Luxury Botswana Safari

High above the Boro River, bordering the Moremi Game Reserve, is a miniature pocket of Eden. A romantic eco retreat with just five luxurious suites, the backbone of the camp was created from recycled materials, and it is a key partner of the Living With Elephants Foundation. The suites are connected by wooden walkways, raised above the water at the edge of a lagoon, and on each private deck there’s the chance to sleep on a four poster bed, and even bathe, outside beneath the stars. Elephants and hippos will come right to the edge of your deck, so game viewing begins the moment you step outside.

Inside the Moremi Game Reserve, set atop an island created by the seasonal waters of the Okavango Delta, is Chief’s Camp, regularly rated as one of the finest safari camps in southern Africa. In addition to the popular game drives and boat safaris, you can explore the shallower streams and lagoons by dug-out canoe, quietly approaching even the shiest of animals and birds. Accommodation is in one of 10 bush pavilions and suites, all redesigned and rebuilt in 2016, with private dining areas and plunge pools, outdoor seating and showers, and floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors to make the most of the views. You will be woken each morning by the smell of fresh coffee, and a full English or continental breakfast, setting you up for the excitement of the day ahead.

Between the Okavango Delta and the Linyanti Marshes is Savute, a region of dry grasslands which sprung back to life when the river once again began to flow. During the summer rains (November to March), zebra and giraffe come here in large numbers to graze, and in their wake come their predators, the lions. The thatched Savuti Safari Lodge sits on the bank of the Stolen River, its viewing decks and glass doors carefully designed to maximise your viewing pleasure. A dozen timber-framed chalets are luxuriously furnished, and the elegant communal areas include a lounge and bar, pool, a deck with a fire pit, and even a library where you can sit back, relax, and read.

If you’re looking for an exclusive safari experience in Botswana, they come no better than at Zarafa Camp. A 1920s style safari camp on the edge of Zibadanja Lagoon, there are just four luxurious safari tents, each of which is magnificently designed and equipped with a central fire place, private plunge pool, lounge, copper bathtub, and indoor and outdoor showers. Solar power provides the environmentally friendly electricity supply, and the game drive vehicles are run almost entirely on recycled cooking oil. Each tent comes with a Canon 50D camera and selection of lenses, making it easy to capture memories of the lions, wild dogs, cheetahs, and leopards you’ll see as you explore the Selinda Concession by 4x4, motorboat, or canoe.