Selinda Explorers Camp

AREA & ACTIVITIES

Habitat & Wildlife
The Selinda Reserve is a private safari concession owned by Great Plains Conservation which covers an area of some 1350 sq. kilometres between the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta and the Kwando/Linyanti river system, straddling the Selinda (or Magwegqana) Spillway. The habitat of the area is an interesting contrast of open floodplains, thick salt bush, riverine forest, mopane woodland and the swampland created by the spillway itself. Selinda Explorers is located on the banks of the spillway, in an exclusive location surrounded by mopane woodland about 30 minutes’ drive along the spillway from the core open plains section of the reserve.

The birdlife is prolific and the many varieties of kingfishers, bee-eaters, eagles, ducks, egrets, plovers, herons, cranes, storks, geese, woodpeckers, shrikes, thrushes, buntings, chats, owls and parrots are just some of the many different species found. The area is good for predators with resident lion prides and regular sightings of leopard and wild dog. Cheetah are more elusive these days and not often encountered. General game is very good, especially from May to November, and animals likely to be seen include elephant, hippo, kudu, impala, zebra, tsessebe and giraffe. Recently, Great Plains have been involved with the relocation of rhino back into Botswana, though they are still very hard to find.

Night drives can be productive with chances to see nocturnally-active species such as bat- eared fox, spring hare, leopard, aardwolf, porcupine, aardvark, bush baby, civet, genet, white-tailed mongoose, serval and African wild cat.

Activities
Activities concentrate on getting back to nature and include day and night game drives, walking and seasonal canoeing. The Selinda Reserve is known for its excellent big game viewing though Selinda Explorers should not usually be chosen if your sole priority is game drives as the core game viewing areas are 30 minutes’ drive from camp, though you can see game in the mopane woodland around camp too. Originally a walking camp, Selinda Explorers is excellent for walking and seasonally the Selinda Spillway offers the chance to canoe (usually June to September but this varies each year). Please note that walking can be subject to safe conditions and may be limited in the early season when the bush is very thick just after the rains between March and April.

Seasons
Selinda Explorers is open all year round, though game viewing is best from June to early November.