50 Best Hotels in Botswana

Renowned for its beauty, Nxabega (pronounced na-becka) is in the very heart of the Delta and offers both a land and a water experience. The camp overlooks woodlands and seasonally flooded grassy plains, which host lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo, as well as several unique bird species; African ebony and strangler figs shade the main camp. Because it's a private concession, you can take a night drive and search for small nocturnal predators like civets (black-and-white badger-looking creatures), bushbabies (similar to furry, flying squirrels), and genets (small spotted cats). En suite safari tents are on raised teak platforms, each with a private verandah overlooking the water and bush. The main lodge is made of thatch and wood; the high-roofed and paneled dining room has an almost medieval banquet-hall feel and there is also a separate massage sala. The food is excellent but don't worry, you'll lose some of those extra calories by taking a guided walk on one of the nearby islands to track game and spot birds. Boat excursions and mokoro trips are offered, and the staff will even arrange wilderness picnics or breakfast in bed. Like many of the larger safari companies, &Beyond, which runs Nxabega Camp, has a community and sustainable development program in the region which they operate through the nonprofit Africa Foundation.

Sandibe clings to the edge of a pristine channel of the Santantadibe River and has the reputation for being &Beyond's best camp for wildlife viewing in the Delta. Activities here are land-based: walk on a palm-studded island or track big game in an open-sided vehicle. The camp, which is set in a lush forest, has a unique modern design full of light, curves, and cavernous archways with wooden shingled roofs echoing the plated armor of a pangolin. You may find it difficult to leave your cozy stilted cottage with its freestanding fireplace, split-level viewing deck, and plunge pool. However, the main lodge has a massage sala with Delta views that might do for awhile as well as a gym for exercise addicts. After a splendid dinner, enjoy a nightcap around a crackling fire under a star-studded sky. Like the other &Beyond camps, Sandibe welcomes children of all ages and has a special kids' program.

Inspired by the colors of the myriad waterlilies which fill the surrounding waterways in high flood, Xaranna's bright palette has mellowed with age, its pointed canvas roofs and rose, sage, and white decor blending into and complementing the natural beauty of its surroundings. The camp, which offers game drives, walks, and seasonal water activities, is in a permanent channel of the Okavango, so although there is wildlife here, it can be harder to access when the water is high from April to October. Make the most of the water wilderness experience—the beauty of the wide lagoons, the arching papyrus, snorting hippos, and glorious sunsets. Tents are spacious with a living room, bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers. During the day, cool off in your personal plunge pool or lounge in your sala (covered deck), gazing out at a sweeping lily-studded horizon as water birds crisscross the sky.

Although Abu’s resident elephant herd has now been reintroduced back into the wild, this bespoke-service camp still holds plenty of appeal, from excellent elephant, buffalo, and predator sightings (particularly leopards) to the intimate luxury of the camp itself. Neutral tones permeate the elegant decor of each of the six individually appointed chalets, whose verandahs are replete with roll-top baths and plunge pools overlooking a natural lagoon, while striking, curved, canvas-covered roofs improve ventilation. Two communal lounge areas and a small gym are linked by an expansive deck where gourmet meals are served under the shade of a huge sycamore fig in an atmospheric fine-dining experience that would rival many top restaurants (the bush dinner is a nine-course tapas extravaganza!). With the departure of Abu's elephants, the focus of activities has returned to traditional game-viewing: drives, walks and seasonal boats and mokoros. There are no set times here: meals are served wherever and whenever you desire and itineraries are tailored to the whims of each individual guest.

This lively tented camp offers a budget option for the Okavango Delta with comfortable no-frills en suite tents either in the campsite or (for a small premium) on raised wooden stilts overlooking the river. There's also a self-catering house that sleeps 10, as well as camping. All accommodation, except camping, includes breakfast. There's a decent bar, situated beside a pool, and a reliable restaurant with a wooden deck for sunset viewing. The camp, 12 km (7 miles) from Maun, offers a wide range of activities and excursions from vehicle and walking safaris to mokoro trips. "Audi" means fish eagle in Setswana, and you can expect to see (and hear) many of these magnificent birds during your stay. 

