EJ Latitudes 1/08.qxd - Frontiers Elegant Journeys

Call Frontiers 1-800-245-1950 • +44 (0) 1285 741340 in the UK • www.frontiersej.com
Africa News
■ Wilderness Safaris’ new Kalahari Plains Camp in Botswana is
proving to be a fantastic success! Purple pod terminalia trees
provide shade and its elevated position on a dune crest
means a cooling breeze is often a welcome addition. What
makes this camp special is its location close to the famous
game-rich Deception Valley of Central Kalahari Game Reserve,
offering easy access for morning and evening wildlife activity
peaks. Recent sightings include lion, cheetah, leopard in
camp, suricates (meerkats), hundreds of gemsbok (oryx) and
springbok, wildebeest, red hartebeest, jackal with pups, Cape
fox with pups, honey badger and 125 bird species. Camp staff
includes local San Bushmen who add further insight into the
region. An ideal complement to camps in the Okavango Delta
and Linyanti, this area will become an integral part of a traditional
Botswana circuit in the future.
■ Wilderness’s Zibadianja Camp, upgraded to an exquisite
Premier camp in 2008, has undergone a name change; it is
now called Zarafa Camp (Arabic for giraffe, a common sight
on the floodplains of the Selinda Reserve). Zarafa’s four oversize
marquis-style canvas tents accommodate eight guests,
ideal for a private party of friends or a family. Each tent is decorated
with campaign-style furniture made of recycled wood
from the sunami, a view over the floodplain, and special
touches like a Canon 40D camera for guests to borrow, a Mac
computer to download and edit photos, and reading glasses
on the writing desk. The camp runs purely on solar energy
and their kitchen turns out the most delicious and artfully presented
food we’ve experienced on safari. Stunning!
14