KING’S POOL CAMP NOW OPEN AGAIN AT #LINYANTI
(Posted 12th July 2019)
Wilderness Safaris King’s Pool Camp has reopened in the heart of Botswana’s Linyanti Wildlife Concession, showcasing the company’s commitment to driving sustainable ecotourism in this remarkable wildlife destination. Featuring nine luxurious thatched-roof rooms, the camp’s refreshed look and feel celebrates the romance of a bygone era, with classic Botswana flair.
Named for Scandinavian royalty and steeped in nostalgia, King’s Pool overlooks a sparkling oxbow lagoon, its eight rooms and one luxurious suite blending effortlessly with the camp’s pristine wilderness surrounds. Wrap-around screens open up to provide wide-angle views, allowing for an immersive nature experience. Throughout the camp, the ancient Batswana craft of weaving is expressed in a number of architectural details – the imprint design applied to the camp’s screen walls, woven rope detail on vertical supports, as well as on the balustrades.
In keeping with Wilderness Safaris’ commitment to operating with a light eco-footprint, the camp is 100% solar powered, and as much existing material from walkways and flooring from the previous camp was reused to create screens and decorative wall detail, such as the substructure, thatched roof, carved front doors and salvaged timber doors. These earthy, rough textures are punctuated by warm copper – in handles and other details – adding richness and depth to the architectural mood. Accents of teal are used throughout to enhance the neutral bronze and copper colour palette.
“To coincide with the opening of this remarkable new camp, we are also thrilled to introduce helicopter flights in the Linyanti as an optional extra activity. It is from the air that one can truly appreciate the wonders of this concession. King’s Pool Camp’s location at the end of the Great Rift Valley is truly extraordinary, and the scenic flights soar along the fault line and out over the Linyanti wetlands to the river, amplifying the wildlife and elephant drama on the ground”, said Kim Nixon, Wilderness Safaris Botswana Managing Director.
Not only do the helicopter flights offer a life-changing adventure, they also perform an additional security role, assisting the Wilderness Safaris conservation team with wildlife monitoring and monthly wildlife counts in the more remote areas of the concession. “Our guests at King’s Pool are therefore able to contribute to the monitoring of the Linyanti’s biodiversity from the air, helping to ensure the pathways and corridors are safe and open for the continued movement of wildlife, especially as the reserve is situated at the fulcrum of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area”, Kim then added.
The Linyanti also boasts the famous Savute Channel, an ancient and sporadic watercourse that supports abundant wildlife and the productive Linyanti River. This area is famous for its huge concentrations of elephant in the dry season, and exceptional year-round game viewing. Having the world’s largest elephant meta-herd and many other species passing seasonally through the reserve requires sensitive conservation initiatives that will contribute to the sustainability of wildlife as well as the area itself.
Other activities at King’s Pool include day and night game drives, walks and barging, all ideal for photographing birds and wildlife. In the dry season, guests can spend their siesta watching game come down to drink at the unique underground hide, where the view is at eye level. Seeing elephant feet and trunks almost within touching distance while safely inside is an experience that transcends an ordinary safari.
“We are delighted to reveal the new camp and helicopter adventure to our guests, and to offer them a life-changing Linyanti journey with purpose – one that gives back to the conservation of the concession’s rich and diverse wildlife”, concluded Kim.
