Linyanti Concession

Nature’s Paradise

Linyanti is a private game reserve, close to the Chobe National Park, that exudes a very exclusive ambience. Invariably, you will fly to one of the handful of high-end lodges there, most likely on a private charter, after which you will be taken out on safari to see all there is to see.

And boy, oh boy, there really is a lot to see, chief among which is the likelihood of encountering African wild dogs.

Some of my excursions were in the customary open-sided game-viewing vehicles, but I also spent quite a bit of time exploring the Linyanti River (which forms the border with Namibia) by boat.

Watching elephants splashing around in the water is always a treat, and the birding along the banks is great (even for someone like me who isn’t a dedicated birder).

There are numerous highlights to staying in a private concession, particularly one as beautiful as Linyanti, chief among them the opportunity to go on night drives (ooh, witnessing those lions hunting was a real treat, although I suspect that poor buffalo might disagree).

Additionally, you will likely have the option to go out on foot should you wish (with a guide, of course, and obviously not at night).

The absolute pinnacle of the highlights for me, though, was not encountering another tourist vehicle for the entire four days of my stay. That special feeling of having a wilderness all to yourself is absolutely magical.