In the world of luxury African safaris, Jack’s Camp is nothing short of an icon. A standard-bearer. A bar-setter. Deftly balancing wilderness luxury with an entrenched sense of self– and a sense of place – Jack’s Camp offers a reliably authentic safari experience amid the ghostly expanse of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans.
A haven of 'living art', the camp is named in honour of Jack Bousfield; the extravagantly moustachioed swashbuckling explorer and guide who pioneered under-canvas safaris in Botswana. Jack’s Camp has rested on the fringes of the shimmering Makgadikgadi Pans for nearly 30 years, and on twice-daily game drives and quad-bike adventures guests enjoy exclusive traversing rights over a vast 4000-square-kilometre private concession.
Though Jack’s revels in its sense of vintage charm, it’s not one for resting on its laurels. A major revamp – more of a rebuild – in 2021 elegantly updated the experience for a new era of traveller who seeks both authenticity and immersion alongside five-star wilderness comforts.
The nine airy tented suites have doubled in size, and reimagined to celebrate vintage glamour and safari opulence without any sense of cliché. Furnishings are handcrafted in Botswana, with textiles from India and Morocco sewn locally. Private decks and plunge pools look out over salt pans and grassland, while the central dining and lounge tents retain all the classic charm of a bygone era.
It’s here you’ll find the remarkable private collections, a registered National Museum in Botswana. Cabinets of curiosities line the canvas walls, filled with skulls and fossils, Stone Age implements and Bushmen artefacts, each one carefully collected out on the Makgadikgadi Pans, or accumulated by the Bousfield family over decades of travelling through Africa. Affable hosts are on hand to guide guests through the collection, which extends to a micro-museum of artefacts hosted in each suite. Look too for the collection of Bousfield family photographs in the dining tent, a proud celebration of the pioneer himself.
• We asked owner Ralph Bousfield, one of Africa's most famous guides, to unpack just what's changed at Jack's Camp. Read our Q&A with Ralph in our Journal
7 twin and 3 double tents
All ensuite
• There is a main 'Mess Tent' with a natural history museum and library.
• The swimming pool is shaded by a pavilion-style tent.
• There is a shop and bar
• Spa treatments.
• There is no electricity in the camp.
• There are, however, charging facilities in the Mess Tent area for guests.
• Families with children of 8 years or younger, require a private guide and vehicle.
• Water is safe to drink at Jack's Camp.
• Guests are encouraged to conserve water: it is a precious resource in the desert.
• October is usually the hottest month.
• Battery charging facilities.
Included:
• All meals included, plus drinks and activities
• High teas
• Complimentary laundry
• Private vehicle available
• Game drives, guided walks and bird watching
• Horse riding in the Makgadikgadi - a highlight for many guests
Excluded:
• Ask us about quad biking and sleep outs: an experience of a lifetime: seasonal and weather dependent
• Horse-back safaris for experienced riders
• Flights
• Premium brand beverages
• Gratuities
Once you're here, all activities are organised by Jack's Camp, including:
• Getting close to a group of habituated meerkats
• Spending time learning about the ancient culture of the Zu/'Hoasi Bushmen: walk together, interact, and watch as they forage and share their knowledge on survival in the desert.
• Quad biking and sleep outs: an experience of a lifetime, seasonal and weather dependent
• Horse riding in the Makgadikgadi - a highlight for many guests
• Horse-back safaris for experienced riders
• A visit to Chapman's Baobab: the third largest tree in Africa!
Nearby:
• Scenic helicopter flights
Activities are weather dependent:
• Dry season is during winter: 16th April to 31st October
• Green season is during summer: 1st November to 15th April
• Check in 14h00
• Check out 11h00
• Maximum 20 guests
• No pets allowed
• Non-smoking
• All ages are welcome at Jack's Camp