Elite Traveler Summer 2022

etr li at ve eler SUMMER 2022 125

Clockwise from left Spend a night in one of the star cubes for a sleep-out experience; cocktails on a game drive; the camp is comprised of just four luxury tents; the region is home to elephants and other members of the Big Five

power points to charge devices, as well as a cooler for cold beer. Each group also has a private guide, meaning you can take o ff for a game drive whenever you please. Naturally, the guide will recommend the optimal times for wildlife viewing — usually in the early morning, which is also the best time for a walking safari, when the temperatures are more comfortable and the wildlife more active. Keep a lookout for some of the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant and bu ff alo, as well as Masai gira ff e, kudu, sable antelope and wild dog. Night drives are when you’re most likely to see the more bashful animals: African wildcat, owls, and bat-eared fox. As the camp is located in a wetland, boating safaris are a must-do. Depending on the time of year, you can navigate the narrow waterways or explore large swamps. Elephants are regular visitors in the shallower waters, and the area is home to an array of birdlife, including endemic species. You can also unwind in the natural hot springs. RESEARCH The Douglas Bell Eco Research Station is the central hub for all research and conservation e ff orts that take place within the Usangu Wetlands. Guests can join researchers at the station and participate in citizen science. Upon arriving at the camp, you’ll receive a camera trap to set up that will capture any visiting wildlife. These images will then be uploaded to the Predator ID Hub at the Research Station for identi fi cation and tracking, and to compare against the existing database. Researchers will work with you to analyze identifying features and determine if this is a new specimen or an existing one. This tracking of information helps to plot territories and means that you will be actively contributing to the ongoing research. You can also join researchers for a half-day of tracking collared animals, using radio telemetry to locate them. For an additional donation, you can assist the research team on a wildlife collaring expedition where you’ll track, dart and collar lion, leopard, elephant and wild dog (which are yet to be collared). By Samantha Coles From $700 per night. Contact Katie Fewkes, sales director, enquiries@asiliaafrica.com, +27 214 180 468, asiliaafrica.com

the sunrise over the African bush. The camp’s chef cooks the meals on an open fi re, and they’re enjoyed alfresco. Children aged 12 and older are welcome, but if the camp is booked on an exclusive use basis, then younger children can be accommodated. EXPLORE With some 2,300 square miles of largely unexplored wilderness (around four times the size of Masai Mara), there is no shortage of activities. Each group of guests has a private vehicle that is open-sided, with removable canvas roofs and sides so you can get a clear, unobstructed view and snap photos. And battery life need not be a worry, as all vehicles have