Recommended Accommodation in Botswana
 
 

Jac’s Camp, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana

One of the only places in the world where the silence is so complete you can hear the blood circulating through your ears.

As a homage to the vision of his father, Ralph, his son, and his partner Catherine established Uncharted Africa Safari Co starting with Jack’s Camp which was refurbished at the beginning of 2003 - in a traditional East African 1940's safari style. Jack's is a Kalahari Desert camp located in Botswana's Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. The remnants of an enormous superlake – that used to cover most of Southern Africa.

Jack's Camp is an oasis of style and comfort in the middle of Botswana's Kalahari Desert. The Makgadikgadi is truly like nowhere else on earth. Spectacular vistas, creative surprises, expert guiding, incredibly friendly habituated meerkats, unique desert wildlife, old-world safari styling and superb cuisine all come together to create an experience that is completely different to any other.

Jack's Camp is a classic desert safari camp accommodating 16 guest in 7 Twin and 3 double green roomy and stylish canvas tents with en-suite bathrooms and indoor and outdoor showers (for those who want to feel the Kalahari breeze on their skin) have been fashioned in classical style and are set into a palm grove creating an oasis of civilization in what can be the harshest of stark environments. Tents are Spacious and stylish – with a sophisticated 1940's safari atmosphere.

Persian rugs underfoot and cool cotton sheets form a striking contrast with the rugged wilderness viewed from the comfort of one’s own verandah.

Facilities include a mess tent with Natural History Museum, Library, antique pool table and well stocked drinks chest. Refresing swimming pool housed in a beautiful tent with deck and deck chairs.

A visit to the area is essential for anyone interested in evolution and the origins and explanation of the Okavango Delta and Botswana’s big picture. A safari to Jack's Camp is also a complete desert experience focusing on species unique to the area such as aardvark, gemsbuck and springbuck. It is the only place where guests are virtually guaranteed to see the rare and elusive brown hyaena and be able to walk through the Kalahari with a gang of habituated but, wild meerkats.

The wet season is generally from late November through March and into April. Activities during the wet season include game drives in open 4x4 vehicles custom designed for the terrain to experience the enormous herds of the annual Zebra and Wildebeest migration. Bird walks to observe migratory waterfowl (flamingos, storks, Wattled crane, ducks, terns, etc.) and their breeding and feeding sites are another option. Depending on the amount of recent rainfall, guests will have usage of 4WD quad bikes and vehicles on the salt pans, an exhilarating way to see the area.

Night drives to view migration and unique desert wildlife (Brown Hyena, Aardvark, Aardwolf etc) are a special favorite. Game walks with Bushman trackers to observe the desert wildlife such as Gemsbok, Meerkat, and Springbok are a great way to learn how the indigenous San people survive in this seemingly inhospitable land. Finally, a visit to the historic Baobab Trees are always on the agenda (the campsites of Livingstone, Selous and Baines).

The dry season accommodates much more extensive use of the quad bikes out on the pans. All other activities are available as well. The camps also operate a 5-day fly camp option to Kubu Island (weather permitting) with quad bikes for parties with at least four guests.

Venturing far into the centre of the Makgadikgadi, on 4wd quad bikes, we are able to explore remote archaeological sites, periodically discovering never before documented fossil beds of extinct giant zebra and hippo. The fact that you can travel across the pans at great speed and still arrive nowhere only underlines the pans immensity. There is nothing out here. Absolutely nothing.