Savuti Camp

Savuti Camp lies on the Savute Channel, a famous waterway in a thrilling state of flux. For a quarter of a century, the Channel was dry, creating wide-open grassland, home to both quantities and varieties of wildlife and a legendary predator's enclave. In 2008, the waters returned, and Savuti Camp now has front-row seats to view the abundant game that has congregated and adapted in its wake.

Savuti Camp is situated in an isolated part of the Linyanti Concession along the Savute Channel in northern Botswana. The site of the camp is about 17 kilometres 'downstream' from the Zibadianja Lagoon - the source of the Channel. The Channel stopped flowing between 1980 and 2008; during this time it was an unusual and productive ribbon of grassland that served as a corridor and feeding ground in the surrounding woodland for a wide variety of herbivores.

In 2008, the Savute Channel once more became a deep, clear waterway harbouring hippo and aquatic life with myriad varieties of waterbirds. Wildlife, from plains game to a plethora of predators, has had to adapt to a new source of water and all the opportunities and menaces it has brought with it. For different species the Channel has become a place of refuge, an obstacle, an unrivalled food source, a navigational aid, a larder, a playground, and a graveyard. It is impossible to say yet whether the waters will persist or begin to recede in earnest as much of this will depend on the next summer rains - but while it lasts, at Savuti there are front-row seats for each drama that is played out.

With two-thirds of the Channel located in the concession, Wilderness guests have private and exclusive access to the abundant game and the natural and geological changes that are occurring on a daily and seasonal basis.

This intimate camp's en-suite accommodation is in seven large walk-in tents that are raised off the ground and face onto the Savute Channel's grasslands. From the camp's thatched dining area and pub, a plunge pool and large viewing area with fire pit extend outwards on raised wooden decks towards the Channel.

Explore the Channel and its environs through day and night game drives, nature walks with a guide (on request), and several well-positioned hides for safe, up-close animal viewing. Savuti Camp's famous 'wood-pile hide' at the waterhole in front of camp is now part of the flowing Savute Channel and unfortunately no longer accessible.

Game concentrations here are high, particularly in the winter dry season, and apart from abundant plains game, species such as roan and sable antelope, southern giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyaena, black-backed jackal and wild dog may also be encountered. In winter, this area can also be excellent for the sought-after aardvark and aardwolf, which are big ticks on anyone's mammal lists.

Conservation:

Perhaps the most topical issue for Botswana at present is its very large elephant population and the possible impact on vegetation and other animal species. As a result and in recognition of the fact that in the Selinda and Linyanti Concessions Wilderness Safaris is responsible for one of the two highest-density elephant concentrations in the country, they have facilitated and partially funded two MSc studies examining vegetation impact and are currently hosting a PhD and further MSc researcher examining additional elements of this puzzle.

Botswana has a well-developed network of protected areas, and these include concessions that allow hunting as well as photographic safaris. Our ground operator has chosen not to hunt in the concessions in which they operate and forfeit approximately US$1.2 million per annum in hunting quotas that they choose not to take up in preference for photographic safaris.

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