BOTSWANA SAFARI STAYS
Where Wilderness Meets Quiet Luxury
Handpicked lodges, tented camps and safari stays across the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Savuti, Linyanti, Makgadikgadi Pans, Central Kalahari and Maun.
MOST REWARDING SAFARI DESTINATIONS
Stay Close to Botswana's Wild Heart
Botswana is one of Africa's most rewarding safari destinations: vast, wild, water-shaped and deeply atmospheric. Here, the Okavango and Chobe rivers sustain extraordinary ecosystems, while the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi reveal a quieter kind of beauty — salt, sky, desert wildlife and open space.
Safari stays in Botswana are often intimate, remote and carefully positioned. Some are reached by light aircraft. Others sit beside rivers, floodplains, lagoons or pans. Many are small by design, giving travellers a stronger sense of privacy and a closer connection to the wilderness around them.
With 20+ years of regional expertise and 2021/2024 TripAdvisor Award-winning service, Blue Crane Safaris helps match each traveller to the right lodge, camp, route and season. Whether you are looking for five-star Delta luxury, a family-friendly Chobe lodge, an authentic tented camp or a practical gateway stay, we help make the journey feel seamless.
THE BOTSWANA VIBE
Botswana does not need to announce itself loudly. Its luxury lies in space, silence and access to some of Africa's most intact wilderness. Water moves through reeds. Elephants cross floodplains. Fish eagles call over lagoons. At night, canvas walls carry the sound of frogs, lions, insects and wind.
In the Okavango Delta, the safari rhythm follows water: mokoro channels, island walks, floodplain drives and quiet moments on private decks. In Chobe, wildlife gathers along the river in remarkable numbers. In Savuti and Linyanti, the atmosphere becomes more raw and predator-led. In the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi, the landscape widens into salt pans, ancient baobabs, meerkat encounters, San culture and desert-adapted wildlife.
BEST TIME TO VISIT BOTSWANA
Peak, Green, Shoulder
PEAK SEASON
June – October
Drier winter months. Vegetation thins, animals gather at water. Best for first-timers, Delta water activities, predator tracking and high-density game viewing. Popular — plan early.
GREEN SEASON
December – April
Vivid landscapes, dramatic skies, migratory birds, newborn wildlife. Zebra and wildebeest movement across Makgadikgadi, Nxai and Central Kalahari. Ideal for photographers, birders and repeat travellers.
SHOULDER
October & November
Intense, hot and unpredictable. October delivers powerful wildlife activity around remaining water; November brings the first rains and a visible shift. Memorable for flexible, experienced travellers.
WHICH BOTSWANA SAFARI STAY IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Guidance by traveller type
For First-Time Safari Travellers
Consider combining the Okavango Delta with Chobe. This pairing gives you water, wildlife, riverfront safari, strong lodge infrastructure and the option to add Victoria Falls.
☆ Okavango Delta
☆ Moremi & Khwai
☆ Chobe River & Kasane
For Luxury Travellers
Choose remote private concessions, refined tented suites and lodges with strong guiding, low vehicle density and seamless fly-in access.
☆ Mombo Camp
☆ Xigera Safari Lodge
☆ Jao Camp
☆ Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
☆ DumaTau Camp
☆ King's Pool Camp
☆ Chobe Chilwero
☆ Chobe Water Villas
☆ Jack's Camp
For Families
Look for camps with family suites, child-friendly policies, private vehicle options and age-appropriate activity planning.
☆ Chobe River & Kasane
☆ Khwai
☆ Okavango Delta camps with family suites
☆ Maun gateway stays
For Photographers
Prioritise private concessions, hides, waterholes, floodplain views, birdlife, dramatic light and fewer vehicles.
☆ Khwai and Mababe
☆ Linyanti and Selinda
☆ Savuti
☆ Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan
☆ Tuli Block
For Return Safari Travellers
Move beyond the obvious combinations and explore the wilder edges of Botswana.
☆ Savuti
☆ Linyanti, Kwando & Selinda
☆ Central Kalahari
☆ Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan
☆ Okavango Panhandle
☆ Tuli Block
4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Okavango Delta & Private Concessions
The Okavango Delta is Botswana's water-world: a maze of channels, islands, lagoons and floodplains spreading into the Kalahari. Stays here often feel deeply removed from everyday life, with access by light aircraft, boat or safari vehicle setting the tone before you even arrive.
