Linyanti is a quiet, remote place in northern Botswana and one of the last great wildernesses in Southern Africa.
Listen. Silence. A rustle in the leaves. A click. Tension, heat, anticipation. Linyanti was once a place where the hunt was on. The whole region was a hunting concession, a place where animals soon learned to steer clear of humans and their thunder sticks. Quickly.
But times are changing and in the last ten years, visitors have swapped guns for cameras, tension for awe, trophies for memory sticks. Linyanti is no longer the hunted. Instead, it’s basking in the joys of being recognised as one of the greatest wildlife destinations in Botswana.
The Meaty Middle
Linyanti i...
Linyanti is a quiet, remote place in northern Botswana and one of the last great wildernesses in Southern Africa.
Listen. Silence. A rustle in the leaves. A click. Tension, heat, anticipation. Linyanti was once a place where the hunt was on. The whole region was a hunting concession, a place where animals soon learned to steer clear of humans and their thunder sticks. Quickly.
But times are changing and in the last ten years, visitors have swapped guns for cameras, tension for awe, trophies for memory sticks. Linyanti is no longer the hunted. Instead, it’s basking in the joys of being recognised as one of the greatest wildlife destinations in Botswana.
The Meaty Middle
Linyanti is a 112,000-hectare private reserve on Chobe National Park’s western boundary. Wildlife is plentiful, predators stalk about looking for lunch and birds give it the full 5 stars. What you won’t see is a plethora of tourists. This is a secluded, uncrowded place so forget the pushing, shoving, wildlife panicking holidaymakers, they ain’t here.
The rivers running through are the lifeblood of the whole area. Just above the Okavango Delta, you’ll find the Kwando River. This forms the border between Botswana and Namibia - a stunning panhandle formerly known as the Caprivi Strip, now known as the Zambezi Region. Keep following the Kwando and it becomes the Linyanti River and Linyanti Marshes - a permanent wetland area with small islands surrounded by grassy plains. This is the western boundary of Chobe National Park and the heart of the Linyanti region.
Linyanti inline image 5e562f5e008b4
And water is the draw card. Elephants are particularly thirsty and during the dry season huge herds pass through and congregate along the river. Great groups of zebra and buffalo get stuck in too, jostling for a turn at the taps. And you can imagine what the sight of all these juicy beasts is like for lion, cheetah, leopard and hyena. Bat-eared foxes join the party, as do hippo and crocodile. You can even see the rare sable and Sitatunga antelope.
Linyanti inline image 5e56300b76988
Tree wise Linyanti is characterised by dense mopane woodlands, jackalberry trees and sausage trees with their red flowers and dangling pods. During the wet summers (November to March) migrant birds arrive in droves. In fact birdlife here is fantastic with the Narina Trogon bird species being a highlight.
Being so remote the safari lodges and camps are few and far between. They describe themselves as ‘private, exclusive and luxurious’ and it’s true, they are. They pretty much have the run of the place and thoroughly enjoy their unique access to this bountiful part of northern Botswana. This is a malaria area though, so remember to take the necessary precautions.
Linyanti inline image 5e563088e7185
Nightcap
So, in a nutshell, with the hunters gone, wildlife has returned in huge numbers to the Linyanti region. It’s a quiet, remote and wild corner of Botswana, which gives the lodges both exclusivity and free-roam of the area. Consequently, you can go on bush walks, take night drives and go off road game viewing - unlike most other national parks and reserves in Botswana.
Photographic safaris, river cruises, fishing and cultural village visits are the order of the day. Or just get all romantic and trundle down the Linyanti River on a sunset cruise, drink in hand, congratulating yourself on this marvellous, marvellous find.
Zarafa means “the beloved one” in Arabic and comes from a giraffe that was presented to Charles X of France in 1826 by the Viceroy of Egypt. Today Zarafa, Botswana’s ...
Linyanti Ebony Camp is a small, luxurious offshoot of Linyanti Bush Camp in a private reserve deep inside Chobe National Park in north-eastern Botswana.
With the Okavango Delta to the west, ...
Set in one of the most pristine wilderness areas left on our planet, the brand new Selinda Camp rests on the banks of the Selinda Spillway, as it enters the ...
Chobe Game Lodge is an elegant, five-star, fully Ecotourism-certified safari lodge and the only property located inside the world-renowned Chobe National Park and set on the banks of the famous ...
Situated in the Eastern Caprivi, Zambezi Province of Namibia, a narrow strip of country on the northern bank of the Chobe River, Chobe Savanna Lodge overlooks the vast floodplains of ...
Chobe Bakwena Lodge sits right on the edge of the Chobe River just before it joins the Zambezi en route to Victoria Falls; where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet; ...
You're in the heart of the wild here, the Chobe National Park boundary is only a few hundred metres away. Consequently, you'll probably be the first through the gate for ...
Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero is a luxurious riverside retreat in the heart of the bush on the edge of Chobe National Park, home to the world's largest remaining population of elephants.
Sitting ...
Unique and private accommodation with endless game viewing opportunities experienced from the comfort of your bed, lounging in the sun or dining on this exciting floating safari.
Moored on the banks ...
A haven for wildlife in the dry season, Chobe is renowned for its large concentration of elephant and buffalo, which congregate along the Chobe River. Chobe Under Canvas is situated ...
Chobe Safari Lodge sits on the edge of the Chobe River (as the name would suggest), but that also means that it borders four countries! Yup, that means you can ...
Look no further than Thebe River Safaris Lodge for the perfect accommodation option during your visit to the Chobe. Offering a family room and twin rooms nestled around a tranquil ...
Situated on the banks of the mighty Chobe River, luxury exists in harmony with nature at Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa. This is a unique location from which to ...
Beside the mysterious Savute Channel, this tented oasis is the perfect base to discover the wonders of Chobe National Park
Breathlessly captivating, this corner of Botswana has long been associated with ...
Stretching from the Linyanti River all the way to Savute Marsh, the winding waterways of the Savute Channel have pumped life into the western section of Chobe National Park for ...
Camp Savuti epitomises the Botswana safari experience. From rewarding game viewing opportunities to the authentic, tented accommodation, this is the traditional way to spend time in one of Africa's most ...
Lebala means 'wide open spaces', and the camp is located in the Kwando Reserve’s 232,000 hectares of private unfenced wilderness. Here, the southerly flowing Kwando River disappears into the vast ...
Lagoon is perched on the banks of the wild Kwando River, nestled beneath towering ebony and marula trees. The heavily forested site is home to a wide variety of birds ...
Nxai Pan is located on the western edge of the fossil pan from which the camp takes its name. The camp faces east over the open grasslands of the pans. ...
Enjoy these two major tourist destinations in southern Africa. Its a holiday package that gives you the opportunity to experience activities in Vic falls and ...
