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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Phinda Rock Lodge - Phinda
Our View
Found in the south of Phinda Private Game Reserve, Phinda Rock Lodge is set into the side of a hill boasting fantastic views and a real sense of welcome in the African wilderness. This is one of &Beyond's more exclusive lodges in Phinda and is perfect for couples and honeymooners looking for a luxurious safari that is great value for money.
Our Rating:
Cost: $760
Phinda Vlei Lodge - Phinda
Absolutely loved our time at Vlei Lodge, our ranger Matt was brilliant and all the staff so friendly and helpful. Our room was fantastic and we even had elephants drinking from our pool one of the mornings and could see Cheetahs from our deck on another. The team at Vlei pulled out all the stops for our honeymoon, we could not have asked for more. Truly amazing- A. Bowie
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $760
Phinda Zuka Lodge - Phinda
Our View
Phinda Zuka Lodge is found in the Western section of Phinda Private Game Reserve and is &Beyond's most simple and intimate lodge. For value for money, Zuka is hard to beat anywhere in Africa. Although the level of luxury and the range of facilities is not as prolific as other lodges in South Africa, the privacy and intimacy of Zuka makes it hard to beat.
Our Rating:
Cost: $570
Plantation Lodge - Ngorongoro Highlands
Albert, a superb guide, led us through Lake Manyara and the Ngorogoro Crater. The Coffee Plantation Lodge is beautiful.- A Kerwin/B Brukof
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $763
Pole Pole - Mafia Island
Pole Pole is a very peaceful and relaxed lodge; as soon as you arrive you instantly forget about the outside world and give in to a Pole Pole time… so a great place to base your self while you make the most of Mafia’s great diving. The lodge has recently been enhanced by the addition of an attractive new swimming pool.
Our Rating:
Cost: $250
Pom Pom - Okavango Delta
Our View
A very airy and tropical feel to the camp makes for a jumpy and bright atmosphere, predominantly aided by the sheer brilliant design of the open main area. With everything on your doorstep and only 15 minutes from its private airstrip, Pom Pom is an effortless, comfortable camp with everything on offer. It has a great mix of game and terrain and offers a great value camp in a sensible price bracket.
Our Rating:
Cost: $912
Pongwe Beach Hotel - Zanzibar, East Coast
Pongwe was stunning and a perfect place to laze about for a few days. We had a "garden view" room (the beach front rooms were all taken when we booked) and while it was set back from the beach that didn't matter at all as we still had a view of the beach from our front porch and we spent all of our time on the beach, by the pool or in the restaurant anyway. Pongwe is a low key beach resort, where you decide your own pace, it's not a big Club Med style resort, but more like some of the beach resorts in Thailand, where the thrill of the place is relaxing and deciding what you do rather than having activities thrown at you (although they were available if you wanted them).- S Kirby
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $164
Potato Bush - Lower Zambezi
Our View
Potato Bush is a young camp and usually they need a few years to teethe. But given the experience of the management and team behind the running of the camp, it has really taken off well. It may be pricey but it ticks a fair amount of boxes and all in all, depending on what you're after, this is a nice camp and most would say that it's worth the high price tag.
Our Rating:
Cost: $840
Praia Sundy - Principe Island
Our View
Praia Sundy is neatly nestled on the north western coast of Principe amidst enchanting tropical forest; it seamlessly blends in to its surroundings. Everything here offers the utmost comfort, yet without distracting from the glorious natural surroundings – it is eco luxury at its finest.
Our Rating:
Cost: $800
Primate Lodge - Uganda
Nestled in the heart of Kibale National Park, Primate Lodge is one of the very best lodges in Uganda in which to be based if your focus is tracking chimpanzees. The lodge is actually set in the forest and is so well placed that you may be lucky enough to wake up to find a chimpanzee on your verandah.
Our Rating:
Cost: $300
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