Experience Kalahari Desert’s Beauty at Jack’s Camp Botswana

Jack’s Camp Botswana is a luxurious safari camp in the Kalahari Desert’s heart. This unique and remote destination offers an unforgettable combination of adventure, culture, and luxury.

The Camp is situated on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the largest salt flats in the world, and its stark and otherworldly landscapes are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Jack’s Camp offers an intimate and exclusive experience with just ten stylish canvas tents, that blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. With its unique combination of luxury, adventure, and culture, Jack’s Camp is a destination that should be on every traveller’s bucket list.

Who owns Jack’s Camp Botswana?

Ralph Bousfield, is the owner of Jack’s Camp. The Camp is named after his father, Jack Bousfield, who discovered the serene and beautiful location during a trapping expedition in the Makgadikgadi Pans in the 1960s. Jack established a camp there and lived there until his unfortunate death in an aircraft accident in 1992. In honor of his father’s vision, Ralph, his son, established the Uncharted Africa Safari Co., starting with the refurbishment of Jack’s Camp in 2021.

Where is Jack’s Camp?

Jack’s Camp is located in the Makgadikgadi, a former super-lake that dried up due to the earth’s crust movement thousands of years ago. The Camp overlooks the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and has an expanse of grassland, salt flats, and fossilized islands. The nearest village is Gweta, about two hours away from Jack’s Camp. 

Jack’s Camp Rates 

As of Jan 2023, The rates are between 1,700 to $2,195$ per person. This includes accommodation, all meals, select drinks and activities.

Why You’ll Love Jack’s Camp

If you’re looking for an extraordinary safari experience, Jack’s Camp Botswana is a destination that should be on your bucket list. 

The Location

Jack’s Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana. Photo/Steppes Travel.

Jack’s Camp is situated in the heart of the Kalahari Desert, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans. This is one of the largest salt flats in the world, and its stark and otherworldly landscapes are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The area is also rich in wildlife, with zebras, wildebeest, and other mammals migrating through the region at certain times of the year. 

The Accommodation

Inside the Rooms at Jack’s Camp. Photo/Luxury Safari Camps.

Jack’s Camp, one of Africa’s most distinct camps, has ten lovely guest tents that evoke the feel of a traditional 1940s East African safari camp. These elegant rooms are adorned with opulent Persian and North African rugs, stately campaign furniture crafted from mahogany, and polished brass fixtures, and retain the classic green canvas.

Despite the remote location, the Camp has all the necessary amenities, including hot running water, flush toilets, and even a swimming pool. The Camp is eco-friendly and has been designed to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, so you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of nature while enjoying a high-end hotel’s comforts.

The Activities

Botswana Jacks camp bushman walk. Photo/Tribes Travel.

At Jack’s Camp, you can have a unique safari experience different from other camps. The Camp specializes in guided walks, which is a fantastic way to get up close and personal with the flora and fauna of the region. You can go on walks with the local Zu’/hoasi Bushmen, go quad biking through ancient salt pans, or visit Chapman’s Baobab, an ancient fallen tree and a national monument of Botswana.

Explore remote archaeological sites where you might discover fossil beds of extinct giant zebra and hippo that have never been documented before. The pans are so immense that you can travel across them at high speed and still end up nowhere. On this safari experience, you will encounter unique species, including aardvarks, gemsbucks, and springbucks. Visitors have a chance to spot the uncommon brown hyena and have an opportunity to stroll through the Kalahari with a group of habituated but still wild meerkats.

The Wildlife

A couple looking at meerkat family. Photo/Natural World Safaris.

One of the highlights of any safari is seeing wildlife in its natural habitat, and Jack’s Camp does not disappoint. During the dry season, you can see interesting desert animals like the brown hyena, porcupine, aardwolf, and aardvark.

Sometimes, you might also see other wildlife like black-maned Kalahari lions, honey badgers, jackals, or bat-eared foxes. In the wet season, the area turns into grasslands, attracting many zebras and wildebeests. During the green season, which lasts for several months, there is a lot of game in the landscape. Guests can witness the last remaining mass mammal migration of zebras in Southern Africa. 

Another exciting activity is an excursion to see the meerkats- small animals part of the mongoose family. They live in groups of around 20 individuals, called a mob or gang. The curious meerkats have been known to sit on guests’ heads to get a better vantage point.

The Culture

The local San people, who have lived there for thousands of years. Photo/Atelier Africa.

One of the unique aspects of Jack’s Camp is its focus on cultural experiences. The Camp has a strong relationship with the local San people, who have lived there for thousands of years. You can take a guided tour of a nearby San village and learn about their way of life, including how they hunt, gather food, and create traditional crafts. The Camp also offers the opportunity to visit a meerkat colony, where you can watch these adorable creatures in their natural habitat. Enjoy a variety of delicious traditional food, such as mogodu or seswaa, while overlooking the stunning landscapes of the Kalahari.