Botswana: The Ultimate Wilderness Luxury
Botswana is, hands down, one of our favorite places in the world for luxury safari experiences. What makes this country extraordinary is its commitment to low-impact, high-end tourism, which means fewer crowds and more exclusivity. The Okavango Delta is a miracle of nature—a lush, water-filled paradise that teems with wildlife. The luxury lodges here are designed to immerse you fully into this wilderness without skimping on any creature comforts.
We love how safaris in Botswana feel like you have the whole place to yourself—whether it’s gliding silently in a mokoro (traditional canoe) through the delta’s waterways, watching elephants bathe, or flying in a helicopter over the Delta.
Botswana is a haven for those who want a true, unfiltered wilderness experience but with all the sophistication of a high-end retreat. The service is excellent, the lodges are often eco-friendly but ultra-luxurious, and the level of personalization—whether in the cuisine, private game drives, or unique experiences—makes it a top choice for anyone seeking the best in safari travel.
Okavango Delta
Mokoro Safari in the Okavango Delta: Glide silently through the intricate waterways of the Okavango Delta in a traditional dugout canoe (mokoro). This serene experience allows you to get up close to the delta’s diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes, often accompanied by knowledgeable guides who share insights into the ecosystem.
Private Helicopter Tour Over the Delta: Soar above the Okavango Delta in a private helicopter for a breathtaking aerial view of the expansive wetlands and the intricate maze of channels. This bird’s-eye perspective reveals the delta’s full splendor and offers fantastic opportunities for wildlife spotting.
&Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
In the heart of the Delta, on the edge of a waterway, you’ll find Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge. Situated on a diverse, wildlife-rich, private concession, Sandibe has exclusive traversing rights over a vast 22,500 hectares (55,600 acres) of wildlife land bordering the Moremi Game Reserve.
The inspired organic design of the lodge melts into the surrounding forest canopy of wild palms and gnarled fig trees. Trees will shade you as you approach the lodge; an intriguing curl and sweep of shingled wood comes into view, resembling a giant scaled pangolin at rest. Stairs open onto the high ceilings of the copper-toned and glassless guest area overlooking the Delta. From this central dining area, the wooden deck stretches beyond the roof, while the upstairs bar and lounge extend along an elevated walkway to a viewing platform.
&Beyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
Ideally positioned to explore the magnificane of the Okavango Delta, Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp is located on an exclusive 25,000 hectre wildlife concession,
The camp is known for its elegant tented accommodation, which boasts breathtaking views of both mature mopane woodlands and seasonally flooded grasslands. You have the priceless opportunity to discover the myriad wildlife wonders of this diverse land-water Okavango location.
&Beyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp
Xaranna nestles deep in the heart of Botswana’s game-rich Okavango Delta. With sweeping views opening up onto a seasonal lagoon, this light and airy camp enjoys luxurious solitude on its own Delta Island, within an exclusive 90,500-hectare (223,630-acre) wildlife concession.
Xaranna is a delightful camp, with just nine ensuite safari tents that luxuriously combine canvas, soft drapes and bleached timber. You’ll love the romantic outdoor sala, private plunge pool, indoor bathtub and al fresco shower. The overall atmosphere of the camp is cool, light and airy, in keeping with the gentle beauty of its environment. Taking inspiration from the Delta’s profusion of water lilies, the camp’s pastel colour tones are a delicate spectrum of olive greens, lily pinks and a chic yellow hue.
Belmond Eagle Island Lodge
Experience Africa’s ultimate water-focused safari at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge. Discover a modern, sophisticated sanctuary on a private island at the heart of the Okavango Delta.
Eagle Island Lodge brings timeless luxury to the Botswana wetlands. High-ceilinged tented rooms flood with light; each has a plunge pool and oversized bed with views of the Delta. Get closer to the wildlife of this UNESCO World Heritage Site—silently glide past hippos in a traditional canoe as fish eagles soar overhead.
Wilderness Mombo
Elevated on wooden decks beneath towering shade trees, Mombo overlooks a floodplain teeming with game. Elegant, expansive guest suites celebrate the history and traditions of the camp, while a large deck and plunge pool are ideal vantage points from which to observe the passing wildlife.
Located just off the northern tip of Chief’s Island, the largest landmass in the Okavango, Mombo is considered the most fertile area in the Delta, with its mix of habitats attracting large herds followed by numbers and varieties of predators.
