There’s no such thing as a cheap safari but some are nonetheless good value on which you mind less spending your cash – Mosetlha is one of these. It’s basic (in the nicest possible sense) but fun, with decent food, excellent, knowledgeable guides who also seem to be enjoying what they’re doing. Family owned, it was built in July 1995 by Chris and June Lucas (originally Brits) - it has apparently gone from strength to strength and engenders loyalty in its guests: several staying there were on their third or fourth visit).
It bills itself as rustic and intimate and that’s about right – capacity is 18 (8xdoubles and one family tent) and buffet breakfasts and lunches, and hearty three-course dinners are served at a set time for all-comers around two tables. With two game drives each day, the schedule is as follows: 5am wake-up call giving 30 minutes to shower, grab some tea and a rusk (solid and likely to break a tooth unless dunked in coffee, you get used and even fond of them by the end of the stay) and then clamber into the 4x4 (of which there are three, so there are rarely more than six to a vehicle) with your friendly guide to watch the sun come up and head round until about 10.30. You can then snooze till 2pm lunch before the second drive of the day at about 4.15 until well after nightfall, coming back at about 8.30 for a beer around the fire (honesty bar operates for beers/wines/soda) followed by highly enjoyable dinners (chicken, fish, sometimes a steak or sausages BBQ-ed over the fire) swapping stories with good company. Given the 5am start, you’ll risk indigestion and head straight to bed – lights out at 10.30 anyway and you’re warned not to venture out alone as the camp is open to the Reserve’s other occupants (save for the shower/loo complex, though the flimsy wire mesh may keep out fellow guests but not a hungry lion!)
The "tents" are heavy-duty single rooms on stilts, with flaps to let in cooling air and keep out heavy rain. In winter months, extra blankets and hot water bottles are provided and hot toddies left in your room to keep out the chill (The winter months’ schedule is somewhat abbreviated to account for shorter, cooler days). The facilities are half the fun – collect your bucket of water and warm through a heater; your presence in loo or shower is indicated by drawing across a chain and then, to shower, you lower down the shower bucket and head, fill it with your water (having checked the on/off release is off!), heave it up again and shower away (always hoping there’s enough water to wash out soap from ones hair!) As I said, not luxury but great fun and you can see below the variety and quality of the game.