Experiences

• Game drives

  With your private vehicle and guide, you have the flexibility to explore any (accessible) area of the Usangu wetlands. Usangu has five biozones and offers many different habitat types that are waiting to be explored.

• Night drives

  See a different side of Usangu with a night drive. It’s a special opportunity to spot shy, nocturnal animals and the those that prey on them. With the aid of your knowledgeable guide, keep your eyes out for leopard, genet, serval, honey badger, civet and African wildcats on the hunt; as well as bush babies, mongoose, bat-eared fox, nightjars and owls going about their business. Don’t forget to take a moment to a gaze up at the breath-taking night sky.

• Boat safaris

  The wetland area and the intricate waterways that swell and contract throughout the season create a variety of conditions for boating. Usanga's swamp boat is designed for the marsh-like conditions, offering the opportunity to explore the wetland narrow waterways year-round. Elephant are regularly seen along the shallows, and the area is an avid bird watchers paradise.

• Walking safaris

  Walking safaris give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, away from the noise of the land cruiser and closer to the ground to observe the smaller and less obvious parts of the African wilderness. This is a completely different way to experience the bush, encouraging your senses to engage as you spot tiny but fascinating creatures you’d never see from the vehicle.

• Usangu star cube and trails camp

  The Usangu star cubes can be set up in a private setting within easy reach of your tent at the expedition camp, offering a unique sleep-out experience under the stars, whilst keeping the comforts of your tent close at hand. Or head out into the wild with the star cubes, setting up in a remote area, this activity can be combined with a walking safari, boat safari or game drive. You will also have a back- up canvas dome tent for privacy as well as in case of rain.

• Individual camera traps and predator identification

  On arrival, you will receive a camera trap to place near camp for the duration of your stay. On your last afternoon in camp, retrieve the images to see what your camera has captured. If your camera trap has caught any inquisitive predators, or if you have captured any good images on your camera during your stay, you can upload these images to the Predator ID Hub at the station to compare against the existing database. Researchers will work with you to analyse identifying features and determine if this is a new specimen or an existing. This tracking of information helps to plot territories and allows you to actively contribute to the ongoing research.

• Douglas Bell Eco Research Station

  The Douglas Bell Eco Research Station is the central hub for all research and conservation efforts taking place in the Usangu Wetland. Situated alongside Usangu Expedition Camp, it provides guests with the opportunity to engage with researchers and develop a deeper understanding of the important work being performed in the region. The experiences on offer will vary slightly depending on which researchers are on the ground at any given time. However, a research coordinator is always present ensuring quality research immersion for visiting guests at all times.

• Telemetry tracking

  Join the researcher on a half-day tracking of collared animals using radio telemetry to track and locate them. Start the day by reviewing the latest locations of the animals of the days before and join the researcher in a vehicle to learn how radio-collaring and telemetry works, and how to locate the collared animals. Collared species differ over time depending on advancing research but usually focus on key species in the area such as lion, wild dog (yet to be collared), roan, and sable antelope.