This is the region for travellers who want the classic Botswana dream: refined tented suites, water and land-based activities, exceptional birdlife, strong wildlife viewing and a sense of being held inside the wilderness rather than simply visiting it.
Featured Stays:
4 Rivers
A modern tented camp in the private Kwara Concession, surrounded by permanent waterways and predator-rich wilderness. Best for travellers wanting an uncrowded Delta safari with off-road drives, night drives, boating, seasonal mokoro excursions and strong big game potential.
Atzaro Okavango
A polished luxury camp on the edge of a lagoon between Gomoti Plains and Moremi Game Reserve. Best for travellers seeking high-end comfort, wellness, private decks, plunge pools and a varied mix of game drives, walking safaris, boating, mokoro excursions and optional helicopter flights.
Baines Lodge
An intimate Delta lodge set on a private concession beside Moremi Game Reserve. Best for guests wanting a small, elegant and sustainability-conscious stay with day and night drives, mokoro trips, boat safaris, walking safaris and quiet lagoon views.
Chitabe Camp
A freshly refurbished classic camp in the southeastern Okavango, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Best for travellers focused on game drives, predator activity, wild dog sightings and a comfortable, unfenced camp experience.
Chitabe Lediba Camp
A small sister camp to Chitabe, set on a tree-covered island with only a handful of tents. Best for travellers who value intimacy, seclusion, family-friendly options and wildlife viewing across grassland, woodland and wetland.
Duba Plains Camp
A highly exclusive luxury camp in the northern Okavango Delta, known for floodplain views, refined tents and a strong sense of wilderness theatre. Best for travellers seeking a top-end, fly-in Delta experience with game drives, boating, fishing and optional helicopter flights.
Duba Explorers Camp
A small, retro-style camp in the private Duba Concession. Best for guests who prefer a classic explorer atmosphere, private concession game drives, seasonal water activities and a more traditional safari mood.
Duke’s Camp
A solar-powered classic safari camp in the northern Okavango Delta, inspired by vintage expedition style. Best for travellers wanting a refined off-grid experience with game drives, mokoro trips, birding, fishing, boating and old-world safari character.
Duke’s East Camp
An intimate 1940s-style sister camp with only four tents and a strong vintage safari atmosphere. Best for travellers seeking privacy, elegance, panoramic floodplain views and the option of exclusive-use family or group travel.
Eagle Island Lodge
A water-loving luxury lodge on Xaxaba Island, known for romance, private plunge pools and a strong sense of Delta ease. Best for honeymooners and travellers wanting boating, helicopter flights, canoeing, horseback riding, game drives and relaxed island luxury.
Gomoti Plains Camp
A classic tented camp on the edge of the Gomoti River, with elevated Meru-style tents and family-friendly options. Best for guests wanting a softer luxury feel, mokoro rides, boat trips, fishing, safari drives and in-room spa treatments.
Jao Camp
A striking architectural lodge on a remote island in the private Jao Reserve. Best for travellers seeking high-end design, spacious suites and villas, land and water activities, spa facilities, birding and family-friendly private guiding options.
Kwetsani
An intimate five-suite treetop camp on a palm-fringed island in the Jao Reserve. Best for travellers wanting floodplain views, a small-camp atmosphere, mokoro and boating activities, walking safaris, birding and seasonal fishing.
Little Vumbura Camp
A relaxed island camp in the northern Delta, reached by boat and surrounded by permanent water and floodplains. Best for guests wanting an easygoing, intimate stay with mokoro excursions, boating, game drives, walks and a strong sense of classic Delta living.
Mombo Camp
A celebrated luxury camp on Chief’s Island, known for exceptional game viewing and refined design. Best for travellers prioritising wildlife density, rhino potential, expert guiding, wellness facilities and one of Botswana’s most iconic safari settings.
Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
A refined tented camp in a private concession bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Best for travellers looking for a strong balance of five-star comfort, water safaris, game drives, walking safaris, birding and excellent guiding.
