Some safari lodges in Botswana’s Okavango Delta offer walking activities as an optional extra; at Shinde Footsteps, walking safaris take centre stage. If your idea of a safari – or at least part of it – is to be active, to feel the African sand under your boots, then this camp is for you.
Set in an exclusive-use wildlife concession, Shinde Footsteps sits under forest trees next to a hippo-filled lagoon: it couldn’t be more Okavango Delta if it tried. And the camp’s position in a private reserve gives it advantages over a similar location in a national park: at Shinde, guides are allowed to conduct spot-lit night drives for example, or they can manoeuvre their 4X4 vehicle off-road to give guests exceptional wildlife sightings.
But it’s the ability to go walking – proper walking – that really sets Shinde Footsteps apart from other camps. Led by an expert guide and accompanied by an armed ranger, 3 to 4-hour walks take place in the early morning and in the afternoon. The pace is easy, the terrain flat, and – without the sounds of an engine or squawking radio – the African bush comes to life. Birdsong is clearer, insects more visible, animal tracks are everywhere. Designed to be illuminating and insightful, the walks are also mindful and safe: large animals can easily be viewed at a distance, predators avoided, dangers identified – you’ll be in the hands of professionals.
Naturally you have the options of 4X4 game drives – the viewing vehicles are open-sided and raised off the ground – as well as water-based adventures by mekoro, the traditional delta canoe. The Shinde concession has a reputation for wildlife and is especially rich in predators – big cats, hyenas and even wild dogs, the rarest of large carnivores in the region. Highly recommended are the night drives: now you can tick off animals and birds that you won’t see during daylight hours: bush babies, porcupines and giant owls.
Recently upgraded and refurbished, Shinde Footsteps is very comfortable and super-exclusive: the camp has a maximum of six guests only. There are four tented suites (twin, double and family), each with their own bathroom with a flushing toilet, wash stand and both indoor and outdoor ‘bush showers’ – a bucket system which works better than you may think. Hot water is available all the time. The tents are bug-proof and come with some nice touches for their guests, including flip-flops to use around camp and a rechargeable lamp. Meals and conversations are held at the main camp where you’ll find a cheery fire and great food, including vegetarian and vegan, made right there in camp. There’s also a photo-editing suite available – good news if you are planning to take plenty of photographs.
The camp is unfenced so wild animals do wander through (usually at night), and since the emphasis is on walking safaris, there is an age limit at Shinde Footsteps – children need to be 16 or over. But families with younger children needn’t feel left out: the whole camp can be exclusively booked for a large family group. You’ll have a full staff complement and the itinerary is tailored around the needs and interests of your family – including the menu. Read about the Young Explorers safari programme here.
Ultimately, this is a camp for the more active safari traveller, perhaps looking for another angle to the safari experience. You don’t need to bring specialist walking gear but you will walk, and in big game country. Wear neutral, earthy-toned clothing, bring a camera, binoculars and a sense of adventure – Africa waits.
