Updates On Botswana!

A new boutique guest house has opened in Gaborone, Botswana.

Opened in early May this year, Bannerloft Guest House offers nine rooms, accommodating a maximum of 18 guests.

Ed Bannerman, GM, says five of the rooms are deluxe rooms with queen-size beds, while four twin rooms have two three-quarter beds.

The guest house has free WiFi for guests and facilities include a conference room for 20 delegates.

The guest house is located 12 kilometers northeast of Sir Seretse Khama International airport, about 15 minutes’ drive in Maruapula. It is in close proximity to malls and central business district.

Big Tree Valley Hotel in Maun, Botswana, has been revamped.

“The revamp has added life, colour and quality creating a better experience overall for guests,” says GM Keneo Sebati.

Ceramic tiles has replaced carpets, while the interiors of all rooms has been refurbished. The reception and restaurant have also been revamped.

The hotel has a total of 13 rooms, which can accommodate 29 guests. Additional facilities include a conference room for 100 delegates.

Tautona Lodge - Botswana

Tautona Lodge is a private game reserve located 5 minutes from the town Ghanzi, Ghanzi is a town in the western part of the Republic of Botswana in Southern Africa. The lodge is situated on a private reserve in the Kalahari with an abundance of wildlife including Eland, Oryx, Giraffe, Zebra, Impala, Ostrich, and Kudu as well as an extensive variety of bird life. Tautona Lodge offers luxury but affordable accommodation to holiday makers as well as the many business people that frequently visit Ghanzi. Secluded and tranquil with Waterbuck and Eland that graze peacefully amongst the chalets.. For your enjoyment the amenities at the lodge include an excellent a la carte restaurant, sports bar, pool table, table tennis, darts, swimming pool and open air deck

1xLuxury Family Chalet

Double story thatched stone building comprises of 1 Double en-suite bedroom, 2 twin rooms sharing a bathroom. Dining area, TV lounge and kitchenette with a private veranda and an outside BBQ area.

7 X DOUBLE MINI CHALETS & 1 X TWIN MINI CHALET

Thatched stone building comprises of an en-suite bedroom with a TV and tea and coffee making facilities…

DOUBLE / TWIN CHALETS

Thatched stone building comprises of 1 x Double / Twin en-suite bedroom. TV lounge with a kitchenette.

4 X TENTED ACCOMMODATION

Luxury Tents with twin beds and en-suite bathroom and BBQ facilities situated in the campsite.

Tautona Campsite

Tautona Campsite is 5min drive from the Main lodge. The campsites are set beneath the shade of thorn trees. Guests can enjoy a true bush experience under the Kalahari sky. The campsite facilities include electricity an ablution block with a double set of "flush" toilets, showers with hot and cold running water and a communal sink for washing dishes. The Boma and Lapa is available especially for the rainy days. Guests are welcome to enjoy Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner at Tautona Lodge Ala Carte Restaurant and have sundowners at the Pub. 

The new Camp Okavango - OPENS!

Desert & Delta Safaris has great pleasure in announcing that construction of the new Camp Okavango is now complete and we welcomed our first guests back to our Okavango Delta paradise on Nxaragha Island on the 14 April 2016.

The rebuild of Camp Okavango took a total of 5 months which began with the complete removal of the original camps infrastructure. The new camp has moved to the edge of the Nxaragha Island to take advantage of the impressive delta scenery but kept within the original camps general location to ensure there was minimal impact on the environment during construction.

AN ECO-CONSCIOUS DELTA CAMP

In keeping with our sustainable tourism objectives, Camp Okavango has been built using a variety of modern, non-invasive, building techniques. Along with the eco-friendly design of the lodge, it is now run entirely on renewable solar energy. The seventy kilowatt solar power plant provides the camp with twenty four hours of clean, green energy. 

In addition to this initiative we have further reduced the impact on the environment by installing a state of the art water treatment plant that can provide approximately 20 000 litres of environmentally friendly waste water a day. This water is now used to irrigate the camp environment as well as Camp Okavango’s private grass airstrip. Previously this water was extracted from the Delta, but with this new technology it is now pumped into our irrigation system to maintain the natural grass surfaced airfield which guests use to access the lodge every day.

LAYOUT & DESIGN

Perfectly poised on the edge of the Nxaragha Island, Camp Okavango’s expansive main area has been built on elevated wooden decks with interconnected walkways linking the two lounge areas, dining room, library, self-service bar and curio shop.

In front of the thatched lounges sweeping ramps lead to the lower decks with two open-air fire pits and comfortable seating areas to relax and take in the natural surroundings. There is a third deck which leads off from the main area into which hosts a secluded rim flow swimming pool and thatched lounge for those warm summer days.

GUEST ACCOMMODATION

Camp Okavango has twelve rooms, accommodating a maximum of 24 guests in eleven intimate safari suites and one family suite. All rooms are on elevated wooden platforms and are connected with the main lodge via a wooden walkway.