Pom Pom Camp
A long-standing favourite in a private Okavango concession, overlooking permanent waterways. Best for travellers wanting an intimate, comfortable camp with mokoro trips, motorboat safaris, night drives, seasonal walking and rich birdlife.
Rra Dinare Camp
A remote, wildlife-focused camp on a private concession beside Moremi Game Reserve. Best for travellers wanting an authentic Delta experience with no digital distractions, day and night drives, mokoro trips and flexible guiding.
Mma Dinare
A sister camp to Rra Dinare overlooking the Gomoti River in a private concession. Best for travellers seeking wetland, savannah, woodland and riverine habitats, with game drives, night drives, mokoro trips and strong wildlife diversity.
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
A sculptural luxury lodge on a private concession bordering Moremi. Best for travellers drawn to distinctive design, land-based safari, exceptional game drives, private plunge pools, family-friendly programming and sustainability-led architecture.
Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp
A light-filled island retreat overlooking a seasonal lagoon in a private Delta concession. Best for travellers seeking romance, wellness, private plunge pools, mokoro excursions, game drives, guided walks, birding and an intimate Delta atmosphere.
Xigera Safari Lodge
A highly luxurious and design-led lodge in a private Moremi concession, known for art, generous suites and refined hospitality. Best for travellers seeking a top-tier Delta stay with land and seasonal water activities, spa treatments, helicopter flights and an optional Baobab Treehouse sleep-out.
3-STAR, 4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Moremi, Khwai & Mababe
Moremi and Khwai offer some of Botswana’s most compelling wildlife experiences. Here, floodplains, lagoons, grasslands, woodland and river systems meet in a region known for strong predator activity, elephant movement, birdlife and year-round game viewing.
Khwai has a distinctive community-concession character, with access to both the Khwai Concession and Moremi Game Reserve. Mababe extends the experience toward wilder, more remote territory between the Okavango and Chobe systems.
Featured Stays:
Camp Moremi
A welcoming lodge on the edge of Xakanaxa Lagoon in Moremi Game Reserve. Best for travellers wanting a land-and-water Delta experience, with game drives, boat safaris, lagoon views and a calm, classic lodge setting.
Camp Xakanaxa
A classic Delta camp overlooking Xakanaxa Lagoon, with year-round land and water activities. Best for travellers wanting one of Moremi’s original safari experiences, combining daytime game drives, motorboat safaris and mokoro excursions.
Camp Okavango
An island lodge deep in the Delta, surrounded by lagoons, islands and permanent waterways. Best for travellers wanting a water-based safari with mokoro excursions, boat safaris, island walks, birdwatching and seasonal fishing.
Chief’s Camp
A luxury lodge on Chief’s Island in a game-rich private concession. Best for travellers wanting high-end accommodation, predator activity, rhino potential and classic Delta game viewing.
Delta Camp
A remote, characterful camp in a permanent Delta channel. Best for travellers seeking a more rustic, intimate and guide-led experience focused on mokoro excursions, walking safaris and a deep connection to the Delta.
Elephant Pan
A refurbished camp in the Khwai Private Reserve, overlooking a natural water pan. Best for travellers wanting close elephant activity, photographic hides, open camp atmosphere, game drives, walks and optional skybed experiences.
Gunn’s Camp
An intimate eco-camp on Ntswi Island in the Delta, with elevated tented suites and strong water-based activities. Best for travellers who prefer mokoro excursions, walks, boat safaris, island camping and a quieter style of safari.
Hideaways Camelthorn Bush Camp
A low-impact bush camp near Moremi and the Chobe Corridor. Best for travellers wanting an authentic safari feel with bucket showers, solar lighting, day and night drives, mokoro excursions, bush walks and evenings around the fire.
Khwai Bush Camp
A family-oriented lodge on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta, looking out toward Moremi. Best for families and travellers wanting luxury, game drives, night drives, walks, mokoro trips, cultural visits and child-focused safari activities.
Khwai Guesthouse
A small guesthouse in Khwai village, offering a more accessible and community-connected safari base. Best for travellers wanting a comfortable, lower-cost alternative to high-end camps, with access to Moremi, Khwai activities and village life.
