Our Camps – Chase Africa Safaris

Does spending the morning roaming around the Botswana wilderness, and then returning to a freshly made lunch in your private camp, nestled in the trees and set up just for you, sound appealing?

Then a mobile safari may be just your thing! This nuanced and unique experience is hard to understand if not experienced but offers a wonderful way to explore the bush. Many people think that a mobile safari is on par with camping, but this is a generalisation and short-changes the highlights of a mobile safari experience.

In Botswana, two organisations manage sites dedicated to registered mobile safari operators. These sites are allocated directly to operators 8and are not open to the public. The locations have been carefully selected to make the most of the local landscape and setting. Whilst sites may be clustered in regions, they are far apart, and you do not see another site from your site. Most of the available sites are in the National Parks and Game Reserves allowing a front row to wildlife action.

We are thrilled to have Chase Africa Safaris join The Pack. This owner-run operation offers private non-participation mobile safaris of the highest calibre. With over 21 years of guiding experience, Chris Burnie is a top guide who ensures that all guiding is of the best standard. His wife Angie shares his love of the bush and brings great attention to detail and care to their safaris.

All Chase Africa safaris are set up at destinations exclusively for your clients based on their itinerary (subject to site availability). They offer varied service levels but all safaris are fully inclusive and non-participation meaning that a small staff crew take care of your needs including set-up of the entire camp, preparation and serving of all meals and packing the entire camp back up after you leave. The bush fare produced in a bush camp kitchen is remarkable and feat all on its own. Using innovative ideas and tricks like a trunk oven 3-course meals are produced that rival lodge offerings. If privacy is your idea of luxury, then there is nothing more
luxurious than this.

Your guide is also your host and acts as camp manager ensuring that every need is taken care of and your activities exploring the bush are exciting, educational and informative and build on your previous drives. The benefit of having a dedicated guide devoted to your group (without the private guide price tag) is that you develop a deeper understanding of the area and wildlife and put previous sightings and locations into context. Back in camp together with the camp team, they ensure that you are comfortable and rested before your next activity. Solar lighting along with oil lanterns ensure that you have adequate lighting and devices can be charged on the game viewer.

A traditional mobile starts in a town and ends in a town with all destinations en route being accessed by road. This approach is an option with Chase Africa Safaris but there is also the option of flying between camps and combining mobile camp sites with camps and lodges for a truly varied and exploratory safari. Using the mobile in this way, as a “pop-up” camp, gives you access to areas with limited lodge offerings whilst minimising time on the road. The traditional mobile safari itinerary offers a great experience for those on a budget and minimises the number of flights needed.

Chase Africa offers a budget safari that uses 3m x 3m dome tents with stretcher beds and ensuite bathrooms. These basic but comfortable tents are set up under trees to maximise shade and well spaced for privacy. Bucket showers are filled at your request and your required temperature and offer a water-conscious, fun and effective bathing experience. A discrete short-drop dry toilet that replaces water with soil or a chemical toilet and vanity with a filled water jug completes the ensuite bathroom. Meals are wholesome bush fare and a limited supply of drinks (packed according to your preferences) are available. Included activities on the budget safaris are limited to game drives and as these camps are easier to set up they can be moved after a 2 night stay in one spot to the next for the full mobile experience.

The comfort safari set-up can also be easily moved for the full mobile experience. The Comfort Safari offers a greater level of comfort with Sahara Meru tents and a larger bathroom set-up. The beds on the Comfort Safari are full metal beds with extra furnishings and space to make your stay more comfortable. The ensuite bathroom offers the same functional and fun bucket shower and vanity set-up. The increased service level is also experienced through meal and drink choices. Inclusive activities include game drives and a Chobe River cruise if applicable due to location.

The ultimate experience, which is very different from what is considered camping, is the Luxury service level. This camp is so complete, impressive and detailed that a two-day break is required between sites for the camp to be moved and set up. Best suited for a fly-in and camp combination trip the experiences in camp will rival lodges for attention to detail and comfort. With a sophisticated water system allowing each tent to have running water (yes even in the showers and toilets), full Meru tents and an extra library tent this is a far cry from camping and the ultimate (dare I say it?) glamping experience. The extra touches combined with the privacy of a mobile create a truly luxurious experience.

To make quoting easy and to have a clear idea of costs Chase Africa Safaris will run all their safaris, from budget through to luxury, with a minimum of 2 travellers at a premium rate (tier A), their main rate is offered for groups of 4 to 8 travellers (tier B) and a discount rate (tier C)
is offered for larger groups (up to 12 people).