Offering all the Makgadikgadi activities, Camp Kalahari represents a more down-to-earth and affordable option in this area and is ideally suited to families. Spacious guest tents with wooden verandahs are decorated with grass mats, Persian kilims, canopied iron bedsteads, and polished trunks. The covered bathroom lies behind an ingenious, head-high paneled wall of dried palm fronds allowing light to enter from the back of the bedroom, giving it an airy, roomy feel. Go on a walk with the fascinating San Bushmen, who will charm you with their language of clicks and quirky sense of humor, speed across the flat-as-a-pancake salt pans on a quad bike or on horseback, or visit a colony of habituated meerkats. When you return to the paraffin-lamp-lit main area, a fire will be beckoning as you wash your hands with water from a copper pitcher and sit among an eclectic mix of handmade African wooden furniture, colonial antiques, and emerald aloes nestling in golden ammo casings.

Rebuilt in 2018 to match the style and specification of its sister Camp Okavango with spacious rooms and an expansive multi-level main area, this cleverly designed camp blends seamlessly into the woodland on the banks of Xakanaxa lagoon. Winding wooden walkways connect the bar, library, and elevated lounges, where you can relax among an eclectic mix of African ornaments, weathered chests, and numerous plush sofas replete with dozens of turquoise and marine-blue cushions. Thatched angular rooms with wood floors, desk, sofa, and a decadent mosaic-walled double shower are furnished in subtle tones. A private deck with loungers lies beyond a panel of concertina wood and glass folding doors, which open completely to remove any barrier between your room and the lush landscape outside. This corner of Moremi boasts a phenomenal diversity of wildlife, from elephants, giraffes, zebras and buffalo to lions, leopards, wild dogs, and cheetahs. Birdlife is similarly impressive­– if you are lucky, you might even spot the rare Pel's fishing owl from camp. Boating is also available throughout the year.

Unrecognizable from its former, humbler self, this solar-powered camp was rebuilt in 2016 on a grand scale comprising multi-layered decks and curved walkways that link the thatched dining, library, and lounge areas set among a forest of palm, knobthorn, and jackalberry trees. The fire-deck is the perfect place for the ultimate sunset vista before an alfresco dinner, and on sultry summer days a dip in the refreshing pool, situated on the lowest deck, is unbeatable. The large rooms are equally impressive, raised on stilts and built in harmony with their arboreal surroundings with flat, canvas-covered roofs, and natural wood and rattan furniture. A bank of wooden, concertina, mesh-panel doors opens up a whole wall of your bedroom and lounge, bringing you even closer to nature and leading onto a spacious deck. Inside, cream floor-to-ceiling curtains conceal your bathroom, with twin stone basins, a separate toilet, and a luxurious, double walk-in shower. The activity focus is on the wilderness experience rather than big game, so excursions are foot- or water-based. A highlight is drifting along a river in a mokoro toward a floating bar that's set up in the middle of a lagoon and is tended by a wading barman.

From the moment you walk through the rustic reception area of this old-fashioned camp (pronounced ka-kan-ah-ka), a feeling of unpretentious warmth and relaxation envelops you, though you shouldn't expect unnecessary frills—this is a genuine bush-camp experience. Each spacious tent has wooden floors, plenty of storage space, a huge comfy bed, reading lamps, a semi-open bathroom with an airy feel, and a viewing deck. The staff, many with more than 10 years of experience, get everything right, from their attentive service to the superb, wholesome, home-cooked food. The resident croc, Popcorn, who sunbathes under his very own sign "Beware crocodile," has been here since he was a tiny whippersnapper, and has since been joined by a resident hippo called Oscar. Wooden-decked public areas sprawl along the water, and elephants and hippos wander past your tent most nights.

Be sure to have your camera at the ready in this predator-rich concession that borders the Moremi Wildlife Reserve; you'll want to take pictures of everything. With just five tents (two of which are suitable for families), Lediba is run as a smaller sister to the neighboring eight-room Chitabe Camp but is otherwise similar in all aspects. Spacious, comfortable tents on stilts are connected by raised wooden walkways that put you safely above the ground and grant you easy access around camp. You'll sleep in a comfortable, East African–style tent with wooden floors, a fine art wildlife print hanging above the bed, oversized armchairs, and both an indoor and outdoor shower. A separate thatch dining room, bar, and lounge area, also linked by wooden walkways, looks out over a floodplain, although there are no real water vistas. The camp has an excellent reputation for predator-sightings with lions, leopards, wild dogs, and cheetahs roaming a variety of habitats, from marshlands and riverine areas to open grasslands and seasonally flooded plains. Although the camp is theoretically situated on an island, the size of the island and the camp’s location means that water activities are not possible.

