July 2004 Sanctuary Talking
General News
Winter has arrived with a vengeance in Botswana and temperatures in Northern Botswana have plummeted to the 4 degrees Celsius mark at night, with the daytime temperatures hovering around the 24 degrees Celsius mark. Needless to say the hot water bottles that have been keeping the guests beds warm at night before they retire and the extra blankets that are being provided in the camps have been welcomed with open arms.
There is still limited space available for this high season (September and October mainly) in all the camps so contact our reservations centre on southernafrica@sanctuarylodges.com.
Sanctuary Lodges and Camps Botswana's green season special offers phenomenal value for money. With the validity period of 1 December 2004 through to 31 March 2005 guests can experience the best Botswana has to offer. This combined with the new Air Botswana Cape Town to Maun direct flights you are guaranteed that your South African high season visitors will be able to link the beautiful Cape to Botswana. Going on Safari has never been this affordable!!
As you are all aware the price of oil has played havoc on fuel prices, unfortunately Botswana has also been affected with surcharges coming into effect from the 1 August 2004 on road transfers and inter camp flights. Our consultants will be in touch with you if your file is going to be effected by this increase.
Baines' Camp
With the opening date of 1 August 2004 looming we are very happy to say that everything is well on track. The main areas are complete as are four of the five rooms. The fifth room is only missing its floor. The Team are like excited children on Christmas Day with a pile of gifts that are begging to be opened. The camp is looking exquisite and the amount of water around the main areas and rooms has had many of the staff wishing that they were able to call Baines' Camp home. For our two extremely lucky camp managers, Warren and Melanie Stone this will be a reality in a few short weeks. Mat and Robin Bodenstein will be taking over from Warren and Mel in December this year. Both couples have a wealth of experience between them and have been involved in the running of camps in Botswana and South Africa for a number of years.
Graeme Labe and the Botswana team have confirmed that all the furniture and detailing will be in and complete in the next two weeks.
For our trade partners, who are anxiously waiting for photographs of our newest ‘baby', you will not have to wait much longer. Our photographer is going into the camp in the first week of August and brochure quality pictures will be ready for distribution by the 15 August 2004.
The Boro Channel - Baines' Camp Home
Chiefs' Camp
The floodwaters around the camp have maintained their levels with the guides saying that the second push of water has started! Although we have lost much of our game drive area the game viewing at Chiefs Camp has been nothing short of mind blowing.
The June game reports submitted by our guides listed 29 sightings of White and Black Rhino, 13 Leopard sightings and a staggering 43 different Lion sightings with a grand total of 160 lions in the month!!
The Mokoro activities are still a popular filler in-between drives and offering guests a very different and relaxing alternative to their normal bush experience. Sightings off the mokoros included mostly the colourful and abundant Botswana bird life and the odd antelope.
Sightings of the month included Lion hunting Giraffe and a lactating lioness and her cubs.
Our amphibious vehicles and the on looking lioness
Stanley's Camp
The rise in floodwaters is playing havoc on Stanley's Camp unique hot air ballooning activity. This has unfortunately meant that we have had to put the activity on hold until 1 August 2004 with the very distinct possibility that this date may be pushed back further.
The elephant interaction is continuing on as normal and the guest feedback on the activity has been consistently good.
The sightings of the month at Stanley's Camp all took place on one particular evening where guests were treated to aardvark, African wildcat with kittens and a bat eared fox!
General game viewing has been very good and guests have been very impressed at the number of activities that are offered at Stanley's Camp giving them a very well balanced safari experience.
Chobe Chilwero
The Chobe river flood, which has inundated large areas around Kasane cutting off farms and villages, has finally started to subside. Guests have been treated to large herds of buffalo and elephants. With the biggest heard of buffalo numbering close to the 300 mark whilst the biggest herd of elephants seen by guests whilst enjoying drinks on the river numbered over 200.
The best sighting for the month of June was a pack of wild dogs on a Puku (small antelope) kill.
Winter Dish of the Month
Our dish of the month comes to us courtesy of the team at Stanley's Camp: “Broccoli Bisque” comes highly recommended for those cold winter evenings, be warned it comes with a bite.
Ingredients:
750 grams of the freshest Broccoli.
1 cube of chicken stock to 1 litre of water.
1 small onion chopped.
2 thyme.
1 bay leaf.
1 crushed garlic clove.
1 small chilli.
10ml of corn flour.
200 ml milk.
Salt and pepper.
Parmesan cheese, parsley or chives.
Discard the outer leaves and the tough part of the broccoli stalks and Cut into 2cm pieces. Place in a saucepan with stock. Onion, thyme, bay leaf and garlic and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until the broccoli is tender (approximately 10 – 12 minutes). Discard the bay leaf and liquidise the mixture until smooth. Return it to the saucepan. Combine this with a corn flour and milk mixture. Cook and stir for another two minutes, season to taste.
Serve hot and garnished with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley or chives.
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