April is the cruellest month….as the temperatures continue to drop on a daily basis, I was almost tempted to believe TS Eliot but in fact April has been anything but cruel in terms of its safari this month. It all started with African wild dogs who decided to appear at early morning breakfast and kill [...]

While there’s no doubt that being alluded to as the Brangelina’s of the safari industry is quite a compliment, there’s much more substance to the work of Dereck & Beverly than appearances. Tiara Walters of South Africa’s Sunday Times weaves a story which we hope will “turn around a billion Chinese”. But it requires your [...]

Let’s transport you to another vision, where you are floating on the HBS Zib in the middle of Zibadianja Lagoon in Botswana’s Selinda Reserve. And get this, you are on a massage bed. Yes, it’s true. “There is always a bowl of water with an orchid in it whenever I go to a spa, so [...]

Each year, Mr. Harper chooses favorite properties that he has visited over the past 12 months to comprise this prestigious Grand Award list. To be considered for the annual awards, properties must be relatively small in size, possess strong individual personalities, offer relaxing atmospheres and demonstrate a consistent devotion to personal service. We are of [...]

December 2012, Zarafa Camp. Babies! It’s annual “baby-time” again around Zarafa Camp. All the animals are waiting for the first rains in order to deliver their young in times of plenty. With these delightful rains, fresh grasses and leaves emerge everywhere and the mothers agree that this is a safe and bountiful time for birth. [...]

Yesterday, after a huge maintenance day we went on a short game drive/ boat cruise with the entire staff. Kathy made Christmas pudding and we had small (Dutch) presents for everyone. We had our X-mas sundowners in front of the camp. We toasted on a very successful 2012 year and and the anticipation of a [...]

Underneath the Mangosteen… We have this huge Mangosteen tree right in front of Zarafa. And every year in November it gives us very tasteful orange fruits. The birds like them, the squirrels, the warthogs, the elephants and the housekeepers. So the battle of the fruits has started. Since we like our animals in camp it [...]

The month of July will be dedicated the largest of our many diverse mammals – Loxidonta Africana – The African Elephant Simply put, they are everywhere. We have not had rain since April, even then the rainy season provided us with little rain. This has meant that all the water holes all around Zarafa and [...]

Dereck & Beverly’s latest film, The Unlikely Leopard, airs July 15 on Nat Geo WILD channel, and tomorrow night (July 12), an interview & a behind-the-scenes with the Jouberts will be airing on ABC Nightline. Tune-in, US friends!

Zarafa Camp 2012 started with a bang at Zarafa.  The staff pulled out all the stops and put on the most unique of any evenings entertainment I have seen in the bush (pictured).  HES Zibidianja, our floating platform boat, was steered to the front of the deck and for the staff to present a show [...]

We’ve just had a great stay of Pete and Linda from the UK. Big birders they rattled up 168 species in two days. A reflection of the numbers of migrants that we get at this time of year. The highlight by far was the Rosy-throated (pink throated) Longclaw.  A mega special for any birder coming [...]

Great Plains has won ‘Best Safari Accommodation Group in Africa’ in the 2011 Safari Awards

So following on from the discovery of the 15 strong Selinda lion pride by Foster and Pat they headed of in earnest to catch up with them once again early yesterday. They appeared to move north and they both started tracking before coming across a Cheetah male on his own. Unusual at the best of [...]

The Selinda Lion Pride returns in full glory – 15 Strong they came in from the south yesterday. Images and full write up by Foster and Pat to come…watch this space!

Over the last few months Great Plains community outreach has had some amazing experiences: getting to know community members, teaching skills and continuously generating income for the Seronga and Gudigwa communities. We have relocated our Seronga base to a house with more work space and facilities. This provides our Tipatizane members with an area to [...]

In December it does begin to rain in the Selinda Reserve as we close on the rainy season.  Clear skies in the morning are often greeted by dark ones in the afternoon harbouring thunder, lighting and the most tremendous of showers bringing life to our concession.  With this water brings the most stunning green  lush [...]

During our New Years Day boat cruise lunch, on HES Zibidianja (pictured below from the camp deck), we made a very exciting discovery of an African Skimmer Colony.  We have seen the occasional skimmer over the past few months but to find the colony of such a special species is a great find. Skimmers are [...]

As it turns out, this episode of ABC’s Nightline was among the production team’s favorite projects. Of course, how could it not be when you are among good company, lions, Botswana most pristine wilderness and talking conservation.  It’s a very entertaining segment – will make you grin, dream and contemplate all at the same time. [...]

Tonight, Nov 13, the Jouberts’ feature film, The Last Lions will be on the National Geographic Channel at 8:00pm EST. Watch Ma di Tau and Silver Eye struggle over their Duba Plains, Botswana territory. TV Listing here

Located 3.3km (1.8 nautical miles) south-west of the previous airstrip. Co-ordinates: 18 34 45 S/23 29 00 E Length: 1000m Elevation: 951m Headings: 08/26

Thanks to Grant Atkinson of Wilderness Safaris for his recent post about the Linyanti & Zibadianja African wild dog packs….Read on for this exciting account. 02 Nov 2011 Sighting: A Costly Clash between Packs Date: October 2011 Observer: Grant Atkinson There are two packs of wild dogs that make use of the area around DumaTau [...]

Originally posted on Marina Coleman’s blog It is always humbling and very exciting to embark on a new adventure with my book. Botswana has been on my radar for sometime; the one country in Africa with a population of 1.85 million and an infection rate of 2 out of every 5 people. In fact, Botswana [...]

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjy reading this interview Dereck Joubert recent had with the folks at Safaritalk http://safaritalk.net/index.php?showtopic=7291

July has been a busy month for our community craft projects in Botswana. Members have been returning to the villages after spending time in their fields and orders from our camps have increased as we enter the high season and demand for curio shop stock increases. Selinda Reserve and Duba Plains are not only supporting [...]

Although coming to Africa on a safari is about going on game drives to find animals, there is a beautiful camp in Botswana’s Selinda Reserve called Zarafa on the edge of Zibadianja Lagoon, stunning location and landscape. Most guests who come here prefer to stay three nights or more, enjoying late afternoon game drives before [...]

“If you take out the top predator, you remove the impetus for migrations to happen,” says Dereck Joubert. The UK’s Independent just ran an article on the future of big cats and the implications if we lose them. Let’s do something to change the outcome, friends.

Zarafa has been awarded the coveted ecotourism rating, the highest eco rating you can achieve in Botswana.

Howzit Folks I was up at Zarafa last week and had a great trip.  Our group saw three leopards on one afternoon / evening night drive; 12 dogs are back denning and elephants are everywhere – even cheetah. On the one pic below  you can see the houseboat / brunch boat moored against the shoreline. [...]

If you in London on the 5th of July 2011, why not join Dereck and Beverly J0ubert, National Geographic Explores in Residence, and five time Emmy Award winners, for a special evening of discussions and exhibition of famous images from Beverly’s fine art photography which will be shown for the first time at the gallery [...]

The rain is gone and winter is knocking in the Selinda Reserve already. The days are shorter with the sun setting around 18:00hrs which is definitely the sign of winter. Yesterday our guests had a great sunset cruise and some had a wonderful afternoon drive. To compliment the day, as they were driving back to camp [...]