Best Botswana Luxury Safari Lodges

Botswana is a very special place – as one of Africa’s most stable and peaceful countries it’s no wonder that this amazing area is well known for being one of the top luxury safari hot spots in the world. Of course this means that you also find some of the best luxury safari lodges and camps in all of Africa. The clever Botswana government originally started their safari career with a low impact high income policy, which means that no matter where you go the lodges and camps are spread far apart – meaning lots of wildlife and no game. Botswana’s luxury safari lodges are located everywhere from the famous Okavango Delta to the Kalahari. There is so much scope for luxury adventures in Botswana that it’s hard to know where to start. Here we present a list of Botswana’s luxury safari lodges and camp, all of which have been handpicked for experience, not just quality.

San Camp – Makgadikgadi Pans

San Camp is other worldly, and feels as if it might actually be located at the ends of the earth. The white Moroccan style tents are furnished with antique campaign furniture and have views of the vast salt pans which stretch before them. Nothing can compare to the feeling of space here and it is this, combined with the quirky and beautiful décor that make this one of Botswana’s top luxury safari camps. The rooms are all spread far apart and offer privacy and exclusivity one would expect from Botswana’s safari camps. Here highlights of your safari will be meeting habituated meerkats, walking with the ancient tribe of the San bushmen, quad biking across the pans and watching the milky way from the dining table or camp fire at night.

Kalahari Plains Camp – Kalahari

Another desert camp for you to add to Botswana’s list of top safari lodges and camps. This camp is half canvas half lodge and every luxury room has it’s own star deck, in case you want to enjoy a night out under the dewless desert sky. Here game viewing is excellent and extraordinary and you may even be lucky enough to see the rare brown hyena. You will probably see black maned Kalahari lions on your luxury Botswana safari, and if you travel between November and March will be treated to beautiful wild flowers and birds.

Duba Plains Camp – Okavango Delta

Duba Plains is one of Africa’s top luxury safari camps and is located in it’s own magnificent private conservancy which boasts a pride of lions, bigger than normal African lions, cut out for hunting buffalo. The camp is currently undergoing a huge refurb but their expeditions camp is there instead – a very luxurious mobile camp. Here the location is pure heaven and you won’t get anywhere wilder in Botswana… maybe apart from…

Zarafa Camp – Selinda Reserve, Okavango Delta

Zarafa is Duba’s sister camp and located in a private conservancy the size of a small country. Here the pioneering conservation efforts of the Selinda team mean that you can see abundant game and learn about the ins and outs of protecting areas which have become so famous. Zarafa is one of, if not the, most luxurious Botswana safari lodge, and often falls high in the category of most luxurious safari lodge in all of Africa, not just Botswana.

Selinda Camp – Selinda Reserve, Okavango

Selinda Camp is the sister camp of both Zarafa and Duba, and although it is not quite as opulent as Zarafa is still deserves its place in the list of Botswana luxury safari lodges we love. Again this is all about the experience, and the luxury suites and rooms won’t do any harm either! Selinda Camps’ rooms have large bathtubs and wonderful views of their surroundings, which are often populated with elephant and other game species. The atmosphere at this luxury lodge is very jovial, and you will certainly feel like part of the family.

Chief’s Camp – Okavango Delta

Chief’s Camp is run by renowned luxury safari operator Sanctuary retreats. It’s location on the famous Chief’s Island in the Moremi Game Reserve is second to none and you will often have big game wondering through camp, going about their daily business. This luxury Botswana safari lodge boasts some of the best guides and staff in the business.

Xaranna Camp – Okavango Delta

This modern and extremely luxurious offering from luxury safari big boy & Beyond is nothing less than magical. Every suite and room of this exceptionally luxurious lodge has been engineered to make the most of the light, views and surroundings and you can be sitting in one of the most luxurious lodges in all of Africa whilst watching an elephant just meters away. Here the service will blow you away with gourmet food, exceptional staff, and quite a few little treats which mean this lodge will always be at the top of the Botswana luxury safari lodge list.

Sandibe Okavango – Okavango Delta

Sandibe Okavango is another impossibly spoiling offering from & Beyond, this luxury lodge has just been completely refurbished and is now chic, glamorous and modern. Their location is second to none when it comes to wildlife viewing and wildlife movements. Here once again you will be treated like an absolute king and queen, and nothing is too much trouble. These lodges are well worth the price tag they come with.