North of the Okavango and west of Chobe lies a belt of vast private concessions — Linyanti, Selinda and the Kwando reserve — fed by the Linyanti and Kwando river systems. These are some of Botswana’s most exclusive safari areas: limited to a handful of camps, with off-road driving, night drives and walking permitted, and a deserved reputation for big herds of elephant, wild dog packs and dramatic predator sightings. This is high-end, low-density wilderness at its finest.
Ratings
Wildlife Density: ★★★★★ Infrastructure: ★★★☆☆ Photography: ★★★★★
Adventure: ★★★★★ Exclusivity: ★★★★★ Price: $$$$$ Scenery: ★★★★★
Location: Northern Botswana; between the Okavango Delta and Chobe; fly-in via Maun or Kasane
Key wildlife: Elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, wild dog, roan & sable, hippo
Best for: Premium safari, wild dog & predators, walking and night drives, exclusivity
Best time: May–October (dry season concentrates game along the rivers)
More about these concessions — individual camps and the Linyanti, Selinda and Kwando reserves — will be added here over time.
Wildlife & Ecology
These private concessions occupy river, floodplain, mopane and woodland habitat between the Okavango and Chobe systems. Elephant and buffalo can gather in large dry-season numbers, with lion, leopard, wild dog and spotted hyena benefiting from strong prey populations.
Best Time to Visit
June to October is the main game-viewing season as water contracts and herds concentrate. The green season is quieter and excellent for birds and young animals, but some floodplain roads become difficult and predator distribution changes.
Conservation & Community
Selinda’s former hunting blocks were converted to photographic tourism and now form part of a broader wildlife corridor between northern Botswana’s wetlands. Conservation and community programmes vary by concession holder, so detailed claims should be attributed to the specific concession.
Activities
Day and night drives, walking, boating, seasonal canoe trails, hides and fly-camping are available depending on the concession and water level.
How to Get There
Access is normally by light aircraft from Maun or Kasane to private airstrips. These concessions are not routine independent self-drive destinations; the nearby public Savuti/Linyanti routes are separate and require a 4×4.