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WELCOME TO THE SELINDA CANOE TRAIL
The Selinda Canoe Trail is an adventure along the Selinda Spillway - the waterway linking Botswana's Okavango Delta and its Linyanti and Kwando systems. The high rains of the 2009 wet season resulted in epic floodwaters by May 2009. For the first time in nearly three decades the Selinda Spillway flowed in full, connecting these two ancient waterways. The good rains during the early half of 2010 ensured that the Selinda Spillway continued to flow with the headwaters meeting again in early May 2010 - three months earlier than in 2009!

The Selinda Spillway is an ideal setting for Botswana's leading canoeing and walking safari. The Selinda Canoe Trail hearkens back to the spirit of safaris of old, when days were spent on impromptu exploration and each night was spent camping along the banks of a river. Today, this experience can still be had on the Selinda Canoe Trail.

The Trail begins slightly downstream from Selinda Camp, northeast of the Okavango Delta. We explore the Selinda Spillway eastward following this meandering route through the 300,000 acre Selinda Reserve. We complete the 45 kilometer journey close the convergence of the Linyanti and Kwando waterways.

It will be a 3 night safari with roughly 3 full days paddling to cover the distance. All 3 nights will be spent in fly camps along the way at no particular pre-arranged site. Where we finish at the end of the day's paddling is where we will camp that night. The days will be spent paddling along the Spillway with stoppages whenever there is something of interest to be seen along the banks.

The area is well known for elephant, buffalo, sable antelope, roan antelope, wild dog and could very well come across cheetah, lion, leopard and variety of other species. As you may imagine, it is also a birding paradise.

The day will begin when the Spillway is at its' most peaceful. After an early coffee and snack, we will set off for the day's adventure. Walking will be part of the experience. If there happens to be activity that warrants investigation, we will stop on the banks and take a short walk into the bush. A brunch will be taken around mid morning and light snacks will be available throughout the day for sustenance until dinner.

At the end of the three day canoe trail, we will transfer guests to the Selinda airstrip at around midday for departure or ideally guests may elect to stay on for an additional night at either Zarafa or Selinda camp. Both Selinda and Zarafa will be a welcome celebratory night after the 3 day paddle.

Participants and our People

Each Canadian canoe will have two guests who will paddle their own canoes downstream under the guidance of our trail leader. Even though we will be canoeing most of the way with the gentle current, participants will need to be reasonably fit. Some canoes will have three seats in them and we could possibly put three people in one canoe if any guest is worried about their fitness. Please let us know in advance if this is what you are requiring.

Each safari will be hosted by 4 staff members. There will be 1 cook, 2 camp hands and a guide. The staff members will be accompanying the safari in their own canoes and will be carrying most of the equipment, although we will spread drinks and food for the day and other gear throughout all the canoes. The staff members have been carefully selected to give the guests an even more memorable experience.