Khwai Leadwood
A riverside camp in the community-run Khwai Concession, shaded by trees and separated from Moremi by the Khwai River. Best for families and travellers wanting refined tented comfort, river views, day and night drives, walking safaris and seasonal mokoro excursions.
Khwai Lediba
A lush riverbank sanctuary raised above the Khwai floodplain. Best for travellers seeking a polished tented camp with strong wildlife, private decks, river activity, seasonal mokoro experiences and community connection.
Khwai Tented Camp
A simple, back-to-the-bush camp in the Khwai Community Concession. Best for guests who want a more traditional tented safari with river views, open camp atmosphere, night drives, walks and strong guiding.
Little Sable Camp
A relaxed and stylish camp in the Khwai Private Reserve. Best for travellers wanting excellent value in a wildlife-rich area, with game drives, night drives, mokoro excursions, seasonal boating, skybeds and an underground hide.
Mogotlho Safari Lodge
An off-grid tented lodge in the Mababe region beside the Khwai River. Best for travellers wanting a relatively accessible Botswana safari with elephants, predators, night drives, bush walks, cultural visits and seasonal mokoro excursions.
Mokete Camp
A remote camp in the Mababe Depression, accessed by light aircraft and helicopter. Best for seasoned safari travellers seeking raw Botswana, exclusive land-based activities, big herds, predator action, a sunken hide and a true sense of frontier wilderness.
Moremi Crossing
An eco-friendly lodge overlooking the Boro River and Chief’s Island. Best for travellers wanting a more accessible Delta stay with mokoro safaris, walking safaris, sunset cruises, seasonal game drives and a softer price point than many high-end camps.
Sango Safari Camp
A small tented camp on the Khwai River, blending mobile-safari character with lodge comforts. Best for travellers wanting intimate guiding, Moremi and Khwai access, day and night drives, walking safaris, mokoro trips and village visits.
3-STAR, 4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Chobe River & Kasane
Chobe is Botswana’s riverfront wildlife theatre. The Chobe River draws elephants, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, plains game, predators and prolific birdlife into close view. It is also one of the easiest regions to combine with Victoria Falls, making it a strong choice for first-time travellers, families and guests who want excellent safari access without deep remote logistics.
Kasane and the Chobe riverfront offer a broad range of stays — from large established resorts and practical lodges to intimate boutique camps and polished luxury retreats.
Featured Stays:
Camp Kuzuma
A secluded off-grid camp in the Chobe Enclave, set in a wildlife corridor between Chobe and Hwange. Best for travellers wanting a small tented camp, elephant movement, waterhole viewing, Chobe River cruises and solar-powered seclusion.
Chobe Bakwena Lodge
An intimate eco-lodge on the Chobe River near the meeting point of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Best for travellers wanting river views, personal service, value, Chobe game drives, river safaris, village walks and Victoria Falls day trips.
Chobe Chilwero
A plush luxury lodge overlooking the Chobe River. Best for travellers wanting large suites, spa treatments, fine dining, river cruises, game drives, sport fishing and easy access to Victoria Falls.
Chobe Elephant Camp
A hilltop lodge with expansive views over the Chobe floodplains. Best for travellers who want elephant-focused safari, rustic-modern design, wide views, game drives, river safaris, village visits and a relaxed lodge atmosphere.
Chobe Game Lodge
One of the only lodges inside Chobe National Park, facing the Chobe River. Best for travellers wanting early access to wildlife, electric vehicles and boats, river views, strong guiding and a more established lodge experience.
Chobe River Lodge
A small riverside lodge in Kasane, close to the park entrance and airport. Best for travellers wanting an intimate, convenient base with game drives, boat cruises, Victoria Falls day trips and a quieter riverfront setting.
Chobe Safari Lodge
A well-known Kasane lodge overlooking the Chobe River, with varied accommodation options and strong activity access. Best for travellers wanting a practical, scenic and activity-rich base for Chobe safaris and Victoria Falls add-ons.
Chobe Safari Lodge Campsite
A popular riverbank campsite in Kasane beneath large trees. Best for self-drive travellers and campers wanting lodge facilities, Chobe River views, park access, sunset cruises, game drives and Victoria Falls day trips.
