Best hotels in Botswana

As you might have guessed, Great Plains' latest camp is set on a gloriously private island in the Northern Okavango. On arrival, you'll scarcely believe such a place exists, with every corner providing a front row seat to this startlingly beautiful corner of Botswana. Hosting a maximum of eight guests, you'll have your guide's utmost attention whilst exploring the channels and lagoons, watching hippos wallow, elephant swimming, and the birdlife a-fluttering. And how could we forget the shy sitatunga antelope dwelling in the reeds of the Delta from which the camp takes its name?

As one of the few geographically elevated areas in Botswana, Ghoha Hills Lodge takes full advantage of its sweeping views over the surrounding Savute landscape. The lodge's remote location in this popular region makes for a more exclusive overall experience. Some of the best game viewing areas on offer are about an hour's drive away, but when the Savute Marsh is showing its full colours, it's well worth travelling across the world for. Hit it at its peak and you'll see things to rival the Serengeti. And the lodge provides all the luxury and relaxation you could want when you're away from the action.

Chobe Chilwero is a traditional-style safari lodge at the edge of Chobe National Park, where you'll find the world's largest single concentration of elephant. From the lodge you can enjoy far-reaching views across the floodplains and islands of the Chobe River across to Namibia. Guests are well looked-after in 15 large, solid-walled suites complete with aircon, and at the wonderfully luxuriant spa.

Amongst the glitzy 5 star offerings Botswana is famous for, Meno a Kwena has barefoot bohemian luxe down to a T. With eight vintage-style tents perched thrillingly on the edge of a rocky clifftop, the views of the Boteti River and accompanying menagerie of animals are can’t-take-your-eyes-off-it gorgeous. Further afield, the activities are brilliant and very varied with game drives, scenic flights and quad biking on offer in three pristine wildlife sanctuaries. And all this is combined with Meno’s inherent passion for the bush, wildlife and community development, which just makes us love it even more.

Wild Expeditions is on a mission to take intrepid travellers into the remotest corners of Africa, encouraging visitors to establish a meaningful connection with nature, sans frills or flourishes. The latest outpost, Karangoma, is located in 30,000 hectares of exclusive terrain near the origin point of the Selinda Spillway in the Okavango Delta. A name that harkens a good future in the Sembukushu language, Karangoma was established in close partnership with local elder, Olatotse Sarefo, and the camp is committed to maintaining genuine and reciprocated engagement with surrounding communities. And of course, its exceptional location means top-notch wildlife sightings from both land and water - and not another soul around to interrupt.

Well, it might not be a brand-new camp but The Jackal & Hide, the supplier of some of the best photographic safaris in the region, has been renamed Little Sable. Expect a camp of pared-down luxury with comfy rooms, subtly stylish touches and excellent views across the floodplains of Khwai. In the field, it’s all about an authentic, back-to-basics safari experience with classic game drives, mokoro safaris and boat trips all on offer – and all this comes at a truly fantastic price. What’s not to love?

Chobe Safari Lodge lies on the banks of the Chobe River, the artery of life for the Chobe National Park. The lodge is large (and popular, as its location dictates – this is where Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia meet), but its lovely setting in an area rich in indigenous flora and fauna, its comfortable accommodation and good food make this an ideal stopover for a few nights before or after a safari. The lodge has recently been renovated, and is an excellent launch pad for Chobe, Victoria Falls or the Caprivi Strip.

We've noticed recently that something strange is happening in the world of safari camps: Wi-Fi when you should be tuning your senses to the bush? Three course meals with all the queen's cutlery when you should be eating a finger-licking meal around the fire? Not at the Skybeds! Located northeast of the Okavango Delta in Khwai Private Reserve, bordering Moremi Game Reserve, these rustic platforms are the ultimate immersion in the wilderness. Head to the top of your three-storey platform for uninterrupted views over the vast, unfenced reserve and then fall asleep under a star-splattered sky. Here, there's nothing to worry about and everything to enjoy.

This stylish eco-conscious tented camp is situated in the bountiful Linyanti concession, near the source of the Savute Channel, in northern Botswana. Set amongst swamps, floodplains and mopane woodlands, Duma Tau is surrounded by lagoons teeming with hippo and water birds. Duma Tau means ‘roar of the lion’ and, as its name suggests, the camp offers great big cat sightings. Predators aside, it is also known for its large concentrations of elephants, as well as a rich variety of other game. Overall, a high quality facility that roars with offerings.

Five-star Camp Kuzuma lies on a small land concession in the 12,000-hectare (and very little-known) Kuzuma Forest Reserve in north-eastern Botswana. What makes this region especially important is its position, for this is the wildlife corridor between Chobe National Park (in Botswana) and Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park. At various times of the year, particularly in the dry winter months, the area sees as many elephants as anywhere in Africa, as the giants move between their two favourite parks. Additionally, the small, strategically placed camp draws wildlife to its own waterhole, making game viewing easy (if somewhat lacking in diversity).

Planet Baobab is a quirky oasis in the middle Botswana's lunar-like Makgadikgadi Pans, announced by a giant pink anteater statue on the road outside. Famous amongst the overlanding community (the camp sites are some of the best on the continent), the cool Baobab Huts make an excellent rest point for just about anyone looking to experience this strange slice of wilderness. It’s easy-going, festive and every likes a cold St. Louis beer, but rest assured that it’s also professional and well-organised with a host of accommodation options and a blockbuster of activities to suit all tastes and styles.

Elephant Pan is a comfortable and rustic small tented camp in a remote part of the huge Khwai Private Reserve. This vast wilderness area falls within some of Botswana’s finest game viewing areas, with Chobe National Park to the east, and Moremi National Park along the southern region. The camp overlooks a permanent waterhole, which acts as a magnet for a variety of species, particularly during the harsh dry season when water is scarce. Game viewing is superb, and the simplicity of the camp puts the focus firmly on a truly wild safari experience.