Orient-Express Adds Telescopes To Safari Lodges

OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA— In an effort to bring guests at Orient-Express Safaris closer to the night skies of Africa, each of the company’s three tented safari lodges now feature high-level telescopes. The Meade Digital Electronic Series (DS) 114 telescopes are refracting telescopes with electronic controllers, allowing guests to move the scopes in any direction. Each telescope also features an auto star controller— a pre-programmed remote control that can identify 1,500 celestial objects. The controller comes outfitted with nine different speeds and provides details on what is being viewed. Additionally, the telescopes can accommodate extra equipment, such as lens doublers (Barlow lens), wide field eyepieces and camera adapters. Each scope also comes with star navigator software, allowing guests to identify what is visible in the night sky above them at any specific time. The three camps where this technology will be used are located in northern Botswana. Khwai River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Khwai River, on the northern boundary of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve. Eagle Island Camp is in the Okavango Delta, on the island of Xaxaba. Savute Elephant Camp is set on the banks of the Savute Channel.