Long before I ever visited the Kalahari Desert, I had painted a vivid picture of it in my head. A sprawl of sun-baked plains as far as the eye could see; bashful little desert creatures, and inky night skies flooded with stars—this was the stuff of my dreams. So, when it came time to visit, I decided to fill my stay at the iconic Jack’s Camp with activities to make the most of it: daily game drives, horseback safaris, and quad bike excursions. My packing list would need to abet my adventures: lightweight relaxed-fit pants for the many flights it would take to get there, a foldable hat for the unyielding sun, a quilted jacket for cool evenings, and a stylish swimsuit for afternoons in Jack’s iconic pool tent. Here are some of my must-pack essentials.
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Tell anyone you stayed at Jack’s Camp and their eyes will widen and jaws drop. This romantic oasis sits in the heart of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, a relic of one of the world’s largest super lakes, and delivers a motherload of mid-century camping glamour. Adorned in rich color and texture, and dripping in historical relics, Jack’s is an anachronistic treasure—and a bucket-list camp for anyone who has ever set their sights on a safari experience in Southern Africa. By day here, there’s places to be and wildlife to see, but at night the camp crackles with campfire and conversation as guests and guides clink glasses and swap stories. Then there are languid afternoons spent in its Arabian-style tea tent, a spread of sandwiches and cakes for company—just one of many, many treats that await at Jack’s Camp.
