Conservation-driven safari operator Natural Selection plans to build a luxury camp in Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve, with an eye on an opening next May. Named Tawana, the new addition will join the company’s portfolio of premium lodges in the country, such as Jack’s Camp, Tuludi and North Island Okavango.

Developed in collaboration with Chief Tawana Moremi, the chief of the Batawana tribe, the camp will be nestled under towering ebony trees along the banks of the Gomoti River in a section of the Moremi Game Reserve known for its rich wildlife concentration.

• Related: The changing face of the safari guest

Tawana will comprise eight guest suites, including two family suites, each with its own lounge, plunge pool and outdoor relaxation areas. Additional amenities include a lounge, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a walk-in wine cellar, a wood-fired pizza oven, an open-air dining area, a spa facility, a fitness center and a 16-meter lap pool.

Dave van Smeerdijk, co-founder of Natural Selection, said: “Tawana is a wonderful new addition to our circuit of camps and lodges in Botswana. In line with our commitment to sustainability, Tawana will be entirely solar-powered, ensuring there is no adverse impact on the sensitive Okavango Delta ecosystem.”

The Moremi Game Reserve covers nearly 2,000 square miles, offering guests of Tawana an array of diverse wildlife and landscapes to explore.

“The Moremi Game Reserve is one the most productive destinations in Botswana for game viewing, and in all my years in the bush there are few places I’ve found that offer such incredible concentrations of wildlife as Tawana,” said Colin Bell, co-founder of Natural Selection and an experienced safari guide. “While the seasonal floods of the Okavango will certainly form part of the Tawana experience, this is really a camp that’s as much about the wildlife as the water.”

• Related: A new spin on safaris from Natural Selection

In addition to preserving the region’s biodiversity, Natural Selection is also dedicated to community development. This includes partnering with a local basket-weaving center, working closely with the women of the center to create unique pieces that will be part of the camp’s decor as well as items that will be sold in the camp’s on-site gift shop.

Natural Selection is also partnering with the nearby Shorobe community to build an early learning center for preschool children.

“We aim to tell a story through each of the lodges in the Natural Selection portfolio, and Tawana is no different,” van Smeerdijk said. “We’re thrilled to be able to collaborate with those who had the vision to conserve this corner of the Okavango Delta.”

Source: Read Full Article