The only permanent lodge in the northeastern section of Chobe National Park, this grand old dame—Liz Taylor and Richard Burton got married for the second time here in the '70s—is a cut above the larger Kasane hotels and still maintains a lodge feel despite its size. Terracotta tiles, Rhodesian teak furniture, tribal artifacts with a Moroccan twist, and vibrant cushions create a distinctive pan-African ambience. The solid Moorish-style buildings—with their graceful high arches and barrel-vaulted ceilings—insulate the not-so-intrepid traveler from too-close encounters of the animal kind: baboon mothers have been known to teach their young how to turn a doorknob! The gorgeous gardens are a riot of color, attracting lots of small fauna; the extensive boardwalk above has a variety of decks and alcoves for alfresco group dinners or intimate celebrations. There's a well-stocked curio shop with great clothes and wildlife books. Don't miss out on the well-run daily activities from game drives to river cruises.

Built around an 800-year-old baobab tree situated among lovely private gardens on the banks of the Chobe River, you'll find this lodge just 8 km (5 miles) from the entrance to Chobe National Park. Like its older sister, Chobe Safari Lodge, farther downstream, this lodge is more like a hotel than a safari lodge. That's not to say that you still won't get your full safari experience; you'll just be a bit cocooned away from the actual wilderness. Pleasantly decorated with an ethnic African theme, all 106 air-conditioned rooms overlook the river, on which you'll probably spend a fair amount of time bird-watching, game-viewing, or fishing. Morning and evening drives are available, but because the river roads are few, your game-viewing can sometimes become rather crowded in peak season. You can take a short flight or helicopter ride over the nearby Victoria Falls, go white-water rafting on the Zambezi, indulge in a spa treatment, or try a host of other activities. Children under 12 stay free.

A Maun institution, this comfortable modern hotel, now under Cresta ownership and situated on the banks of the Thamalakane River, is a far cry from the seven dusty rooms built by the legendary Harry Riley in the 1930s. Harry's Bar is still going, although planes no longer taxi straight up to the bar as in the good old days, and it's frequented more by businessmen than locals. Rooms are comfortable and clean but not particularly imaginative, and Riley's Grill still serves a good meal.  

Situated on private land bordering the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, this striking wood-and-thatch lodge was the first to be built in the Central Kalahari and is arguably still the best. Built largely by hand by the desert-dwelling Naru people, the main thatched lounge, furnished with an African theme, has plush sofas and kilims (flat-woven carpets) leading out onto a wraparound deck, which faces a busy waterhole. You'll sleep in a large thatch bungalow where the roomy lounge has polished wooden floors, more kilims, wrought iron, wood chairs, a deep comfy sofa, and framed bushman memorabilia. Your bedroom will have a hand-carved headboard, crisp white linens, and plump duvets, while a separate en suite bathroom houses a claw-foot bath and outside shower. Enjoy delicious food (try the tender oryx fillet marinated in Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and herbs) including house-made bread and rolls, before sitting out under the blazing desert stars for a nightcap. Although you'll be taken on game drives, where you will be amazed at the skill of the bushman trackers, the absolute highlight of your stay at this unique lodge will be a walk with the bushmen themselves. Dressed in skins and thong sandals, with their bows and arrows over their shoulders, and carrying spears and digging sticks, they'll lead you through the dry grass and bush on a walk through one of the most remote areas on earth. You'll be shown how to trap a bird or animal, how to make fire, which plants and trees will heal and sustain you, and afterward, they will dance and sing for you. This is pure magic.

One of the first tourism properties to open in the Okavango Delta, the focus of this enchanting camp, set on a remote island, is on experiencing the tranquility of the environment. Reed chalets, each with a private bathroom, are furnished with wood furniture and upturned mokoros; they look like something straight out of The Swiss Family Robinson. Each chalet faces northeast to catch the first rays of the sun as it rises above the palm trees, and below your glass-free windows are shallow, bird-filled pools, with deep waterways only paces from your front door. Activities include seasonal guided mokoro trails into the maze of waterways and game walks on adjacent islands with a professional licensed guide. The preservation of the environment is a key goal: materials are sourced locally where possible and a conscious effort is made to support local artisans. It is also strictly 100% solar, which combined with the lack of motorized transport, makes it one of the most eco-friendly camps in Botswana, and also one of the most peaceful.