Chobe Savanna Lodge
An intimate river-focused lodge on the Namibian side of the Chobe River, facing Chobe National Park. Best for travellers wanting a quieter riverfront stay, motorboat safaris, fishing, sunset cruises and relaxed game viewing from the water.
Chobe Under Canvas
A simple, mobile tented camp for travellers who prefer nature over polish. Best for guests wanting classic under-canvas safari, included game drives and boat cruises, open-fire meals and a closer-to-the-bush Chobe experience.
Chobe Water Villas
An elegant all-inclusive river lodge in Namibia’s Zambezi Region, overlooking Sedudu Island and Chobe National Park. Best for travellers wanting exclusive water villas, 180-degree views, river safaris, Chobe drives, spa treatments and refined riverfront comfort.
Kubu Lodge
A homegrown river lodge near Kasane, surrounded by gardens and rustic charm. Best for travellers wanting an unpretentious Chobe base with chalets, river views, game drives, river safaris, fishing and Victoria Falls day trips.
Kwalape Safari Lodge
A laid-back lodge between Kazungula and Kasane, close to the Chobe River. Best for travellers wanting a practical base with chalets, rooms, safari tents, boat cruises, game drives and Victoria Falls access.
Kwalape Campsite
A practical campsite near Kasane and the Chobe River. Best for overland and self-drive travellers wanting affordable access to Chobe, lodge facilities, boat cruises, game drives and a route stop close to Victoria Falls.
Lenyebi River Lodge
An intimate owner-run retreat on the Chobe riverfront, close to Kasane Airport. Best for travellers wanting a boutique bed-and-breakfast base with river views, easy park access, boat cruises, game drives and a peaceful setting.
Mowana Safari Resort & Spa
A large riverside resort built around an ancient baobab tree in Kasane. Best for travellers wanting a more resort-style Chobe stay with river views, spa, golf, restaurants, game drives, river cruises and easy logistics.
Muchenje Safari Lodge
An independently owned lodge on the quieter western side of Chobe National Park. Best for travellers wanting elevated river views, a more personal lodge atmosphere, strong guiding, full-day safaris, boat cruises, walks and night drives.
Ngoma Safari Lodge
A boutique lodge built high on a ridge above the Chobe River. Best for travellers wanting river views, private plunge pools, community benefit, game drives, river cruises, village visits and a refined lodge experience less than an hour from Kasane Airport.
3-STAR, 4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Savuti
Savuti is Botswana at its most dramatic: open woodland, marsh, channel, predators, elephants and shifting seasonal movement. The Savuti Channel is famous for its mysterious cycles of flowing and drying, while the region’s wildlife reputation has been shaped by lions, hyena, elephant concentrations and zebra migration.
This is the place for travellers who want raw, focused game viewing and a sense of being deep in the more primal reaches of Chobe National Park.
Featured Stays:
Camp Savuti
A small tented camp in the game-rich Savuti region. Best for travellers who want clean, simple comfort, strong game drives, Savuti Channel views and a safari where wildlife remains the main event.
Ghoha Hills
A remote hilltop lodge overlooking the Savuti Marshes. Best for travellers wanting wide views, solar-powered luxury tents, game drives, zebra migration potential, birding, stargazing and a dramatic sense of isolation.
Savute Safari Lodge
A classic lodge overlooking the Savuti Channel and a permanent waterhole. Best for travellers wanting elevated suites, waterhole viewing, game drives, birding, strong predator potential and the comfort of an established Savuti lodge.
Savute Elephant Lodge
A luxury lodge overlooking the Savuti Channel and waterhole. Best for travellers seeking refined comfort in a wild setting, with game viewing from the lodge, guided drives, birdwatching and stargazing.
Savute Under Canvas
A semi-permanent mobile camp with only five tents and no Wi-Fi. Best for travellers wanting to disconnect completely, experience classic tented safari, track Savuti wildlife and spend evenings around the fire beneath clear skies.
4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Linyanti, Kwando & Selinda
Linyanti, Kwando and Selinda offer a quieter, more remote northern Botswana safari. These private reserves and concessions are shaped by wetlands, floodplains, river systems, woodland and predator corridors. Elephant herds, buffalo, lion, leopard, wild dog and exceptional birdlife are part of the appeal.
