Koro River Camp Botswana

With a timeless air of intrigue and luxury, Koro River Camp nestles comfortably into the shady, wild banks of the Limpopo River. There is an untamed, intangible air around the camp and it is this enveloping comfort that provides a catalyst for breaking boundaries, personal reflection and healing….we call it re-souling!

Koro River Camp is perched on the most stunning shady and undisturbed bank of the Limpopo River in a remote enclave of our vast and rugged Tuli concession in Botswana. The layout, facilities, location and our legendary attention to personalised service offers an ideal secluded breakaway for families, solo safari-goers or group travellers.

With only 7 large tented master bedroom suites and maximum occupancy of 18 people, Koro River Camp is an undiscovered gem in Botswana’s safari circuit.

Mission
The Africa Experience concessions are devoted to creating enduring relationships with our guests by providing highly personalized service and gracious hospitality in an informally elegant African setting, while acknowledging our social and environmental responsibilities.

Vision
To establish a lasting legacy built on our core principles of community, conservation and commercial safari partnerships. To have our concessions to be known to create personal experiences for our guests that they will treasure for a lifetime; and to be the destination of choice for unique wildlife and wilderness experiences in a comfortable atmosphere.

Philosophy
Within our team there are two key things we realized a long time ago. Sustainable tourism requires the strong participation of local communities and the development of local communities requires the strong participation of local tourism operators.

Only with such strong cooperation will we be able to achieve long term goals for the prosperity of local communities and the long term protection of large nature conservancies. Although we strive to be in remote areas, we do not wish to operate in isolation.

Our operating company Terra Conservancy Operations, a full subsidiary of Timbo Afrika Foundation in The Netherlands, not only trains local people for jobs in every aspect of the hospitality industry, but also supports local entrepreneurs in setting up their businesses, helps finding (international) markets for their products and motivates people to look after their habitat.

A skills transfer program for local technicians has also been set up, allowing them to improve on building, plumbing and carpentry quality. All the profits generated through our commercial operations flow back to the Foundation and are re-invested in the execution of our projects in Botswana and Mozambique.

Exceptional Safaris
With renowned specialised safari and wilderness guides on board, The Africa Experience offers a formidable guiding pedigree. We design and operate private safaris with a difference; combining close up big game encounters, pristine destinations, walking safaris and meaningful connections with conservation initiatives on the ground.

BEST of BOTSWANA SAFARI

• TULI – MAKGADIKGADI – OKAVANGO
• 9 nights / 10 days
• START POINT: Johannesburg, SA
• END POINT: Maun, Botswana

The Best of Botswana Safari incorporates a classic exploration of a stirring variety of habitat and geographical regions, ranging from the rugged rolling wild-lands of Tuli in the east, to the semi-desert and unique habitat of alluring Makgadikgadi, to the wondrous wetland of the Okavango Delta.

Small, choice selected, remote and unobtrusive camps ensuring the most productive, meaningful and rewarding wildlife and wilderness encounters.

ORIGINS SAFARI – BOTSWANA

• TULI – MAKGADIKGADI – OKAVANGO
• 9 nights / 10 days
• START POINT: Johannesburg, SA
• END POINT: Kasane, Botswana

The safari takes us back in time to discover and explore the fascinating lifestyles of the oldest known culture on the earth – the San Bushmen.

Based from a collection of brilliant tented camps and sublime wildlife and wilderness regions we, uncover the mysteries, myths and misconceptions of the first people. Connect with master trackers and naturalists to learn about desert survival, medicine and fire making.

OKAVANGO FOOT SAFARI – BOTSWANA

• MOREMI GAME RESERVE, OKAVANGO DELTA
• 6 nights / 7 days
• START POINT: Johannesburg, SA
• END POINT: Maun, Botswana

The timeless land of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is set deep within the Kalahari Desert. Proclaimed as a World Heritage Site, the Okavango is the largest inland delta in the world, and one of the most pristine wilderness areas on the planet.

A vast tapestry of waterways, lagoons, floodplains and islands support an astonishing array of game. Our foot safari is a classic walking adventure incorporating a permanent base camp and a mobile fly-camp. Track elephant, lion, buffalo, wild dog and numerous antelope … a stirring experience!

Unique Research
Timbo Afrika has funded and established an accredited PhD level field study, focussing on the ecology of leopards and hyenas of the Tuli. This includes the highly endangered Kalahari icon, the brown hyena.