 Request the treehouse for a truly unique experience and stupendous view.

Completely rebuilt in 2017, this new Relais & Chateaux member has been propelled from the ranks of simple comfort into the echelons of luxury with five giant, safari-style suites bursting with character. Borrowing many of the design aspects from its sister camp Zarafa—think ornate Zanzibar doors and polished wood floors—the rooms exude an understated luxury: leather sofa and armchairs, discreet bar and fridge, elegant writing desk, bedroom cooling system, copper claw-foot bath, and binoculars to use on game-drives. Large mesh panels with floor-to-ceiling curtains keep you connected to the natural world, even at night when chirping reed frogs and guffawing hippos lull you to sleep. Outside, your private deck, made of recycled railway sleepers, houses a plunge pool, sala, and exercise bike for fitness fanatics. The cavernous two-bedroom villa also comes with its own lounge, chef, guide, butler and private vehicle. The main lounge, library, and dining area continue the theme with comfy leather sofas, crimson rugs, and Indian chests that spill onto a spacious deck, overlooking the endless floodplains. But the emphasis here is firmly on the wildlife—the lion prides are famous for their proclivity for buffalo, and although their appetites are now more diverse, they still often hunt in daylight. Breakfast is frequently taken during your morning drive, and lunch can be brought to you so you don't miss out on the action. Return to camp by boat, where the surrounding water has created a paradise for birders, enticing herds of red lechwe, elephant, and other plains game, and the reintroduction of rhino completes an impressive bounty of wildlife riches.

Completely rebuilt in 2021 when it was catapulted into the premier ranks of Wilderness Safaris’s properties, this lavish, solar-powered camp boasts a spectacular location on the banks of the broad Linyanti river. The entrance is dominated by an imposing square bar, decorated with a tiled antique map of the concession—ideal for retracing the day's adventures—which separates the open-plan dining and lounge areas, shielded beneath a series of peaked canvas roofs. Rattan and leather chairs, and weathered trunks complement the lounge's predominantly neutral tones, beyond which a curiosity room houses a handful of natural exhibits and a fireplace. À la carte meals are served on separate tables on the split-level dining deck where you can watch elephants swim across the sapphire ribbon of water that stretches out beneath you. At night, descend to the floating bar, where pre-dinner entertainment is provided by a glockenspiel frog orchestra. Wooden walkways­—with sporadic gaps to allow crossing warthogs and hippos—lead to your luxury room, featuring a phone (for contacting staff), tablet (pre-loaded with guest information), Nespresso machine, bar fridge, and a bed cooling/heating system. A corridor links the bedroom to your private lounge, where you can sink into a leather couch or peruse the collages of wildlife-related sketches and facts that hang on your wall. Take a siesta on the daybed on your outdoor deck or cool off in the plunge pool. Rooms are identical at the more intimate four-room Little Duma Tau, which lies on the other side of the dedicated spa. In addition to the ubiquitous elephants, the concession has a good reputation for predators while seasonal mokoro and boat trips provide a welcome break from game drives. If you can't get enough of the river, you can even have brunch or dinner on the barge, which must be booked in advance. 

Surrounded by pristine waterways, tall palm trees, and vast floodplains, this predominantly solar-powered camp was imaginatively designed to mimic its surroundings. In the main thatched dining and lounge area, textured, conical suspended lampshades are oversized replicas of the weaver nests that hang from the nearby trees. Charcoal-gray, curved walls mirror the color and shape of the dripping elephants you will see emerging from the water while you're ensconced in a plush armchair by the cozy fireplace. The expansive thatched rooms continue the color theme of gray, turquoise, and burnished copper with a host of luxurious details: a marble-topped minibar, a bakelite telephone for contacting staff, automatic sensor lights for nocturnal necessities, a cavernous roll-top bath, and an infinity plunge pool on your deck. Gauze blinds and wide-open windows provide a natural alternative to the air-conditioning, should you prefer. Meals are à la carte and, unusually for a safari circuit, all the Belmond camps offer separate menus and wine-lists. At dawn and dusk hippos chortle, birds call, and hyenas whoop; activities are more experiential than game-focused and are predominantly foot- and water-based, though game drives replace water activities when water levels are low. Glide through crystal-clear water surrounded by a tunnel of towering, emerald-green papyrus in a mokoro; cruise across wide lagoons on a motorboat; or trek across pristine islands. Or stay in camp and sink into a birdcage-hanging chair in the Fish Eagle Bar, which juts out over the water, as the sun sets in a blaze of red and gold.