Meals at Mombo are designed with conservation in mind, with healthy, delicious recipes that tread lightly on the Earth.
Rebuilt in 2018, Mombo maintains the integrity of its pristine environment through the use of natural materials, minimal human footprint and 100% solar status.
Wilderness Little Mombo
Rebuilt in 2018, Little Mombo is a celebration of our conservation purpose and, together with Mombo, is the spiritual home of the Botswana Rhino Reintroduction Project. It combines luxury and service excellence with the amazing natural splendour that is the Mombo wildlife area.
With just four suites tucked away on the other side of the same island, Little Mombo is a smaller, more intimate version of its sister camp. Built under a shady canopy of jackalberry and sausage trees, overlooking a floodplain regularly visited by herds of herbivores (and their predators), the camp has its own facilities, including a dining area, boma, kitchen, lounge and pool, while being connected to Mombo via a raised boardwalk.
Wilderness Jao
In the heart of the Okavango, luxurious Jao is set amongst islands fringed with riverine forests and vast floodplains with prolific wildlife. The fresh and contemporary design continues the sense of adventure that Jao has always prized, adding an element of surprise and delight in ever-evolving sculptural and architectural language.
Innovative insulation ensures comfort, while gauze and glass panels let natural light and the outside in. The suites and villas are cooled with a silent evaporative cooler, at a fraction of energy used by conventional air-conditioning, and Calore ‘fireplaces’ provide heating during the colder months.
Wilderness Little Vumbura
Little Vumbura is situated on a beautiful island in a private concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta. Surrounded as it is by water and lying close to large rivers, both water and land-based activities are as central to the overall experience, with both offering spectacular and diverse wildlife sightings.
Little Vumbura is a beautiful six-roomed tented camp shaded by the canopy of an ancient forest. Each well-appointed tent has en-suite facilities and a deck with incredible vistas. A plunge pool and reading area overlook the floodplains while a star deck is reached by a bridge from the dining area.
Vumbura Plains
Luxurious Vumbura Plains lies in an area that is a mix of water and dry land. The wildlife is diverse, so that both land and water activities on vehicles, mekoro and boats deliver an all-round African safari experience.
Vumbura Plains consists of two seperate but linked camps, consisting of a total of 14 raised, spacious rooms, unique and contemporary in design with indoor and outdoor showers and an en-suite bathroom. Additional features include a private plunge pool and ‘sala’ –from where you can watch the passing parade of wildlife or even enjoy a relaxing soothing massage.
Xigera Safari Lodge
The story of Xigera Safari Lodge is one of renewal. Of rebirth and family legacy, and of the pioneering spirit that drives us to seek out Africa’s wild spaces. The same spirit that inspired this remarkable reimagining, perhaps a complete reinvention, of an Okavango Delta safari. This is Xigera (pronounced ‘kee-jera’), named for the Pied Kingfisher that makes its home amid the watery channels of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve. Every aspect is handcrafted to beguile a guest’s senses and stir their souls – from the evocative interiors to one-of-a-kind encounters.
Xigera Safari Lodge is nestled beneath an impressive canopy of ancient jackalberry, mangosteen and leadwood trees. All twelve air-conditioned suites have been carefully sited to give endless floodplain views and the chance to watch passing wildlife.
Chobe National Park
River Cruises: Cruise along the Chobe River at sunset, witnessing dramatic wildlife scenes in an exclusive setting.
Private Game Drives: Enjoy intimate safari experiences in a private concession, enhancing your adventure with unparalleled access.
Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge
Stretching from the Linyanti River all the way to Savute Marsh, the winding waterways of the Savute Channel have pumped life into the western section of Chobe National Park for many thousands of generations. However, this fickle and unpredictable channel, which has a fascinating history of flooding and drying up, independently of good rainy seasons and flood levels elsewhere, has mystified local inhabitants, geologists and others for many years.
To ensure a private and relaxing environment, Savute Safari Lodge accommodates just 24 guests in 11 thatched chalets built of local timber and one family room which consists of two double bedrooms.
Here you can sink into one of the numerous comfortable leather, wood, or wicker sofas in the lounge – and library – or sip a cocktail in the stylish bar. All these facilities are situated in a beautiful two-story thatch-and-timber main building. Savute Safari Lodge offers a shaded viewing deck, an al fresco dining area, and swimming pool with spectacular pool loungers – ideal for watching the varied wildlife – including the resident elephants – as they make their way to the channel to drink, bathe, and play.