We had two nights at Liyanti Bushcamp. The staff are incredibly thoughtful and spared no effort in making sure our experience was nothing short of exceptional. Lebo, the host, is super attentive and kind - including arranging a birthday cake for my birthday and a special dinner to celebrate our honeymoon. Our guides Ese and Gilbert ensured our game drives and walk were active and each provided a great deal of insight into the area, the plants and the animals. All the food was delicious including the freshly made bread served with each meal! The beds are comfortable and you will likely see wildlife from your tent. We recommend a mocorro trip with Ask and Morgan if time permits.

September is a great time to visit to see herds of elephants, buffalo, zebra, antelope and lots of giraffes, bring a scarf as it can be dusty due to the dry season.

Linyanti Bush Camp overlooks the Linyanti River which affords visitors the opportunity to have hippos and elephants sleep and snort just feet away from the breakfast fire circle and nightly cocktail area. It is a tented camp BUT to a standard of elegance that is breathtaking, witness the white clawfoot bathtub on the open porch of the tent platform. One is greeted by the staff singing a traditional welcome song and warm towels…Wow. And it is the staff that makes this camp such a treasure…our guide, James “007”, as he is known, is as knowledgeable as he is personable and I would say his knowledge of all aspects of every “ology” (zoology, ornithology, biology, etc) is at a Ph.D level. I interviewed him for over two hours and plan to get the interview published to illustrate the incredible depth of this and other tracker/guides’ knowledge. Every tree, bush, animal, scat, bird, track or rock on the concession was an integral part of 007’s world. His collegue Morgan was similarly gifted with immense knowledge and skill. I was impressed with the great structure, regulation, and professional development that makes up the Botswana guide community. All is designed to insure the safety and edification of the traveler client.

We were served by Cassie and Abigail who made every breakfast lunch and dinner a matter of high style. Food was served on a beautifully decorated table with artistically folded napkins, lots of great South African wine and multiple courses of fresh, colorful, delicious, food . High teas were also like groaning tables of sweet and savory treats. After a peaceful ride in a morokane poled boat, a special evening was spent riverside in the bush with all local dishes prepared in Dutch ovens over a wood fire. Because it was our 50th anniversary the kitchen prepared an anniversary cake for all to share. As my wife said, “She could have just burst with joy.” That night the great South African Wine and spirits flowed freely to aid the communal sense of joy and delight.

The camp has wifi and a small but select shop for quality items from locals. We had an individual solar heater for our hot water so we never ran out or had to skimp.
If we were to adjust our itinerary, it would include at least 4 nights at Linyanti Bush Camp and several days at their mobile expedition camp just a bit away from the original camp. The mobile camp has almost everything the main camp has except it is more remote and has the capacity to be moved in the rainy season.
The people at this camp, the tender care we received and the abundant wildlife will always be fixed in our mind. We are serious about returning and we know we will enjoy the experiences even more. And I will have even more jokes for “007”.

We had originally planned to go to Linyanti Bush Camp, but due to some scheduling difficulties later on in our trip, we ended up going to Linyanti Ebony. And we are so happy that we did. The camp itself is lovely: small, very well appointed, and nicely situated on what would have been a river and marsh had it not been so dry. The camp is managed by Evelyn who tended to every detail in a timely, accurate and gracious manner. She had originally trained as a chef but was moved to the “front office” when management saw how good she was with operations, and what a good choice that was.

Our guide, Dutch, was fantastic. He’s a young man who has an interesting combination of traits: playfulness with a great sense of humor along with an expansive knowledge of flora and fauna, including birds, and a deep sense of responsibility for his clients. We had many wonderful sightings including the elusive sable antelope and lots of great interactions with elephants.