This is the ultimate back-to-nature experience but you'll be more than rewarded for the lack of luxury by a safari adventure that will live long in your memory. The night sounds are awesome, from roaring lions and whooping hyenas to the tuneful whistles of the Pearl-spotted owlet. Although the emphasis is on learning the secrets of the Okavango on foot, both game and night drives and seasonal water activities (boat and mokoro) are also available, and wildlife is plentiful. With just three tents, the camp, which is completely solar-powered, has a minimal ecological footprint, and small groups or families can have the place to themselves. Your cosy en suite tent, raised on a deck with indoor and outdoor shower, running water, and plug sockets, maintains a safari explorer vibe without sacrificing important creature comforts. Sip sundowners by the crackling fire, listening to the orchestra of bass hippos and descant nightjars before feasting on a three-course meal conjured up by a talented bush chef–you will feel like you have the whole of Africa to yourself. Families with children as young as seven can book the whole camp as a Young Explorers package with a specialist guide and activities tailored to the children's ages.

Rebuilt in 2020 on a grand scale, the new Jack's Camp represents a significant luxury upgrade while still maintaining its classic 1940s East African safari style and whimsical sense of adventure. Cavernous tents on decks, set in a palm grove, are lined with rose-patterned billowing ceilings and curtains, and feature Persian rugs, brass fittings, throne toilets, indoor and outdoor showers, and four-poster beds complete with cooling systems---a welcome addition for the summer months. A separate lounge area offers an array of plush seating among an eclectic mix of antique furniture, ostrich eggs, ancient artifacts, photos, and maps. Outside, on your expansive deck, a hanging daybed is suspended next to the plunge pool. The expanded mess tent comprises a bar area, complete with a snooker table, where drinks are served from a giant wooden chest­; a lounge-museum where oversized sofas and chests are surrounded by glass cases housing hundreds of fascinating natural history and anthropological exhibits; and a dining area where guests swap stories across a long single table, while savoring delicious plated meals, overlooking the surreal Makgadikgadi landscape. Afternoon tea is served in a separate cushion- and rug-laden tea tent, while a huge pool (often very cold) is housed in yet another tent. The camp's highly qualified guides are respected throughout Botswana for their love and commitment to this amazing area. Although the introduction of pumped waterholes means there is a larger resident population of zebra and wildebeest than in the past—elephants, lion, and even cheetah pass through on occasion—the focus is on unique desert-adapted animals and plants like meerkats, bat-eared foxes, brown hyenas, salt bushes, and desert palms. You can also explore the pans on quads or learn about the unique ecosystem from the enigmatic San Bushmen.

Aptly rhyming with ‘wow’, this opulent, inventive camp, which was completely rebuilt in 2021, is a cocktail of innovative modern design and sustainability, with a squeeze of African flavor. The awe-inspiring entrance library-cum-natural history museum has a spiral staircase built around a life-size giraffe skeleton, above which a wine cellar shares space with rows of fully-stocked bookshelves. Tantalizing à la carte meals are served in the glass-fronted bar and dining room (with winter fireplace) or outside on the deck where the elevated perspective is akin to living in the treetops. Hanging chairs and comfy sofas provide plenty of chill-out areas in the evening, or descend to the firepit at the water’s edge below. Cavernous suites dwarf the size of most city apartments, and come complete with kitchenettes with designer coffee machines, minibars, dining tables, lounge areas, a/c, fireplaces, electric blankets, freestanding baths, indoor and outdoor showers, tablets, and phones. Doze on your circular suspended daybed on the deck or take a dip in the infinity plunge pool–the views are spectacular whichever you choose. Family-size villas sleep up to 6 and include a private chef and fire-pit. Despite the glamour, conservation is a priority–thatched roofs are in fact made from recycled plastic, as is the pseudo-wood deck floor. Spot buffalo, red lechwe, elephants and fish eagles as you speed through narrow channels by boat (when the flood is high), glide in a mokoro through meadows of water lilies or search for big game by vehicle. For weary travelers, the tranquil spa might be just the ticket.

