New Botswana concession holder, The Africa Experience, will open two new luxury tented camps in June in the heart of the remote Central Tuli Block, about 500km east of Gaborone.
Koro Island Camp and Koro River Camp are situated on a 4km stretch of the Limpopo River in an 8 000-hectare concession of undisturbed wilderness, says owner, Jurgen Elbertse. He says the beauty of the area is its diversity of landscapes, ranging from ancient trees along the Limpopo, savannah, baobabs, natural springs that ensure year-round wildlife, to rock art and remains of Stone Age settlements. Visitors can expect to see big herds of elephant and eland, leopards, lions, Brown and Spotted hyenas and Pel’s Fishing owls.
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Situated on a small island in the Limpopo, Koro Island Camp is only accessible via a suspension bridge. Accommodating 10 guests, it consists of five tents with en-suite bathrooms, a boma, rim-flow pool and a thatched dining area and lounge, all decorated in 19th century style. The target market includes small groups of professionals, friends and families travelling together. A chef is available to cook and expert-led activities are tailor-made.
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About 2.5km upstream is Koro River Camp, an even more luxurious set-up consisting of seven tents and en-suite bathrooms on a big suspended wooden deck. Facilities include a bar and lounge tent, a dining and small conference tent, a pool overlooking the river, an open fireplace, a boma and a massage area by the river. The décor is modern, yet comfortable.
The company plans to reintroduce Black rhinos and set up a monitoring programme of lions, which are almost extinct in that region. It is also supporting the Botswana Air Force and Botswana Wildlife and Nature Conservation in airborne data collection and wildlife monitoring. Local communities have been involved in the construction of the two camps and fresh produce is sourced from local villages.
Elbertse says the idea is for guests to become involved and financially support conservation efforts, by participating, for example, in monitoring programmes and helping to log the rock art, much of which is still unrecorded.
After having worked in the oil and gas sector, Elbertse became involved in developing private nature reserves in South Africa. He also co-owns The Wild Olive Tree Camp, a community tourism operation near the Kruger National Park.
