What do you expect in a african bush camp

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

We are in the last stages of finishing our bush camp in the Mucheni conservancy, Zimbabwe. The camp is not meant to be a luxury camp, but it is meant to be a comfortable camp. We have no plans to ever have over two hunters at one time.

Please give me your ideas as to what you expect, likes and dislikes.

Cheers, Lon
Tokoloshe Safaris
Zimbabwe

 

[Red Leg]

Generator for lights (or solar panel/battery bank); heated water early morning and early evening; and some way to keep the beer cool if not cold. Shower and toilette don’t have to be “en suite”, but close would be nice. And put a light bulb in it! If wilderness area, I assume WiFi is not an option so make sure your clients are aware. I own and always bring a sat phone, but most don’t.

In a wilderness camp, a quality cot with thin mattress is as nice as a bed, but others may disagree. If concrete pads for the tents aren’t an option, make sure a wooden platform isn’t merely a serpent, spider, and scorpion community club. Finally, if tents, put a thatch or canvas cover a foot or more above to even out the heat swings.

 

[Ridgewalker]

+1 what Red Leg said except I prefer room temperature red wine not cold beer nor cold drinks. Cool water is my drink of preference, but a red wine with wild game is very nice.

I’ll double down on no snakes, spiders or scorpions!

An emergency sat phone is extremely important for us more mature hunters!

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Generator for lights (or solar panel/battery bank); heated water early morning and early evening; and some way to keep the beer cool if not cold. Shower and toilette don’t have to be “en suite”, but close would be nice. And put a light bulb in it! If wilderness area, I assume WiFi is not an option so make sure your clients are aware. I own and always bring a sat phone, but most don’t.

In a wilderness camp, a quality cot with thin mattress is as nice as a bed, but others may disagree. If concrete pads for the tents aren’t an option, make sure a wooden platform isn’t merely a serpent, spider, and scorpion community club. Finally, if tents, put a thatch or canvas cover a foot or more above to even out the heat swings.

Encouraging responses looking for more!

Check list

Generator + spare-- check
24 hr heated water-- check
Solar for quiet nights-- check
Light buls--check
Cement tent pads--check
Gas electric freezer-- check
Proper beds new mattress--check
Emergency only Sat phone--check
Attached shower/sink/flushing toilet--check.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

+1 what Red Leg said except I prefer room temperature red wine not cold beer nor cold drinks. Cool water is my drink of preference, but a red wine with wild game is very nice.

I’ll double down on no snakes, spiders or scorpions!

An emergency sat phone is extremely important for us more mature hunters!

Room temperature red wine, hhhmm! That might explode the bottles come October.

6800 lph bore hole with cool pure water- check or bottle water

 

[Hogpatrol]

Is this a camp reached by air, i.e. fly in and out?

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Is this a camp reached by air, i.e. fly in and out?

No this is a drive in camp. We could arrange for aircharter at a newly certified runway, but I would not reccomend!

 

[BigJohnx13]

Generator too noisy for african adventure. Last 2 hunts use solar rechargeable lanterns. They last long enough till everyone goes to bed. enough light to see what you need for. Fire must give enough light and warmth.

Hot shower at least, can be constructed from branches but must at least block the cold wind once you step out of it and private enough for woman to use.

A longdrop is ok but if there is woman along rather put a toilet with a watertrap to block the smell.

If its a tented camp at least some pebbles or stepping stones for rainy days from tent to fire and kitchen.

A roof for gathering on rainy days and some windblocker screens to redirect the cold winter wind

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Generator too noisy for african adventure. Last 2 hunts use solar rechargeable lanterns. They last long enough till everyone goes to bed. enough light to see what you need for. Fire must give enough light and warmth.

Hot shower at least, can be constructed from branches but must at least block the cold wind once you step out of it and private enough for woman to use.

A longdrop is ok but if there is woman along rather put a toilet with a watertrap to block the smell.

If its a tented camp at least some pebbles or stepping stones for rainy days from tent to fire and kitchen.

A roof for gathering on rainy days and some windblocker screens to redirect the cold winter wind

Again check on every thing, we do run generator in camp while hunters are out. Just installed bright solar lights in bathroom with motion detection works great. I was just talking to my wife she said she had to get off the phone, elephants coming into camp, yesterday it was a leopard!

 

[Hogpatrol]

Skylights where practical.
I hear you on the runway. Been in to a few of them myself. Slip the hell out of it getting in and hope for the best getting out, no plan B available.

 

[Beretta391]

How about a solar powered / battery powered fans for the tents on a hot night

 

[Red Leg]

Fans?!?

 

[IvW]

Proper fire pit for the evenings to sit around and relive the day's events while watching the "bush TV".

Small table and chairs at each tent for the alone time and diary updating with a lamp of sorts.

Small fold up basin at each tent with some hot water each morning if the ablutions are a way off.

Some spare headlamps with rechargeable batteries(can be recharged as needed in the cruiser each day).

If the tents are big enough a simple wooden rifle rack just inside the tent door for client rifles instead of having to stash them under the bed each night. Unless you have a safe of sorts in camp.

The rest seems covered.

 

[Desert Dog]

Cold beer, hot shower, toilet, ability to recharge camera, protection from bugs while sleeping, daily laundry service (so I can pack less), bakkie in good running order.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Skylights where practical.
I hear you on the runway. Been in to a few of them myself. Slip the hell out of it getting in and hope for the best getting out, no plan B available.

Got sky light on the attached shower/toilet you can see thru the skylight just it was wide open, beacuse it is!

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Cold beer, hot shower, toilet, ability to recharge camera, protection from bugs while sleeping, daily laundry service (so I can pack less), bakkie in good running order.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Got all of that plus the battery fans!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Being able to charge my camera batteries is required.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Very important--check
Camp electrical plug adapters
In case client forgets--check
Equiped rifle cleaning/facility with cleaning rods brushes jags oil,etc-- check

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Very important--check
Camp electrical plug adapters
In case client forgets--check
Equiped rifle cleaning/facility with cleaning rods brushes jags oil,etc-- check

How about being close to the wildlife. Where your kept awake by lions roaring, baboons going nuts because the resident leopard has started to saw, and your hoping that the elephants dont push a tree over on the cruiser you just spent $3,500.00 to have the trans rebuilt at the start of the year! You can always peek out of the sky light to see what the hell is going on, of course that is when you realize you left the camera battery on the charger in the lapa!