Situated in the desolate northern part of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve---one of the largest game reserves in the world and bigger than Switzerland---this solar-powered camp overlooks a huge pan, with eight en suite, innovatively insulated canvas tents designed to keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. Accommodation is simple but comfortable and if you can stand the desert sun you can sunbathe on your rooftop deck, or sleep under the dazzling desert stars. Game is particularly abundant during and just after the rains (roughly December through April) when seasonal herds of plains game move in and are followed by opportunistic predators: great black-maned Kalahari lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Other desert specialists include shy brown hyenas, endearing bat-eared foxes, and tenacious honey badgers, while birdlife is spectacular with over 220 species, including a multitude of raptors. The camp also offers a comprehensive bushman experience, offering an insight into one of the world's oldest surviving cultures.

The simple, natural charm of solar-powered Kanana makes you feel part of the Delta, not cocooned away from it. Game drives, glass-bottom mokoroing, boating, and bush walks (nearby islands host resident Pel's fishing owls) are all part of the experience, but a visit to the Thapagadi Lagoon is a must. The lagoon is home to a fantastic heronry, where maribou, open-billed, and yellow-billed storks nest with all kinds of herons, cormorants, pelicans, darters, and egrets—you'll never forget the sounds of this avian community. Game viewing on land is similarly impressive with elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, wild dogs, and cheetahs all roaming the palm-studded landscape. Roomy safari tents (where tea and coffee are brought at dawn by a cheerful staff member) with wooden decks overlook dense reed beds and a papyrus-thick floodplain. Dark wood furniture is complemented by colorful rugs and throws, while the bathroom features a walk-in shower and twin basins. You'll fall asleep to the sound of hippos munching, squelching, and splashing outside your tent and awake to tumultuous birdsong. Public areas are built around a massive, ancient fig tree, with an open dining deck where imaginative silver-service dinners are served under the myriad twinkling stars. With 360-degree views of the surrounding floodplain, the über-romantic, raised sleep-out deck located a short drive from camp is an unforgettable experience.

It's easy to forget the outside world exists as you savor brunch on the wooden deck jutting out over the narrow Khwai river at this camp renowned for its personal attention and friendly service. Floating water lilies, tiny bejeweled kingfishers dipping and swooping in front of you, and the sounds of gently lapping water relax even the most driven work junkie. If that doesn't do the trick, there is always the dedicated spa. Slightly bigger than some of the other safari lodges and one of the oldest, the lodge is just a stone's throw (across the river) from Moremi, but most of your activities will be in the predator-rich Khwai Community Concession—lions, leopards, wild dogs, and spotted hyenas are regularly seen. You can also spot plenty of wildlife from the lodge itself and the excitement of seeing a hippo or elephant stroll past the viewing deck outside your deluxe tent is not something you'll easily forget. Upgrade to the private suite for your own plunge pool, outside shower, and bath.

Despite its traditional thatched roof and African artifact adornments, a handful of modern design elements distinguish this regal camp, overlooking the Linyanti River. Monochrome geometric prints line the dining area walls and next door, copper leaf-shaped light shades are suspended above a marble-topped bar. A double-sided fireplace separates the cozy library—complete with antique-style maps and lamps—from the lounge's tan-leather sofas. Below, two sunken, semicircular alcoves, filled with earth-color cushions and each set around a fire, inevitably delay diners before they finally succumb to the appetizing smells from the à la carte menu emanating from the individually laid, bleached wood tables above. Take a break from your game viewing to relax on a couch (or eat brunch) aboard the Queen Silvia barge (only when the water is high) as you watch elephants swim across to Namibia. Alternatively, take a guided bush walk, go fishing, or visit the sunken blind where you're eye-level with splashing elephant feet. The massive hand-carved door of your mega-size thatched chalet leads into an entrance hall with a dressing table and minibar, bedroom with four-poster bed, a huge bathroom with double tiled showers, and twin wing-back armchairs with access to your outside deck, sala, and plunge pool. 

