Jack’s Camp: An Ultra-Luxury Safari Escape in Botswana
Lily Pond Approved
A suite at Jack’s Camp in Botswana.
Jack’s Camp is an ultra-luxury tented camp in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans of Botswana. With only 9 rooms, service is exquisitely tailored to each guests’ desires, with little touches that make guests feel like royalty. The camp has recently undergone an enormous revamp, and while it kept the touches that set it apart as Jack’s Camp, it is even more luxurious, and the tents have almost doubled in size.
Jack’s Camp is inspired by the life of Jack Bousfield, a crocodile and legendary hunter that set out to the Makgadikgadi Pans in the 1960s and set up camp in this spot because he was so captivated by it. In 1992 Jack died in a plane crash, and his son, Ralph, establish the Uncharted Africa Safari Company in honor of his father’s vision. As such, it is furnished in a nostalgic 1940s style with no frills, like no electricity, water in copper jugs, and showers under the stars. Jack was captivated by adventure and living things – people and animals alike – and had strong connections with the native bushmen. Ralph has been able to make conservation of both people, animals, and the environment a central mission, alongside adventure, with the Uncharted Africa Safari Company.
The living area in a suite at Jack’s Camp.
The Rooms
The iconic green canvas, muslin-draped walls, and 1940s campaign style remain, but each room has been upgraded to include an overhead bed cooling system and a private deck with a plunge pool. While there used to be no electricity to keep the authentic feel, there is now 24-hour solar-powered electricity in the tents and a complimentary laundry service, but still no WiFi or hairdryers (you don’t need them out there!). The new setup offers 7 tents with two queen-size beds and 2 tents with an extra length king bed, providing guests with the option of accommodating more people per tent than was possible before.
The Food & Amenities
The mess tent still houses the Natural History Museum, library, and vintage 36-seater dining table that served as an officer’s mess table in the 1820s, as well as the drinks cabinet and antique pool table. Jack collected many local stone tools, fossils of extinct fauna and flora, historical maps, animal skulls, and bushman beadwork, much of which is displayed in what the camp staff fondly refer to as the Natural History Museum. The collection is one of the most comprehensive ancient artifact collections in Botswana. The dining table is where all the guests staying at the camp come together to eat dinner and exchange stories of the day, and it is an iconic part of Jack’s Camp’s homey environment. The shared swimming pool pavilion is the only of its kind in Africa and offers panoramic views perfect for soaking up the nature and spotting animals. Food and drinks are included in your stay, and are all incredibly delicious (it still amazes us how safari camps make gourmet food) and tailored to guests’ specific needs.
A quad bike adventure on the salt pans during the dry season.
When to Visit
With two distinct seasons offering totally different things, we will help our clients choose from a selection of about 7 different periods throughout the year to visit based on their desired experience. Have habituated meerkats crawl up and perch on your head, meet Zu/’hoasi Bushmen and walk through the bush with them, take day and nighttime game drives, go on hikes, horseback rides, and receive a wellness therapy on your private deck or the dedicated spa year-round. Take quad bike adventures across the salt pans and marvel as the stars unfold above you in the dry season (16 April – 31 October). In the Shoulder Season of November, rains roll through and grass starts to grow, while flocks of flamingos and other birds move in and Wildebeest and Zebras crowd the plains. The Green Season (10 January – 31 March) requires less traveling, as the large amounts of animals present often allow viewing directly from your veranda. The green season is also when the last remaining zebra and wildebeest migration in Southern Africa, and the second-largest in Africa, occurs – and it’s a sight to behold!
How to Plan a Trip
Jack’s Camp is part of the Uncharted Africa Safari Company, and they guarantee guests “Real Adventure in Unreal Style” at all their camps, which include San Camp and Kalahari Camp. If you’re looking to get away and experience life in the bush in luxury, Jack’s Camp should be at the top of your list.