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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Salalah Rotana Resort - Salalah
Our View
The newest luxury resort in the region, the Salalah Rotana offers both a relaxing place to unwind and a great base from which to explore the surrounding area.
Our Rating:
Cost: $500
San Camp - Makgadikgadi Pans
Our View
San Camp is a very special and unique experience; it is not sold for its wildlife focus, (although there is actually quite good game a full days game drive away). San is certainly not a great cat camp but a safari enthusiast can take great pleasure in the general herds and diversity of animals and birds on show, and the guiding, walking and quad biking are superb.
Our Rating:
Cost: $1,480
Sand Rivers - Selous
Sand Rivers was exceptional because we had a private guide for just the two of us, the opportunity to take a boat trip upriver and do some fishing in addition to the standard game drives was also a nice change.- D Shafer
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $922
Sandibe - Okavango Delta
Our View
We visited Sandibe a month before its re-opening in September 2014 and found a brave but successful redesign of an &Beyond lodge we used to dislike because of its concrete foundations. It is one of the best concessions in Botswana for game and it now has a very good lodge to match.
Our Rating:
Cost: $2,560
Santorini Mozambique - Mozambique Mainland
Our View
If you were to pick up Santorini, plonk it in Mozambique and springle some African magic on it, this hotel would be the result. On the mainland coast, Santorini is a blissful island escape, with sweeping ocean views, scrumptious food and calming accommodation.
Our Rating:
Cost: $705
Sapi Explorer Camp - Mana Pools
Sapi Explorer Camp is the new camp from Great Plains. Small, intimate and located in a very large private concession that runs adjacent to the Eastern borders of Mana Pools National Park, Sapi is a must for safari lovers. This is a newly opened concession which has some wonderful game viewing opportunities and is an excellent addition to a Mana Pools safari.
Our Rating:
Cost: $1,073
Sarara - Mathews Range
Sarara is in the middle of the wilderness, yet the accommodation are amazingly comfortable, the staff are incredible and the meals were delicious and elegantly served. Not as much game in this part of Kenya but great views of the waterhole from the camp we here all sorts of animals including elephant and hyena coming down to drink!- K. Winterton
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $975
Saruni - Greater Mara
Our View
Saruni is a great little lodge, set up in the hills that overlook the Mara Plains and is the perfect escape from the heat and bustle of the Reserve. Each of the rooms is an eclectic mix of Italian and African styling, each with fantastic views to the plains below. The main benefit of the camp is that it is set all on its own and so, if you need to get away from it all, then the walking and game driving in the area is great….but it is not the in Mara and access to the park is limited, but possible.
Our Rating:
Cost: $936
Sasaab - Samburu
Really lovely camp, enjoyed the lack of people and sense of isolation. Reminded us a little of camps in Namibia. Had great leopard sightings, including a kill, but just generally really enjoyed the camp. It was really beautiful, camp was gorgeous, facilities excellent.- S. Goatley
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $1,078
Sasakwa Lodge - Serengeti, Grumeti Reserves
Our honeymoon was perfection!We absolutely LOVED Singita Sasawaka Lodge....5 paws all the way! The service was incredible, the food, the wine, the guide...they thought of things that we weren't expecting and blew us away. Huge Singita fan now! - L Orabona
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $1,963
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