If you want to escape the real world for a while, then this small, quiet, attractive lodge on the banks of the Chobe, which prides itself on its seclusion, is right for you; it has no phones, radios, or TV in its rooms. Situated where Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia meet, the 11 en suite thatch chalets are on stilts and are unpretentiously but comfortably furnished in earth tones. After your Chobe National Park game drive or boat cruise, come back and take a leisurely saunter around the Kubu Lodge Nature Walk—be on the lookout for dozens of birds and the endemic Chobe bushbuck—or go next door to the Crocodile Farm and eyeball some immense reptiles.

Perched on the banks of a tributary of the fast-flowing Kwando River, this delightful camp boasts water views from every angle. Canvas and thatch chalets with claw-foot bathtubs, indoor and outdoor showers, and a lower-level lounge area with floor-to-ceiling views nestle on grassy slopes under the shade of giant jackalberry trees that are hundreds of years old. After a night spent next to one of these mighty trees, a major source of natural energy, people say you wake up rejuvenated, your body buzzing with new life. From the thatch dining and bar area, you can watch herds of elephants only yards away as they come to drink and bathe, or hippos snoozing in the sun. You might also spot a malachite kingfisher darting like a bejeweled mini-jet over the water. Go for a morning or evening game drive, track game on foot, drift along the river in a double-decker boat, or go fishing for tiger fish and bream. Terrestrial wildlife, particularly predators, is plentiful—wild dogs are a specialty—while keen birders will tick off hundreds of species in the wet summer months.

Looking out over the endless floodplains of the Kwando river, Lebala (the sister camp to Kwando Lagoon Camp) is aptly named (it means wide, open spaces) and benefits from the same fantastic wildlife arena. The elevated timber and canvas tents have sliding mesh doors that open onto a teak deck. After a long day in the bush, soak off the dust in your Victorian claw-foot tub or if you want to get even closer to nature, indulge in the double outside shower. Climb the raised hide to marvel at the stunning endless vistas; on morning or evening game drives you'll see loads of game, with predator tracking a specialty; guided walks are also possible.

Spun from the same cloth as the properties in the Kwando concession, this 100% solar camp is a rare year-round land and water camp, located in a prolific wildlife area. Spacious canvas-and-wood pole tents have lined ceilings, a cotton-white canopied bed, and a separate lounge area furnished with a sofa, armchairs, and rug in neutral earthy tones. Luxuriate in your claw-foot bath or venture outside to revel in the outdoor rain shower. On the back wall dark-wood shutters aid ventilation in summer, while in front, wood and mesh sliding doors lead to a deck with lagoon views. Rooms are well spaced out on either side of the main area, ensuring complete privacy, and each side of camp has its own pool, complete with a drinks fridge. Meals tend to be taken communally unless specifically requested, where the dining area is separated from the leather-sofa-filled lounge by a small bar. If the camp’s public areas appear to prioritize functionality over aesthetic embellishments, it is probably a reflection of Kwara’s primary focus, which is firmly on safari activities. Wildlife viewing can be spectacular with lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs all frequently seen, as well as hordes of plains game, and having a dedicated tracker and guide further enhance your potential sightings on both day and night game drives, which come equipped with complimentary binoculars. For birders, the cacophonous Godikwe heronry, accessible by boat, comes alive from September through February when hundreds of storks, herons, egrets, and pelicans arrive to breed. For a change of pace, float along crystal clear channels in a mokoro after which you might arrive at an impromptu gin bar, where you can choose from multiple flavors of gins, tonics, and even ice.

Perched on high wooden stilts amid a forest canopy on a small island surrounded by enormous open plains, this intimate, unpretentious camp exudes an authentic safari atmosphere. The public areas overlooking the floodplains are built around huge sausage, marula, and sycamore fig trees, with a giant jackalberry dominating the bar. Each spacious canvas-roofed room is set like a child's building block in the middle of a large wooden walkway built high into the trees. Glass sliding doors provide easy access to your deck with commanding views while inside, white linen ceilings, natural wood floors, coir mats, cow-hide ottomans, and L-shaped sofas create a warm, homey atmosphere. Rooms are also equipped with tea, coffee, biscuits, and both indoor and designer outdoor showers. After an afternoon game drive or mokoro trip, end your day with a sundowner (cocktail) by the lagoon illuminated by flickering lanterns, with entertainment by the best in local talent—snorting hippos, whooping hyenas, and singing nightjars. Ask for the honeymoon suite when you book—it is the only one with a romantic stone bath on the deck.