We invite our guests to participate in monitoring activities and field observations with our head of research in Tuli, Sander Vissia who is completing a PhD at Wageningen University in Holland.

The research carried out at Koro River Camp is unique in the fact that it is conducted in a dynamic, forever changing and carnivore rich open system.

With an abundance of resident leopard, spotted hyena and brown hyena, returning lions from Northern Tuli Game Reserve and adjacent South Africa and cross-border nomadic packs of wild dogs it is an exciting area.

Leopard and brown hyena identification and distribution
Based on a camera trap survey we identify individual animals in the area, to work out densities and territory maps.

Every leopard has its unique spot pattern so based on camera trap photos it is relatively easy to identify these cats. Brown hyena can be identified by unique stripe patterns on their legs as well as bite marks or tears on the ears.

Large carnivore scat analysis
Due to our extensive fieldwork we have built up a library of hair identikits allowing us to identify prey species found in predator scat.

Each antelope, rodent or other mammal has unique hair patterns when viewed under a microscope so we can learn more about diet preferences, hunting techniques and feeding behaviour of the larger predators in the Koro concession.

Leopard movement and dispersal
We have presently permission to collar some of the leopards we have in the area to provide more accurate information of the movement, distribution, habitat use and feeding patterns of the leopards, as well as the interaction behaviour with both spotted and brown hyena.

Turtle Research
The Machangulo Private Nature & Marine Reserve forms part of the Ponta Do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve what stretches no less than three miles into the ocean.

As our beaches are home to the great Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles who nest and hatch, we are active participants in monitoring their nests and hatchlings. You can visit us and learn all about them and if you’re lucky you might see them swimming in the surf!

Human Wildlife Conflict
We believe that the future of the Tuli wild-lands depends on meaningful and sustainable partnerships with surrounding communities and tribal authorities. Our deep rooted philanthropic and conservation passion has created various community development programs.

In our semi-arid environment, human/elephant conflict is almost always standard operating procedure as local farmers often are raided by elephants leaving the reserve and damaging crops and plantations.

The Africa Experience recognises these ground level projects and our research strives to identify problem flashpoint and find solutions to benefit the farmers and the animals.

As extensive research shows that elephants are often deterred by the presence of bees and beehives, and ‘bee barrier’ project is underway to help alleviate elephant conflict with local farmers.

This fascinating discovery offers an organic and non-lethal solution to conflict and our research is ongoing in order to discover the most optimal designs. Community micro-businesses are also possible in the form of bee-handlers and the production of ‘elephant friendly honey’.

Education
We also take pride in running numerous educational workshops and programs in partnership with the Mathathane primary school.

In an effort to share our vision and envelope the ‘community partnership’ concept, kids visit our concession and make use of the camp facilities. Is the future of conservation not in the hands of our future leaders?

Endangered Species Introduction
The Africa Experience conservation vision focusses on the re-introduction of once endemic species to the Tuli. The majestic sable antelope as well as both white and black rhinoceros were once found in our area but were decimated by illicit trophy hunting during the last century.

Jurgen Elbertse, our operations director, has had substantial experience in rhino relocations in a South African game reserve and is the driving force between a growing team of conservationists, researchers, vets and international wildlife specialists that is being networked to make these re-introductions as reality.

The conservation world is fully aware of the drastic plight of our African rhino species who face extinction due to relentless poaching pressure, and our intention is to create a stand for them here in Tuli.

Anti Poaching and Smartparks
Together with the Dutch Smartparks organisation, Timbo is rolling out their wildlife monitoring system. This LoRa system is considered to be the leading state of the art system in not only tracking wildlife in remote and un accessible areas but also the best aid to conduct anti-poaching and fence control.

Timbo is the first to roll this out in Botswana in close cooperation with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. To further assist the Botswana Government in fighting the poaching of rhinos, Timbo has donated an aircraft allowing them to patrol the vast wilderness areas in which these magnificent animals roam.

Upgrading of the Tuli backline fence
We are proud to be at the forefront of a historical collaboration with the Botswana Department of National Parks and Wildlife with the upgrading of 30kms of the Central Tuli backline fence. Funded by the Timbo Afrika Foundation, the dilapidated old fence is being replaced with a fully electrified game proof barrier.

This is essential as elephant may leave the reserve and damage crops and plantations, while predators may kill and threaten livestock. We are committed to resolving these conflict flashpoints in an effort to forge long lasting community partnerships that are essential to the future of African game reserves.

Website: www.the-africa-experience.com

Rooms: 7

Price: from 1.156 EUR per night