Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp
Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp is located in the remote north east corner of the exclusive Linyanti concession in northern Botswana.
Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp is an intimate, classically styled tented camp overlooking the Linyanti River system. The camp is split into two sections – East and West, and each side is operated as a separate four-tent enclave. This has led to these camps often being booked for private groups, but they are open to individual bookings. The tented accommodation is relatively simple in both camps, but perfectly comfortable, and being run by Wilderness Safaris guarantees good general levels of food, guiding and hospitality. Compared to the prices associated with other camps in the Linyanti Concession, Wilderness Linyanti Tented offers excellent value for money and offers a rare chance to access this exclusive wilderness at an affordable price point.
Rooms
The camp is split into two self-contained sections – East Camp and West Camp, with four tents at each side. The camp can also be booked as one larger camp. Each tented room is built on to a wooden deck, under a thatch roof, and has en suite facilities including a plumbed shower, basin and flush toilet. To the front of each tent is a deck with safari chairs. Sandy paths link the tents to the main areas.
Central Areas
The two main areas (one for each camp, East and West) are airy and open sided and include a lounge, dining and bar area, a main pool and a fire pit.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for charging – Yes
Swimming pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Linyanti concession is run by Wilderness Safaris and is home to several camps – Duma Tau, Little Duma Tau, Kings Pool and Linyanti Tented Camp overlooking the Linyanti wetlands in the north and Savuti Camp overlooking the Savuti Channel in the south/central region. The concession covers a huge area, some 300 000 acres, and offers a classic big game wilderness experience.
The habitat along the Linyanti River is one of lush riverine woodland, giving way to the drier, mopane dominated woodlands of the interior, through which the Savuti Channel snakes it way to eventually feed the Savuti Marsh. The Savuti Channel is a seasonal waterway which extends south-eastwards from the Linyanti/Kwando river systems. In years of good rains, the channel holds water throughout the year but it is a delicate system easily affected by drought and tectonic plate movement. After several years of holding water, the channel is in a cycle of drying out again.
Once the dry season commences, the Savuti and Linyanti waters attract large herds of buffalo, zebra and elephant and the predator species which follow them, particularly lion. Other animals likely to be seen include hippo, kudu, impala, zebra, tsessebe, red lechwe, eland, sable antelope, giraffe, and wild dog. On night drives, you’ll have the opportunity to view nocturnally-active species such as bat- eared fox, spring hare, leopard, spotted hyaena, aardwolf, porcupine, aardvark, honey badger, bushbaby, civet, genet, serval and wild cat.
The birdlife is prolific, attracting both water and dry country species such as slaty egret, Allen’s gallinule, wattled crane, and African skimmer, as well as, Bradfield’s hornbill, white-breasted cuckoo-shrike, Bennett’s woodpecker, Arnott’s chat, Kori bustard and secretary bird. The area is even better when the summer migrants return and swallow-tailed and carmine bee eaters, racket-tailed rollers, and high concentrations of raptors, including Dickinson’s kestrel, are commonly seen.
Activities
Activities focus on day and night game drives in open vehicles. Guided nature walks can be arranged but these are seasonal and subject to the availability of a guide. There is a log pile hide overlooking the channel, around five minutes from camp (shared between both East and West Camps) which makes for exciting up close encounters with wildlife. Scenic helicopter flights can be arranged at extra cost. Guests also have the option (at an extra cost) of arranging an excursion to learn more about CLAWS (Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainability – an organisation focussing on reducing conflict between people and predators) or a “Life With Elephants” village visit with EcoExist (an NGO aiming to reduce conflict between people and elephants.
Seasons
Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp is open all year round, though game viewing is best from June to early November. However, birding is best from November to April.
Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp accepts children 6 years and older, though with big game regularly wandering through camp and no specific family accommodation, it is really going to suit families travelling with older children who can take their own room. For older family groups who could book one side exclusively, the camp would make a wonderful private safari experience.
Wilderness Safaris established the Children in the Wilderness programme (CITW) focusing on the children from villages close to the remote areas in which they operate, educating them in environmental awareness and training them in the life skills needed to care for and nurture their natural environment. Some of these programmes include operating annual camps for up to 30 children at a time in their lodges, running regular Eco-Clubs in rural schools, Youth Environmental Stewardship (YES) which mentors particular children who have shown a strong interest in their environment and scholarship programmes for primary, secondary and tertiary education.
The Wilderness Wildlife Trust is involved in conservation, anti-poaching, community empowerment and education. The Trust has many projects throughout Botswana (Wildlife Research Increasing Capacity), Namibia (Desert Dwelling Giraffe Study), Zimbabwe (Hwange Elephant Movement Study), Zambia (Zambian Carnivore Program), Malawi (Mobile Response Unit) and Rwanda (Shoebill Arial Survey).
In 2019 Wilderness Safaris joined the Lion Recovery Fund and several of Africa’s other safari operators to form the Lionscape Coalition to raise funds for and awareness of lion conservation.
Conservation projects closer to the Linyanti area include working with local authorities and supporting the research of threatened species that can be found in the area such as wild dog, roan antelope and elephant amongst others.
The camp has a reverse osmosis water filtration system providing drinking water to guests drastically reducing the need for bottled water. Eco friendly detergents and chemicals are used in all Wilderness Safaris camps, adhering to strict in-house environmental standards.
Wilderness Safaris also offers its guests the option to bring a donation of supplies in partnership with Pack for a Purpose where guests may use the empty space in their suitcases for donations of much needed supplies for supported projects.
