Chobe Elephant Camp

With a corrugated iron roof, sealed concrete floors and exposed wooden beams, the main area is simple and roomy with an airy ranch-style feel. You'll find the bar and lounge and open-air dining area under one roof. It's charming with select touches of animal skins and bright red cushions but is regrettably set a bit far back from the overlook for a view of the Chobe River and floodplains below. You'll have to venture to the pool area for that (amply sized and decently furnished), past the sandy boma area where guests convene for drinks around the campfire.

Within the rustic exteriors (sandbag walls, roughly plastered over and a corrugated iron roof) you'll find each of the twelve double rooms are open, spacious and light. White walls and high ceilings, splashes of color and well-selected decorative touches keep them refreshingly simple and uncluttered. You'll enjoy the verandah with double doors cleverly swinging outward for views over the tree canopy to the floodplain and river below. Each room has an en suite bathroom and indoor and outdoor shower. With polished concrete floors and touches of reclaimed timber, rooms are stylishly simple, nevertheless cozy and modern.

You'll be venturing into the Chobe National Park most days for game drives. A boat cruise is possible for guests staying at least three nights and is an all-day activity (boat cruises start close to Kasane, about a 50 minute's drive away), but the game-viewing is most productive along the Chobe River so it's well worth the effort. Canoeing along the Chobe floodplains is a delight. Also be aware that national park rules and restrictions apply - all vehicles must be out of the gates by sunset, which can make for a rushed evening activity, but is largely an unavoidable reality in national parks in general. Though this area is home to the largest population of elephants in Africa, it also hosts a range of other wildlife in large numbers - especially buffalo, which congregate around the river in the dry season especially (June-November). You will also find most other iconic African wildlife, with the exception of rhino. For an injection of culture and local flavour, a trip to meet the nearby Sibuya Tribe, is another must-do.