bobbieharv

I just learned from Wilderness Safaris that 2 days after they booked this for us they learned they will no longer be offering it - so we are the last guests to be able to do it! and we'll be the only guests they have. We'll be there mid-September. Would love to hear from anyone else who has experienced this.

Georgie2007

Hi bobbieharv
My husband and I did the Selinda walking trails and stayed at Mokoba and Tshwene camps in June 2007. We were also the only ones which was fabulous. If these are the same walking trails that you are going on let me know and I will tell you all about them. They are written up in my trip report but will be happy to expand on the information if you like.

cbdemille

Did WS tell you why this is no longer being offered at Selinda.

I know they only had two guides who were qualified to do it, and one "left".

It seems another tradition of Selinda has dissapeared, never mind we have plunge pools now.

bobbieharv

Hi Georgie2007,
I did a search for your trip report and couldn't find it - and I've love an expansion if you have time! Sounds like we're doing the same thing - the first two nights are at Mokoba, final night at Tshwene.
Am I right that it's one guide and his wife, who cooks over the campfire?
No, cbdemille, I wasn't told the reason, just that we were very "lucky"! I'll ask the guide when we're there what happened.

cw

Here's Georgie's report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35133235

I'm sorry to hear that they will no longer be offering the walks.

bobbieharv

Thanks cw - I found it.
Georgie - what were the meals like? Like what would be a typical breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Georgie2007

bobbieharv

You will absolutley love the walking trails.

Camps - Mokoba and Tshwene
There are 3 permanent camps in each camp and they are set up basically the same. The tents are on stilts and wooden stairs take you up to a deck and the the tent. Inside the tent there are 2 singles beds which we found to be very comfortable and toasty warm at night and that is saying something in June. Underneath the tent is a toilet and basin which is open to the environment so take a torch and be careful if you need to visit the toilet in the dark. The bush shower is absolutley amazing. It is probably 50 metres from camp central and is cordoned off with wood fencing and the view is of a wide open space with animals staring back at you as you have your shower. Luckily no animals fancied us for lunch.

Staff
We had a guide called Gordon, a tracker called Robson, the cook was Kulee and we also had a waiter and cleaner. Peter and I were the only two guests on the walking trails and we felt a little embarrased by all the attention. Gordon came from Motswiri to guide. Robson was a fit 75 year old tracker and was absolutely wonderful. His eyes were playing up and we gave him a bottle of visine (eye drops) which he thought was magic. Please say hello to him for us if he is still there and maybe take some eye drops for him.

Food
The kitchen is mobile which means it moves from camp to camp. Only one camp, Mokoba or Tswhene, is in use at a time. All food was cooked in the camp oven and I have to tell you Kulee cooked the best lemon and coconut cake I have ever tasted for afternoon tea.
Breakfast - porridge, cereal, toast and coffee and tea around the camp fire. No cooked breakfast such as bacon and eggs which was fine by me.
Lunch - we only had one lunch which was camp oven cooked pizza and delicious.
Dinner - Dinner was good and very tasty but not fancy. We had pork chops and vegetables one night but can't remember off the top of my head what we had the other night.
The food was simple, tasty and more like home cooking and I am sure you will enjoy it.

Typical Day
We would be woken up about 6am. We would be down at the camp fire by 6.15am for breakfast just before dawn. We would watch the dawn and once there was enough light off Gordon, Robson, Peter and I would go.
Gordon carried the gun, Robson the rations znd Peter and I our own packs with camera gear etc. It was pretty cold in June in the morning so we would start the walk rugged up and strip off as required. The walks are about 10 kilometres through bush, very tall grass (taller than us) and sand. I had the idea that it would flat with no trees and we would be able to see for miles. Not sure why I thought this maybe it is the typical vision of Africa (Serengeti) when one has not been there. Obviously it was a little scary to start with as who knows what was hiding behind that tree, mound or tall grass for that matter. For the first hour every sound I heard was a lions roar and every movement, especially the dry grass was the mane of a male lion. Slowly I relaxed and started to enjoy it and then loved it. You can pace the walk at a speed you like and stop and look at anything or everything on your way. I think we left camp at about 7am and were at the next camp by about 11.30am. We didn't see too many animals, a bull elephant in the distance, buffalo and giraffe to mention a few. No big cats thank god. It was exhilirating and we learnt alot about the flora etc. While we were walking Kulee and staff would close down the camp and drive around to the other camp and get the billy boiled and lunch cooking before we arrived. We only spent one night at each camp. The rest of the day is yours. After lunch and a shower you can go walking again or go on a game drive. It was great being the only two like you will be as you will get to choose what you would like to do and dont have to worry about what others want to do. We chose to go on game drives as the wild dogs were close by and we saw them a few times and even saw them on a hunt. One day as soon as we got to camp we went off to see the wild dogs, then came back for lunch then went out again, back for shower and then went out until after dark and came back for dinner.

We arrived at Selinda airstrip
early afternoon expecting to walk to Mokoba camp but the vehicle had broken down and by the time it was fixed it was too late to walk there. Instead they took us on a game drive and on dusk we found two resident male lions which was great. We arrived at Mokoba about 7.30pm where dinner was waiting for us. The next day we walked to Tswhene and then went on game drives to see the dogs. The next morning Gordon, Robson and Peter walked to Zibalianja. I decided to be lazy and hung around camp and then drove around to Zib and saw my first honey badger which was exciting. Gordon, Peter and Robson arrived at about 11.30am.

I hope this helps. If you any more questions please ask.

Cheers Georgie

HariS

Georgie - I don't think Coolie does the cooking. She is one of the managers, i think. She free-lances for the Kwando camps also to relief manage their camps. She used to be full-time manager before.

Georgie2007

I am not very good with spelling am I. Hari she actually did do all our cooking. I watched her cook in the camp oven. Maybe they didnt have a cook for that trip so Coolie had to do it. I am glad she did as it was very tasty. Coolie did talk about relief management so I assume it is the same Coolie you are talking about.

HariS

Thanks, Georgie. She is truly an all-rounder then!

bobbieharv

Thanks so much, Georgie, for all the details. Now I'm even more excited. I see you're from Australia - we spent 3 weeks there, but want to go back to the Kimberley.