Each of the guest rooms have been carefully placed beneath the natural Okavango Delta vegetation offering impeccable views over the delta. Inside, the expansive open-plan rooms have a bedroom (double or twin configuration), lounge and en-suite bathroom. The en-suite bathrooms have double vanities, double shower and a separate water closet. Through the large stack away sliding doors the rooms open onto a private viewing deck from which to take in the spectacular scenery.

The new family unit incorporates two separate bedrooms both with en-suite bathrooms with inter-leading doors for easy access between the rooms. With the inclusion of a family room, Camp Okavango now forms part of our new Ultimate Family Safari Packages which offer families the opportunity to experience the diversity of Botswana on an easy to book and flexible itinerary.

Botswana’s rivers running wild

Reports from Botswana say that the country’s river systems are flowing freely around much of the Okavango Delta for the first time in a decade.
This means that safaris to the country are reporting bumper wildlife sightings, with elephant families and hippos particularly abundant, according to tour operator Expert Africa.
And for the first time in 30 years the Selinda Spillway, the waterway that links the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti Swamps, is flowing.
The Delta is home to a staggering range of wildlife including the endangered wild dog, lions, elephants, wildebeest, spotted hyenas, leopards, impalas, giraffes, baboons, vervet monkeys and around 400 bird species.
The increased water points around the Delta are likely to attract more game viewings and more predatory encounters.
A spokesperson for Expert Africa told us: “Traditionally the best wildlife concentrations have been in the western end of the Selinda Reserve – because that is where the Kwando and Linyanti Rivers are, and the crucial Zibadianja Lagoon.
“In a normal year, there's scarcely any game inside the dry interior of the Reserve during this time of year.  But this year there is, with the Selinda Spillway being used as a corridor. Groups canoeing through this area are reporting a lot more wildlife inland here that would normally have been expected.”
The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta with no outlet to the sea.

Experimental young artists at work

Most young artists in Botswana still remain under the radar and never get a chance to experiment long enough to make a lasting impression. 

Last week Thapong Visual Arts Centre hosted the first ever Young Artist Exhibition and it was an opportunity for young artists to get exposure. 

Mmegi Staffer Mompati Tlhankane went to the exhibition gallery to see some of the most outstanding artworks from the inaugural exhibition. 

While some artworks are more outstanding than others, collectively the youngsters went all out to show that age is nothing but a number. Growth and experimentation is communicated through every piece.

One of the exhibitors Thato Khomela came up with rather unique and unusual concepts in his collection of paintings.  One of his outstanding artworks is called Bathing in the Moonlight and shows a distinctive view of a woman taking a bath at night.  The artwork itself is a blend of vision, feeling and practicality.  From a distance, the piece looks more like chalkboard paint, but coming closer one could now realise that it is acrylic on canvas.

Another one is called Practice Makes Perfect and it is also acrylic on canvas and the paint is available in varying shades of colour.  He used light and dark to develop dimensional forms.  The portrait shows a monstrous looking finger.  

The portrait looks like it had been stained with a brown liquid.  The artist’s experimentation on the black colour looks picture perfect and demands a lot of absorption from the viewer.  

Khomela told  Arts & Culture that  he saw the exhibition as an opportunity to showcase his skills.  “I experimented with acrylic using monochromatic to create endless colours to explore tints, tones and shades,” he said.

Khomela said he came up with the strategy to bring out his other hidden talents.
“I wanted to differ from other artists and show growth,” he said. He indicated that his Bathing in the Moonlight created a little bit of controversy because people had been enquiring about it.  Khomela said the finger artwork shows that people can get better with practice. “The finger shows a person playing a game we used to call chama or ale. 

The finger is finally perfect after years and years of practice, so is every aspect of life,” he said.

The Beautiful Nata Lodge in Botswana

An oasis set among the Mokolwane palms on the edge of the pans. It is ideally situated close to the entrance to the Nata Sanctuary and is just off the main road, 10 km from Nata village. This is the junction to the Okavango, Chobe and Francistown areas.

Accommodation:

All chalets have custom designed ceiling fans and in room safes. Of the 20 chalets, 8 chalets are set on a raised platform that overlooks the old Didibakwe river and are built on the northern boundary of the lodge under the dappled shade of the Ilala Palm trees.

Of these 8 chalets there are 2 Luxury Chalets on offer. These boast majestic outdoor showers and ball and claw feature baths.

12 A-framed stoned thatch chalets are set on the southern boundary of the lodge. These unique chalets have semi open bathrooms and stoned verandas.

10 luxury safari tents are built on raised wooden platforms which are nestled under the lodges many Marula trees. These unique tents feature en suite bathrooms and all amenities offered in any of the the lodge’s chalets.

Fun Activities to do:

Game drive

Bird viewing

Trips to the Makgidikgadi Salt Pans

Quad bike adventures

For more information and for your booking request please contact us via email at info@botswana-reservations.com
Visit our web page at www.botswana-reservations.com

Ebola Updates & Important Information

No Entry to Botswana or Zambia for tourists from Ebola infected areas

The Botswana and Zambian Ministries of Health have announced new measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.

