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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Savuti Safari Lodge - Linyanti
Our View
Perched on the banks of the Savuti Channel within the Chobe National Park, Savuti Safari Lodge offers an excellent location from which to explore the nearby Savuti Marsh.
Our Rating:
Cost: $920
Sayari Camp - Serengeti, North
We loved all the places you recommended, particularly Sayari Camp. The timing was incredible-- there were hardly any tourists and we got to see everything from rhinos to river crossings.- S. Draper
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $1,814
Seba - Okavango Delta
Our View
Once used full time as an elephant research facility, Seba Camp sits on a beautiful little lake. Predominantly now used for safari, the camp still offers clients a chance to mingle with the researchers who are working in the area. Alongside this, with access to good game viewing and the water of the lake, Seba is a fantastic option for families and couples alike. Our preferred camp in the Abu concession, Seba is a good option for those wanting wilderness rather than game abundance.
Our Rating:
Cost: $1,593
Selinda - Selinda
Our View
Selinda is part the Great Plains Conservation Group who have some other fantastic camps in the area and operate an incredible service. Although their camps are really luxurious, they are also extremely relaxed. You decide what you want to do - if you want to get up and go for a game drive at 0900 instead of 0530, you can. The area is brilliant, especially since the channels are filling up with water again making the game in the area fantastic. Huge herds of elephant push through in the dry months from May to October.
Our Rating:
Cost: $2,610
Selinda Explorers - Selinda
Our View
There's a saying that small things come in little packages... Selinda Explorers Camp in no exception! With only 3 tents plus a 2 bedroom family tent transports you back to the bygone era of Livingstone and Selous, both of whom wandered right through the area in which the camp is situated. The area is a prime predator habitat, with fantastic lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog. Good densities of giraffe, buffalo (in the dry season) and all the antelope – including even roan and sable and recently spotted eland – are possible sightings.
Our Rating:
Cost: $1,350
Selous Safari Camp - Selous
Jongomero and Siwandu were nothing short of paradise. Beautiful settings, unimaginably friendly staff, delicious food (and lots of it) and awesome game viewing. I must also add that Mark at Ras Kutani did a fantastic job of making Christmas special for us.We particular liked how jongo, Siwandu and Ras K were all distinct in style and made efforts to add little personalized touches. We have both travelled far and wide but can honestly say that the level of service (and enjoyment) was the best either of us have ever experienced. - R Badenoch
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $966
Selous Serena Camp - Selous
Serena was a really great Camp! We loved it… we went to the Serengeti last year to see the migration and the game here in Selous doesn’t have the same numbers but it feels really wild and like you really are in the middle of nowhere. We saw no other vehicles at all on our second day which was amazing, it was just us and the wilderness. We stalked a group of 4 lions all afternoon as they prowled around. The sundowners out on the boat are amazing too, one of the most romantic things I think we did on our honeymoon. - B. Davies
Our Rating:
Client Rating:
Cost: $329
Serena Dar es Salaam - Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam does not offer that much and therefore a hotel with all the mod cons in close proximity to the town centre (and golf course) is a very welcome break from the town’s somewhat hectic and lively atmosphere. The restaurant, Tradewinds, is one of the best in the city and a great place for a supper when staying in Dar es Salaam.
It is formerly known as the Royal Palm.
It is formerly known as the Royal Palm.
Our Rating:
Cost: $166
Serengeti Serena - Serengeti, Central
This is a beautiful hotel that has a very personal feel to it (as good as a big hotel can go) and a great location in the park. It has the edge on other hotels of its size, as the small huts allow for a real sense of privacy and feeling of being out in the bush. It is a perfect place to spend a few days year round, but particularly during the migration months of May through to July. If the more authentic option is something you are looking for we would recommend the mobile tented camps first, such as Dunia, but for the those wanting pools and for groups of children it is a good choice.
Our Rating:
Cost: $500
Serengeti Sopa - Serengeti, Central
The Serengeti Sopa is a large hotel. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing and the hotel certainly has its following with both the larger group tours and families. However, for the smaller and more intimate trip, while it has a good location set away from the busiest areas of this central area, it can still feel too busy. Our advice would be to go for the Serena Serengeti Hotel before Sopa. The company is more reliable and most of all the the lodge is more modern and comfortable. If you are looking for a larger hotel set in an area with year round reliable game (and the Migration from around June until the end of July) then the Serena is also wiser option.
Our Rating:
Cost: $326
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