瑟利達營地飯店(Selinda Camp)

Il nous aura fallu ½ h pour rejoindre Selinda en hélico depuis Duba Plains, son homologue Great Plains du delta de l’Okavango. Avec Duba Plains, nous pensions avoir vu le nec plus ultra de la chaîne Great Plains. Eh bien non : Selinda restera notre étape préférée. Grâce à l’équipe ! Le transfert en hélico (offert en cas de séjour de 6 nuits dans 2 lodges Great Plains) est une belle expérience pour les photographes. Il est 100 % vitré, il vole plus bas, il est plus stable qu’un avion car il est moins exposé aux turbulences et c’est un vol privé. L’arrivée est aussi plus rapide car on atterrit juste derrière le lodge. Sinon Selinda est desservi par avion depuis l’air***** du lodge Zarafa qui est atteignable après 20 mn de bateau et 20 mn de 4x4. Comme il est d’usage, nous sommes accueillis par notre guide, Foster, qui va nous accompagner pendant 3 jours en safari privé. En 2 coups de volants dynamiques nous voilà arrivés au pied de l’escalier du lodge, encadré par deux belles statues d’éléphants, accueillis comme il se doit par les chants enjoués du personnel, la serviette et la boisson rafraîchissantes, et le sourire radieux de Franck, le directeur du lodge, qui sera notre interlocuteur principal lors de notre séjour. D’emblée nous notons que l’équipe met beaucoup de cœur dans cette chorale improvisée, dominée par la voix d’une femme qui chante extraordinairement bien. L’accueil est bon enfant. On fait presque partie de la famille. Nous prenons bien soin de remercier chacun des participants. Le ton est donné : luxe et proximité, éclairés par les sourires constants de Franck et de Foster ! Le lodge est situé devant les eaux permanentes du Selinda Spillway, un affluent de la rivière Linyanti (ou Kwando) qui descend, comme l’Okavango, de l’Angola, pays voisin ô combien stratégique pour le Botswana. Le lodge est construit à l’intersection d’une zone sèche couverte d’herbes hautes, qui alternent avec des forêts de mopanes, d’acacias et de baobabs, propices aux félins, et d’une zone humide p****mée de marais, de lagons, d’îles couvertes de palmiers, propice aux éléphants, aux hippos, aux buffles et aux oiseaux migrateurs tels que les pélicans. C’est l’emplacement idéal pour un lodge. D’abord parce que la vue depuis le lodge est superbe sur la rivière et sur les marais. Ensuite parce qu’une telle combinaison de zones sèches et humides est la garantie d’une flore et d’une faune abondantes et diversifiées, en alternant les safaris en 4x4 et en bateau. Le batiment principal est construit en bois avec son toit de chaume en forme de V inversé ouvert sur la rivière le long de laquelle sont espacées les 4 villas du lodge. Les villas sont plus compactes qu’à Duba Plains, mais elles ont été conçues sur le même concept : une lourde porte en bois sculpté turquoise ouvre sur une atmosphère coloniale meublée de tapis, d’un lit à baldaquin, d’un bureau, d’un bar à alcools et d’une desserte pour le café, le thé et les gâteaux secs. Les murs sont des moustiquaires q

Wonderful designed camp situated on the bancs of Selinda Spillway with beautiful view around. Tents were luxurious and tastefully furnished. First class service of Selinda team. Food of chef Matso 5 stars. Excellent wines. We celebrated my Birthday Dinner in the wine cellar. Wonderful atmosphere! Game drives were excellent, Foster, our guide was superbly knowledgeable. We enjoyed a sundowner in the car in mid of 5 lions, watched wild dogs bathing in the mud, saw elephants, hippos, zebra, giraffes... rich wildlife. A very special event was a lunch cruise in mid of water lilies and swimming elephants in the Selinda Spillway. Only great! The lodge is excellently managed by Bujos and Lizzy. Outstanding stay - 4 nights - highly recommended

From the moment we set foot on the boat that would take us to the camp, we knew we were into something very very special! The camp is stunningly decorated, beautiful antiques, carved doors, copper bathtub and to top it off, Beverly Joubert's art. The team headed by Bujos (BJ) and Lizzie were first class. Our guide Alex went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. I loved the presentation he gave us one afternoon on the history of Botswana and the impressive work Great Plains Conservation does. We saw some amazing sightings with him including lionesses with a zebra kill, a lioness with her adorable cubs, a gorgeous leopard whom we spent considerable time with and of course all the wildlife you could expect. Truly special! One morning we had a surprise bush breakfast and we spent one afternoon on the boat in the Selinda Spillway looking at beautiful birds, elephants swimming, and other wildlife along the water. I cannot say enough good things about this place, it's just heaven on earth. I truly hope we will have the possibility of going there again as we fell in love with Selinda Camp and all it has to offer. Kudos to all the team and special shout out to our guide Alex! Thank you for a wonderful stay!

An absolutely beautiful camp-accommodations, food and guiding over the top!!! Very expensive, but worth every Penny! Our guide Ruben was fantastic and the staff at Selinda were awesome. We transferred from Duba Explorers as the small tent was too hot in the 90+ degree heat.and we are sure glad that Selinda had room for us. The sightings we saw were remarkable in the Okavango Delta. Elephants crossing the Selinda Spillway balancing their babies on their trunks as a raft!! Wild dogs, which are rare and the alfa female jumping up on my husbands side of the jeep to look around-unbelievable. Reuben stopped the jeep at night as herds of elephants were passing in the night. I passed on that game drive and wish I went! Outside our room which was on the spillway we could hear and see hippos during the day and night. Lions, cheetahs, and birds galore!! We love Botswana and want to go back to Selinda!! Total five star camp.

This is truly one stop on a trip of a lifetime. We couldn't ask for better wildlife viewing with a friendly and informative guide, incredible accommodations, amazing staff, and wonderful food. Selinda Camp is beautiful and our trip was phenomenal from the time we were picked up at the landing ***** until we were dropped off. The wildlife viewing is amazing with incredible access and abundance. If you thinking of visiting Botswana and Selinda Camp, I would highly recommend going ahead and booking. Amazing place.

My son and I spent 3 nights at Selinda and everything was amazing! Foster, our guide, was the absolute best, knowledgeable, interesting, very funny and a pleasure to be with for 3 days. The food was delicious, accommodations clean and comfortable, views spectacular of the river, staff fantastic, and overall a perfect time spent at Selinda! I have no complaints at all. Loved taking boat rides and fishing on the river. Lots to see and do.

Staying at Selinda is a truly special experience The location is breathtaking, the rooms are gorgeous and very comfortable, the game drives are spectacular, the food is wonderful, and you won't find better service or friendlier people elsewhere. And because the camp is so small, all guests receive incredibly personalized attention; we were completely spoiled during our stay!

Selinda camp sits on the water on one side and land on the other, it is the most magical place I have ever been to. The animal sightings were incredible, the accomodation is divine and the people looking after you are considerate, kind and helpful all the time. The food was the best I have ever had. I would recommend this place with no reservation, it is absolutely worth it.

We had a lovely stay at Selinda Camp; a beautiful setting on the spillway, with our rooms looking out on the water and marshland. Serenaded by frogs and an occasional hippo at night, it was a peaceful retreat. Boat rides viewing elephants, hippos, and lechwe as they grazed along the banks were a delightful variation to the drives which also revealed wonderful wildlife. Selinda's staff members were warm and welcoming, and always attentive to every comfort. The remote location was well-worth the journey (and high price.) If you want to treat yourself to the ultimate luxury safari experience, Selinda Camp (in their exclusive Selinda Suite is the way to go!