Any tourists who have been to an Ebola infected area (Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria or Liberia) in the past 30 days will be denied entry into Botswana and Zambia and returning residents from Zambia and Botswana may be subject to quarantine if they have travelled through high risk countries. Please note the list of high risk countries may increase should circumstances change.
It is therefore recommended that guests planning to visit Botswana or Zambia avoid these high risk countries at this time. It is important to remember that these measures are to prevent the disease from coming into the respective countries, and not to contain any infection on the ground.

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There is no better way to connect with the bush than by making camp and falling asleep under the African Stars. Sitting around the campfire listening to the crackling of the fire and the sounds of nature and enjoying a complete ‘back to nature’ experience – this is camping in Africa.

Namibia & Botswana Self-Drive Camping Safari

Book your Camping Safari today!!!

www.namibiareservations.com

The Astonishing Royal Tree Lodge in Botswana

Royal Tree Lodge is a private game reserve located twenty minutes from the iconic safari town of Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. 

The spacious, thatched guest area is the heart of Royal Tree Lodge.  Large doors open onto a wide-angle teak deck shaded by Motsentsela trees, under which guests exchange stories, meals and drinks.  Inside, relax on a plush leather sofa, enjoy a drink from the bar, and page through books on the nation's explorers and history.  During dinner, enjoy delicous meals served on the deck by candlelight and awe fellow guests by tales of the day’s adventures.

Royal Tree Lodge Honeymoon Chalets
The Royal Tree Lodge honeymoon chalets are private and romantic with king size canopy beds covered in soft, white linen. The chalets are well furnished including large sunken baths, plentiful candles and an outdoor shower to make your stay a memorable experience.

Royal Tree Lodge Luxury Tents
The tented rooms are built on raised decks with exotic hard wood floors offering wonderful views of the serene African forest and complete with en-suite facilities. We welcome you to relax in an old world bath by the warmth of candlelight and enjoy the sounds of Africa.

Activities....

Birding, Game Walks, Horseback Safari, Game Drive, Scenic Flight

Brand New Camp in Botswana!

Brand New Little Tubu Camp in Botswana's Private Jao Concession

  Wilderness Safaris’ Little Tubu Camp, situated on Hunda Island in Botswana’s private Jao Concession, opened last month and ever since has been delighting guests with its cosy atmosphere and exceptional wildlife sightings.

Adjacent to its sister camp Tubu Tree, Little Tubu offers an intimate and exclusive experience for a maximum of six guests in three traditional Meru-style tents, all raised into luxuriant foliage on wooden decks to maximise the spectacular views across the grassy floodplain.

Elevated dining and main area decks are shaded by a riverine tree canopy and look out over a seasonal floodplain that attracts a variety of game such as herds of lechwe, zebra, wildebeest and even giraffe and elephant. The camp is set on a series of winding, wooden platforms with the bar set into a waterberry tree, while the pool is located between the two camps in a private setting. The raised hide – separate to camp – is the perfect place for guests wanting to experience wild Africa at night, sleeping beneath the stars.

 Interpretive day and night game drives are led by experienced guides and guests can expect to see spotted hyaena and the above-mentioned species on the floodplains. Kudu, impala, bushbuck and leopard are also seen in the forested areas and birdlife is abundant. Depending on water levels and time of year, boating, mokoro trips and seasonal catch-and-release fishing can also be enjoyed (usually May to late September).

Little Tubu is committed to Wilderness Safaris’ 4Cs philosophy (Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture) and the camp is completely eco-friendly with no permanent structures. Jao Concession holder, David Kays, is also a member of the Tubu Joint Management Committee, which he was involved in launching together with the University of Botswana under the auspices of the Biokavango Project. The aim of this committee is to reduce conflict between the community and the Jao Concession – specifically with regard to curbing poaching and over-fishing – and they hope to assist the community with developing tourism ventures in their area.  

Exciting News from Sanctuary Retreats

An exciting announcement...

The annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards survey results are in! The votes are the combined opinions of 28,876 Condé Nast Traveler readers, some of the most discerning travellers in the world. We are delighted to announce that Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, Sanctuary Olonana and Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero were named #13, #18 and #19 respectively in the Top 35 Africa Resorts.

Walking in Mosi-oa-Tunya
Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma, Zambia

The new walking safari activity offered at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma will now be available as an included activity at no additional cost to guests. Other activities included in the rate are sundowner cruises, a village tour, a tour of the Falls and game drives in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.

Delta Camp Transfers
Sanctuary Retreats, Botswana

Sanctuary Baines’ and Stanley’s Camps have resumed road transfers to and from the airstrip due to lower delta water levels. This will not affect boating excursions from Sanctuary Baines’ Camp. If the water levels rise during the rainy season, transfers will again be combined with a boat excursion.

Air Botswana Check in
Sanctuary Retreats, Botswana

Please note that passengers flying with Air Botswana from O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg will now need to check in at counters 72-74 and not counters 63-64 as before.  

For more establishments please visit our website at http://www.southern-africa-travel.com/ or email to info@southern-africa-travel.com