Greater Kalahari
Jack's Camp
Jack's Camp is located deep in the Kalahari Desert, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans - the largest saltpans on earth. Jack's Camp is a classic desert safari camp accommodating just twenty guests in ten large walk-in luxury tents, each with en suite bath facilities. Ralph Bousfield, owner of Jack's Camp, is a pioneer of cultural and Bushmen safaris in Botswana. He was also the presenter of a 13 part series on Discovery Channel entitled Uncharted Africa, a workshop that designed all the furnishings and linen at Jack's Camp. Discover the secrets of the Makgadikgadi pans with the Zu/’hoasi Bushmen and see this ancient desert landscape through their eyes. The Salt Pans are also one of the most important breeding sites in southern Africa for the lesser and greater flamingos that arrive in their millions during the wet season.
Accommodation is comfortable and elegant, in keeping with the character of the Makgadikgadi.
Facilities include a mess tent for dining and a tea tent with Persian carpet cushions for socializing. Jack's Camp also features a spa with desert-inspired aromatherapies.
After the rains (December to April), there can be enormous herds of Wildebeest, Zebra and Springbok - with the accompanying predators - on the open grasslands. The summer rains also leave a warm shallow layer of water that entices Waterfowl and Pink Flamingo. Activities are conducted in open 4x4 vehicles custom designed for this terrain and accompanied by knowledgeable guides. In the dry winter season, rough terrain ATV vehicles (Quad bikes) are available, allowing guests to explore the saltpans.
"May is always an exciting month at Jack's as the traditional 'season' begins. The hornbill chicks have now learnt to fend for themselves and as often with juveniles, are obligingly habituated and provide staff and guests alike with endless amusement. The cold, dry months are now setting in with determination, treating all to awe-inspiring night skies and morning drives where ponchos and gloves are welcome. Evening quad biking on these clear nights never fails to amaze guests, setting off after tea the light is still so sharp and the reminder to bring fleeces and jumpers seems almost excessive - yet come sunset the chill factor sets in and woollies are very welcome. Guests are always amazed by the night sky while on the pans - most have never even imagined the textures possible in a night sky which is un-illuminated. Morning quadbiking is the opposite - layers are peeled off as it warms up, and the hallucinatory mirages which dance on the pans appear as if by magic."
Kalahari safari diaries
A safari pioneer who led aristocrats and film stars to glamping in remotest Africa in the '60s, Jack Bousfield had a vision to start a safari camp in the Makgadikgadi. The set-up was extremely rustic, attracting guests who came not just to see the magical moonscape, but the character Jack himself, serving to bring one closer to nature in his old-style safaris that emphasized the basic pleasures of the bush. He told the most intriguing tales from his pioneering days - such as when called to train the lions used in the filming of the Born Free story in Kenya. Jack believed that an authentic safari camp experience should be more than just a hotel in the bush; Jack’s Camp is a striking place that celebrates the savage beauty of a forgotten Africa, on the same site where Bousfield once set up his rustic camp in the ‘70s.
Field Notes
Kalahari Cool Cats
Get up close with the world-famous burrow of the “Meerkat Manor” which was filmed on location here at Jack's Camp and the Makgadikgadi Pans. Thanks to a special, ongoing habituation program at camp, you can spend time with these captivating Meerkats.
Jack's Camp
Safari Film
Jack's Camp
Safari
The Makgadikgadi pans consist of two major basins that are relics of a massive super lake and swampland that existed over much of northern Botswana over two million years ago. On the edge of the western basin, also known as the Ntetwe Pan is Jack's Camp, situated on an isolated island filled with tall fan palms and commiphora trees. Jack's Camp remains one of the most intriguing and mysterious places in the Kalahari, owned and designed by Jack's son, Ralph Bousfield. Jack's Camp and nearby San Camp offer guests access to a completely unique area on any Botswana safari.
The iconic and intriguing Makgadikgadi landscape, with its salt-baked earth and haunting desert silence offers adventure around every corner. Rev up your ATV and traverse the vast expanse of the sun-scorched Makgadikgadi Pans to reach Kubu Island - a secret gem at Jack's. Spend the night under the star-studded sky in an open-air fly camp; no frills - just immersing yourself in the desert's raw beauty. Journey with our guides through this surreal landscape surrounded by nothing but the endless horizon. The sheer isolation of this experience has you laying on your back looking up at billions of stars - this is stargazing like nowhere else on earth. Waking up to a salt pan sunrise on this lunar-like landscape, the sheer magnitude of where you are, will leave you awestruck. A moment that epitomizes three words: heaven on earth.
Jack's Camp
Meet the
Visit our habituated meerkats, the charismatic denizens of the Kalahari! Joining them at their burrow promises a singular experience that you'll treasure forever. As they frolic and explore, you might find yourself inadvertently becoming part of their antics, perhaps even serving as a lookout point amid their playful escapades. It's here that you'll truly feel like a cherished member of their clan.
