great Plains Réserve-Collection property, represents the meeting place of three cultures; European, Mokololo and Bayei. This 2-bedroomed private suite is themed to resemble that of the thatched village of Sangwali. Spears, shields and an African version of Robinson Crusoe are the enduring themes throughout the camp. Its architectural design elements centre around Water, Air, Earth and Fire, all of which ground the design. Selinda Suite’s design pays homage first and foremost to Water, with splashes of blue and crystal-clear swimming pools offering views over the equally immaculate Selinda Spillway to ease your arrival, usually by boat.

Wildlife Drives (day & night)
While at Selinda Camp there is no set routine, the wildlife knows the most forgiving times of day, and we take its lead. Early morning, late afternoon and evenings are the prime game viewing times - it's when the colors are vibrant, the sun is low and spirits are up. Setting out at dawn, when predators are active, our guides are as keen as the guests to discover the riches of each day in Selinda Reserve. Usually, once the sun is high and strong, we retreat with the herds to our midday resting post, Selinda Camp. Then, as the sun begins to wane again, we head out for the late afternoon to evening, searching for nocturnal wildlife and the action that comes with sunset. But nothing is regimented. Regimes don't suit Selinda, which is why we all love being out here in the first place. 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.

Guided Walks
Another huge benefit of staying within the conservancies is that here guests are allowed to appreciate the stunning landscape on foot, peacefully, without the noise of engines. We highly recommend this unforgettable experience. Talk to the managers to arrange a good time and location for a walk. Usually early morning or evening is the best time, as the middle of the day is too hot to venture out of the shade. Wear good walking shoes, a hat, and neutral colored clothing so as not to alarm the wildlife, and take binoculars. Your guide will have water for you.

Motorized Boating
Selinda is primarily a land-based camp; however, depending on seasonal water levels boating is possible on the Spillway in the camp powerboat. Zipping through the Okavango’s network of waterways is an invigorating way to get a sense of the scope of this huge wetland. You’ll undoubtedly have wonderful birding and maybe even some hippo, buffalo and elephant sightings.

Catch-and-Release Fishing
This is a great activity during mid-day siesta or in place of a game-drive. During January and February there is a moratorium on fishing. All fishing it catch-and-release.

Young Explorers Program
This is a full syllabus of bush craft skills for young explorers. This is a complimentary program that follows in the footsteps of National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence, Dereck and Beverly Joubert. An extensive pack will be provided to eager children on arrival, so they can learn about animal calls, how to track wildlife, and other facts and figures about the wild. At the end of a child’s stay, he/she will become a Young Explorer and Conservation Ambassador - ready to go out and tell the world about what they have learned and what they too can do to help protect this beautiful environment.

Photography
Each of Selinda's guest tents comes with a pair of high-quality binoculars for guest use as well as a professional Canon camera set, including a Canon 5D camera body and Canon 100-400mm and 24-70mm lenses. Photos will be downloaded to a memory stick on guest’s departure.

GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION IS COMMITTED TO RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL; FROM CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES SPEARHEADED BY OUR FOUNDATION, TO INTEGRATING GREEN TECHNOLOGY AND A LIGHT-FOOTPRINT INTO EVERY ASPECT OF OUR SAFARI CAMPS. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY, CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITIES.

SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is at the heart of the Great Plains Conservation ethos and sustainable technologies and systems are in place throughout our camps. Best practices in our camps include the bio-digesters that convert vegetable scraps in methane cooking gas, composting, greywater recycling, use of recycled hardwood in camp construction, and the elimination of single-use plastic such as bottles and straws. Numerous international and local ecotourism ratings systems have recognized our commitment to sustainable practices. Selinda, Selinda Explorers and Zarafa have all achieved the Botswana Tourism Organisation’s highest rating – “EcoTourism” and the Selinda Reserve has been named as one of the world’s Top 100 Sustainable Destinations. In Kenya, Mara Plains and Mara Expedition each have a Gold rating from EcoTourism Kenya while ol Donyo Lodge is Silver and Mara Plains, Selinda, Zarafa and Selinda Explorers Camp are all Fair Trade Tourism Certified.

GREAT PLAINS FOUNDATION
Great Plains Conservation exists to conserve and expand natural habitats; using sustainable eco-tourism protect and restore critical habitats, conserve wildlife and benefit local communities. We have conserved nearly one million acres of land for Africa’s wildlife across community conservancies, former hunting concessions, and key wildlife migratory corridors. In addition, we have founded the Great Plains Foundation to lead innovative initiatives with a long-term commitment to the environment, wildlife, and local communities in Botswana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Great Plains Conservation supports the Foundation’s administrative costs and provides in-kind contributions such as transportation, supplies and staff time so that more resources can be directed to the communities and protected areas we serve. By staying at Great Plains Conservation’s camps, you are directly helping to protect Africa’s wild spaces. A Conservation and Community Levy is added to each stay with Great Plains Conservation as a contribution to the Great Plains Foundation. Through this levy, every traveler who stays with us is not only helping to conserve and expand natural habitats, but also contributing to conservation and community development through projects such as conservation education and Rhinos Without Borders.

For more information about Great Plains Foundation click HERE.

CARBON OFFSETS
At Great Plains Conservation, we demand excellence and innovation from ourselves and are committed to conservation, sustainability, luxury and transformative travel experiences, compromising nothing while maximizing each. That includes minimizing our carbon output where ever we can. From protecting hundreds of thousands of acres from development, to massive investments in solar power in our camps, to kitchen gardens to eliminating single use plastic, Great Plains aims to make the carbon footprint of our camps as small as possible. As travelers you can do your part as well and support Great Plains Foundation programs such as tree planting and solar lantern distributions to compensate for the emissions generated by your international flight to join us on safari.

For more information on Selinda Camp click HERE

To view videos of Selinda Camp click HERE. 

and HERE