Location
The Kwando concession is the largest in northern Botswana covering 232,000 ha of un- fenced wilderness areas. There are only two camps situated within this private concession, the other is Lagoon, which is to the north. Added together, there are a total of 16 guest tents in the area – so an exclusive wilderness experience is guaranteed. The concession has 50km of exclusive river frontage. Although the western side of this vast area consists of dense woodland but Lebala, the Tswana word for wide open plains, has expansive tracts of African Plains and wetlands which make it ideal for following predators over these open horizons. This system is an intricate labyrinth of waterways, reed beds, islands, floodplains, bush, scrub and trees.
Rooms
There are eight spacious custom designed tents set on raised Zimbabwean teak decks with access via a front verandah. Each tent is surrounded by shade cloth walls, and is open plan, comprising of a large bedroom area and a bathroom which includes double basins, a claw-foot bathtub, separate toilet and an outside double shower. One of the tents has an additional twin bedroom within the unit for family use. The rooms are kept cool with a combination of ceiling fans and the mosquito net walls. This special gauze allows both an unobstructed flow of cooling breezes and for stunning views. The family tent which has two entrances (one to the twin bedroom and the other to the main bedroom and living area). The family tent shares the same ensuite bathroom facilities.
Activities
We operate our game drives using a guide and tracker, this adds to the experience on two levels. You have two sets of eyes searching out the action, looking for tracks – this ensures a good chance of sightings, especially predators. In addition, having the tracker out front, concentrating on tracking, means that the
guide is more able to talk to clients, keep them informed and answer all their questions, it leads to a more relaxed, convivial game drive atmosphere.
As Lebala is in a private concession we have the opportunity to drive off road in search of sightings – we have often been able to follow the wild dogs on their hunts. It also means we are able to drive at night with spotlights. 30% of fascinating mammals are mainly active at night, so this gives us more opportunities to view them. It is also possible to do guided walks year round. An area is chosen at the guide’s discretion and in keeping with safe distances from large herds of elephant and buffalo . The distance and area for each walk may vary seasonally at the guides’ discretion.
Sustainability
Kwando Safaris is a 100% citizen-owned company and we take our employment and empowerment policies very seriously. 98% of our staff are citizens, and all the friendly faces you will see in camp are 100% citizens – we believe you should be shown Botswana by the people of Botswana. We seek to offer careers, not jobs, to all our staff. The opportunities afforded to talented and passionate citizens are widely sought after throughout the country. Kwando Supports 3 main local projects – Lady Khama Charitable Trust, Kwando’s Bucket Project and Mummy’s Angel Project and showcases their commitment to giving back.
Eco Friendly Practices
Solar Power and Water Heating
In a land blessed with an abundance of sun, the natural option for generating power and heating water must lie in solar technology. The massive developments in such technology have provided us with ideal solar power solutions for our camps.
Kwando Safaris camps are located in environmentally sensitive areas and to ensure that the camps cause minimal impact on their surroundings, the company has invested in highly efficient solar generating equipment to operate the entire camp. All electrical appliances used in the camps are energy saving products – from light bulbs to fans and ice machines. Protecting the environment need not mean going without those all important comforts while on safari!
Environmental Design
Intelligent design compliments the use of environmentally friendly energy generation. The use of insulated walling (where applicable) and thatch within the design of the camps avoids the need for cooling systems which use a large amount of power. Insulation and thatch provide a comfortable interior temperature regardless of the extremes of heat and cold which are characteristic of our desert areas. Insulated cladding for hot water geysers and piping greatly increases the efficiency of the hot water systems by reducing heat loss from the system overnight, especially during the colder months of the year.
Waste Water Treatment
All waste water in Kwando Safaris camps is treated using above ground state-of-the-art sewerage treatment plants. This ensures that there is no cross contamination of the soils or ground water through discharge of grey or black water. The fully treated end product is eventually returned to the ground.
