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.
I am very glad that we decided to end our trip at Matemwe Bungalows where the foods was fantastic and again the level of service exceptional.- L Hacking
Our View
Perfectly in tune with Matetsi Private Game Reserve’s pristine habitats, the exclusive andBeyond Matetsi River Lodge offers a safari oasis that combines an exceptional wildlife experience and 27km (17 miles) of private Zambezi River frontage with easy access to the majestic Victoria Falls.
Our View
Maxa is an exciting new opening in the north eastern reaches of the Okavango Delta offering simple, brilliant safaris in a wild setting, with the area’s famously varied activities and incredible wildlife. While Botswana tends to lean towards super luxury safari, Maxa is a refreshingly down to earth option, offering barefoot luxury for much less than many other camps in the region. It’s bringing Delta safaris back to basics, and we’re loving it.
Our View
Mboko Camp is set in a magnificent pot on a little patch of open savannah which sees species such as elephant and buffalo wander through camp. It’s a more spacious and restful base than the more intrepid gorilla-trekking camps in the region, and is all about enjoying the unique Congo wildlife.
Mchenja was equally impressive. Lovely facilities, great guides, excellent food, (even brand new Land Rovers. Very posh.)- T. Harding
Mdonya river camp is superb value for money .Our love for wildlife was recognised from the outset , and we enjoyed a vehicle to ourselves for the 4 nights we were there.The food was great although to be fair we did not always know exactly what we were eating ,and the camp ambience fantastic.- T Platt
Our View
It is a new lodge that in our view is still to really prove itself, However it is set in an idyllic and romantic location offering the perfect start or end to a honeymoon. The lodge is also very generously priced and have a great service. But the issue with it is getting there as it is a lot of travelling.your budget and travel dates, and your money is protected
by our ATOL bond.