Motswiri Camp stands on the banks of the Selinda Spillway, in the far west corner of northern Botswana's Selinda Reserve. It's unusual in several ways: firstly because although it can take eight guests, it is only available to be booked by one private group at a time – who then take over the whole camp.

It's also unusual for its location. It stands beside the western end of the Selinda Spillway (also sometimes known as the Magwegqana Spillway), which is an ancient watercourse that links the Okavango and the Kwando-Linyanti River drainage systems. In recent decades this has seldom even filled, let alone flowed. However, in 2006 water entered the Spillway from both ends, and it came close to filling; Motswiri then had water in front of it for the first time in years! This water has remained for most of the last few years – but it's very shallow. (See the satellite map of the camp for a clear illustration of this.)

This means that although Motswiri is located in the Selinda Reserve … it's really more a part of the Okavango Delta system. However, note that the water in front of camp is not yet deep enough for crocodiles and hippos.

Motswiri Camp also has an interesting history – it was originally located a few hundred metres from its present site. Meanwhile, on the site of the present Motswiri Camp, there used to be a camp called Ketumetse. Now the names have swapped round – and Ketumetse is just used as a staff and supplies camp, whilst Motswiri is the camp used for visitors. (Occasionally, just to confuse matters further, Motswiri Camp is referred to as Motswiri-Ketumetse.)

Motswiri is tucked away in fairly thick bush, opening out onto the water. Here simplicity is the order of the day – walking past a fallen tree, you find yourself in the main area – this has a large canvas-sided tent, open at the front in which is a comfortable and cosy seating area with brightly coloured cushions, a long dining table, a well-stocked drinks cabinet and a tea and coffee table. Outside, there is a sandy fire pit surrounded by directors' chairs and low tables – the fire is a perfect venue for pre-dinner drinks. Right in front of the camp, a path leads down to the canoes at the edge of the water. Twisted and gnarled tree trunks form the boundaries of the camp and give a rustic and earthy feel. Behind the main area is a canvas guest loo-with-a-view.

The tents at Motswiri Camp are reached by elephant dung pathways which twist and turn through the bush. Guests are always escorted, particularly at night, as the camp is open and game can wander in and out at will. There are just four tents at the camp, accommodating a maximum of eight guests, which gives a very intimate feel.

The tents at Motswiri have a slight tardis-like feel to them. While on initial approach they don't look terrifically appealing, this soon changes when you step inside. Each tent is raised on a concrete deck, about a foot off the ground, and at the front is space for a table and chairs. I was lucky enough to have a hammock in front of my tent as well!

The tents have zip-flaps at the front (and the zips are in perfect order) and the entrance juts forwards into an unusual “V” shape, like the front of a ship! The low, wooden bed is in the centre of the tent, covered in soft cotton bedding of muted safari colours, with the odd scatter cushion here and there. There are two bedside tables, a large linen basket and an open shelving system, with hanging space and folding space for clothes. In these shelves you'll find a bundle of chocolate-brown fluffy towels, bug spray and mosquito coils – which your room attendant will light for you.

The tents are a good size, and have Velcro pull-down flaps on the windows. I closed these when I went to bed, as it felt a little chilly in the evening; this was a good decision, as the heavens opened that night and it poured with rain through until morning. The tents proved to be warm and waterproof – albeit not soundproof!

The bathrooms at Motswiri form part of the bedroom, separated by the cupboard and a curved brick wall. There is a simple washstand, with a basin, flannels and a selection of complementary toiletries. Everything is done very simply, but works very well.

The toilet cubicle has a wide canvas window (but bushes outside for privacy!), and opposite it is a shower cubicle, with two brick sides and one canvas side. This has a wonderful shower – hot and very powerful! Shampoo, body wash and soap are also provided.

Motswiri offers a variety of activities from the camp including day and night drives in open 4WD vehicles, fishing and walks accompanied by an armed guide. For more adventurous and energetic travellers, a full day walk with a picnic lunch is also a possibility.

However, visitors should understand that until about 2004, this area was a hunting area; hence the game can be quite skittish here. On our last visit, in May 2008, we saw a lovely herd of elephants and a scattering of smaller antelope – but the stream of animals seen was far from constant.

The birding, by comparison, was fine – and greatly enhanced by many water-based species attracted to the shallow water.

Unusually, because of this shallow water, self-paddle canoeing is also possible at Motswiri – the camp uses 2-man Canadian-style canoes, which have proper seats and paddles with spade-like handles.

In conclusion … Motswiri is a remote and secluded little camp, which is only available to private groups who wish to book the whole camp. This gives a totally exclusive experience with some big game and great bird-watching, in a lovely and very remote corner of Botswana.

Lodge overview

Lodge type: Safari

Geographics

Location: Kwando-Linyanti area, Botswana

Health & safety

Malarial area: Yes

Dangerous animals: High Risk

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