Botswana lodges are the crème de la crème of the world of luxury safari. As the country is made up of private concessions unless you go to the extremely busy Chobe National Park or Moremi Game Reserve, the prices naturally inflate. Botswana has followed a model of high quality, low quantity in their approach to tourism and it is exceptional at just this. Botswana is home to some of the most spoiling experiences on the continent. The private reserves mean that a lodge which would cost you $700 per person per night in say, southern Tanzania, would cost you $1,300 per person per night in the watery and beautiful Okavango Delta… To get fantastic wildlife viewing and a huge diversity in activities, all in the privacy of your own slice of wilderness, you have to pay a premium!
Best value quality safari lodges in Botswana
Prices have inflated a lot in Botswana in recent years, and they just seem to be going up and up. A lodge like Pom Pom, which admittedly is in an exceptional game viewing area, is now $1,150 per person per night. Aside from the exceptional guiding and wildlife, the actual accommodation is fairly rustic. A fantastic option for some people, though we wonder whether Botswana isn’t going a bit over the top in prices across the board...
A fantastic new property has opened in the Kwara concession; Splash Camp which is a part of the Kwando range. It is very nicely presented and offers a bit more luxury for your money in an exceptional wildlife area but still comes in at $1,416 per person per night.
In order to slash the price of being in these private wildernesses though, we would recommend travelling off season in either May or November, to get still exceptional wildlife, but for a lot less. For example, Pom Pom over these months decreases to $826 per person per night, and Splash reduces to $1,040.
The best barefoot luxury safari lodges in Botswana
Barefoot-luxury safari lodges are a pretty special experience. Little Vumbura in particular is an office favourite. Set on a little island surrounded by water and in one of the most enviable parts of the Delta, Little Vumbura is a seriously special experience. The style is understated, yet authentically luxurious and we absolutely love it. It is not cheap though! Even without all the added luxuries like private pools and a more glitzy design, Little Vumbura is priced at $2,830 per person per night.
Going a little more intrepid, but no less luxurious is Duba Explorers. This is a tented camp, and really does capture the spirit of exploration in the wilderness, certainly without compromising on luxury. Duba Explorers is for those who crave authentic experiences, but expect a certain standard of opulence on their adventure. It is not a cheap camping experience at $1,900 per person per night.
The most luxurious safari lodges in Botswana
The most luxurious safari camp in Africa, and probably one of the best hospitality experiences in the world comes in Mombo Camp located on Chief’s Island in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Private pool galore, the world’s most impressive wildlife viewing opportunities, golden bathtubs, huge rooms and excellent food; it doesn’t get much better than this. As it is one of Africa’s flagship safari lodges… There is again, a price tag to match! In recent years, prices have soared and now in peak season, for one night the per person price is $3,800 USD… If you want the life of luxury, have a good Botswana budget, but can’t justify that per night amount, you could look at the still exceptionally spoiling Vumbura Plains, Duba Plains or Zarafa which are all priced at $3,000 per person per night.
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Grumeti River Camp - Serengeti, Western Corridor
Located in the western corridor area of the Serengeti, Grumeti River Camp, owned by &Beyond, has some great guiding and is an ideal base from which to experience the migration in June and July. One of the more luxurious options to stay at in this region of the Serengeti; it is a permanent camp with a small swimming pool and the usual excellent &Beyond service and staff throughout. We highly recommend this camp.
Our Rating:
Cost: $1,340
Guludo - Quirimbas Archipelago
Our View
The newest lodge to open in Mozambique. Guludo is actually on the mainland just North of Pemba and within the Quirimbas National Park. Set on a stunning and unspoilt stretch of the Indian Ocean the 9 spacious tented bandas give panoramic views through the netted walls, creating a feeling of being outside while inside.
Our Rating:
Cost: $345
Gunns Camp - Okavango Delta
Our View
Gunns Camp is part of the Under One Botswana Sky camp collection, an extremely well regarded safari operator with years of experience. With only 6 rooms, fantastic game, an excellent location and superb value for money, it’s a great camp to include in an Under One Botswana Sky circuit
Our Rating:
Cost: $810
Hemmingways - Indian Ocean Mainland
Our View
This hotel is a very good choice for those with a family or couples who like to be active while on holiday. Being relatively small compared to the goliaths around Mombasa, this hotel has really cornered the resort style hotel market and is also a must visit spot for the big game fishermen between August and April. All in all, it may not be quite suited to the quieter tastes of honeymooners, but the food and the surroundings certainly make it stand out.
Our Rating:
Cost: $375
Hideaway of Nungwi - Zanzibar, North Coast
This is a large resort but its the best, and one of the newest, of the many on Zanzibar. The rooms are surprisingly large and luxurious with views down the hill to the sea. The spa is enormous, the pool is very large and the dive centre has brand new equipment. The buffet, the stadard for all-inclusive guests, is good but Japanese, Indian and Afrcan are available. Most of our clients want something more intimate but if youre looking for a large resort that doesnt break the bank then Hideaway should be your first port of call.
Our Rating:
Cost: $225
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp - Skeleton Coast
Our View
Only accessible by light aircraft, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is as remote as is gets, occupying the northern-most corner of the private Palmwag concession. Many Namibian camps make you choose between scenery and game viewing but Hoanib offers the best of both worlds with the incredible Skeleton Coast a short flight away and the famous desert-adapted elephant in abundance around the camp. A beautiful camp in a beautiful location.
Our Rating:
Cost: $1,562
Honeyguide Khoka Moya Camp - Other Reserves
Our View
Khoka Moya is a steal. The camp offers a minimalist, adventure-style design but with all the luxuries you could wish for. Plus, it’s on the border of the Kruger National Park, so the wildlife is brilliant - but the Manyeleti reserve is private. That means you get a fraction of the crowds, and here, you don’t pay a premium for it.
Our Rating:
Cost: $400
Honeyguide Mantobeni Camp - Other Reserves
Our View
Mantobeni is the sister camp to Khoka Moya, also in Manyeleti. This is the option for those who want an old school safari experience in the African bush. Here the style is less kids-focused and a little more sophisticated, but still with an unbeatable price for some fantastic wildlife viewing.
Our Rating:
Cost: $400
Hotel Matlai - Zanzibar, East Coast
Hotel Matlai is an interesting property. If you’re not bothered by the quality of your beach then Matlai is a cool boutique beach hotel and excellent value. It has just 4 rooms, all right on the beach with unobstructed sea views. The management team have made it their aim to break the mould somewhat, with an small outdoor cinema, boules court, beach volleyball court, and butlers accessible by mobile phones. It’s just a shame about the beach, which is half rock, half sand.
Our Rating:
Cost: $200
Hotel Slipway - Hotel Slipway
Hotel Slipway was a good hotel for our overnight and it helped us adjust to the time zone. The air conditioning worked well and it was clean. We enjoyed a nice seafood dinner at one of their restaurants. It wasn’t as nice as our other hotels but we didn’t have any serious complaints. 4 out of 5!- D. Dale
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $75
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