This region is particularly suited to travellers who value exclusivity, low vehicle density, strong guiding, night drives, walking safaris and the freedom of private concession activities.
Featured Stays:
Camp Linyanti
A small tented camp on the edge of the Linyanti floodplain. Best for travellers wanting a quieter, intimate camp with day and night drives, seasonal boating and fishing, guided walks and strong dry-month wildlife.
DumaTau Camp
A solar-powered luxury camp between elephant corridors on the Linyanti River. Best for travellers wanting exceptional elephant encounters, river safaris, private plunge pools, spa facilities, game drives, boating, walks and helicopter options.
King’s Pool Camp
A classic luxury camp overlooking Oxbow Lake and the Linyanti River. Best for travellers wanting private plunge pools, hides, seasonal boat cruises, day and night drives, walking safaris and superb elephant and predator viewing.
Lagoon Camp
One of only two camps in the private Kwando Reserve. Best for travellers wanting big game, large herds, predator sightings, guide-and-tracker game drives, off-road viewing, night drives, walking safaris, boat cruises and seasonal fishing.
Lebala Camp
An intimate camp in the private Kwando Reserve, known for wide-open spaces and big game. Best for travellers wanting unfenced wilderness, off-road drives, night drives, walking safaris, wild dogs, elephant herds and a deep sense of space.
Linyanti Bush Camp
A small luxury tented camp in a private concession on the edge of Chobe. Best for travellers wanting a refined but grounded Linyanti stay, strong predator density, elephant herds, walking safaris, mokoro excursions and optional helicopter flights.
Linyanti Ebony Camp
A small offshoot of Linyanti Bush Camp with only four tented suites. Best for families, couples and small groups wanting intimacy, marshland views, game drives, night drives, walking safaris, mokoro excursions, boating and birding.
Linyanti Tented Camp
An exclusive-use explorer-style camp for families and small groups. Best for travellers wanting privacy, flexible pacing, day and night drives, guided walks, floodplain views and a clean, minimalist under-canvas feel.
Selinda Camp
A classic luxury camp in the wildlife-rich Selinda Reserve. Best for travellers wanting conservation-led safari, raised suites, floodplain views, game drives, walking safaris, seasonal water activities, photographic hides and polished service.
Selinda Explorers Camp
A small traditional safari camp on the Selinda Spillway. Best for travellers wanting old-school explorer style, exclusivity, game drives, walking safaris, seasonal mokoro trips, fishing and a strong sense of classic Botswana.
3-STAR, 4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan & Nata
The Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan region offers a completely different Botswana. Here, the luxury is not only in lodge design but in space, silence and scale. Salt pans shimmer in the heat. Baobabs stand like ancient markers. Meerkats, brown hyena, desert-adapted wildlife, zebra migration and San cultural experiences shape the mood.
During Green Season, the landscape can transform with rain, birdlife and seasonal movement. During the drier months, the pans reveal their stark, elemental beauty.
Featured Stays:
Camp Kalahari
A relaxed and understated camp on Hyena Island, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Best for travellers wanting meerkats, quad biking, San walks, game drives, night drives, horseback safaris and a characterful desert-camp atmosphere.
Jack’s Camp
An iconic luxury camp in the Makgadikgadi, combining vintage safari drama with desert scale. Best for travellers seeking high-end tented accommodation, San-guided walks, meerkat encounters, quad biking, horse riding, sleep-outs and seasonal migration activity.
Jack’s Private Camp
An exclusive-use under-canvas villa inspired by Jack’s Camp. Best for families, small groups and privacy-focused travellers wanting a private guide, dedicated staff, flexible scheduling, desert picnics, private dining and access to Makgadikgadi activities.
Leroo La Tau
A lodge overlooking the Boteti River on the edge of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Best for travellers wanting elevated river views, zebra and wildebeest movement, game drives, cultural visits and a strong sense of Kalahari edge.
Moela Safari Lodge
A locally built lodge in the Boteti River Valley, designed with community and environment in mind. Best for travellers wanting wildlife views, San-guided activities, access to Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan and Central Kalahari, and a community-rooted stay.
Nata Lodge
A useful stopover near the crossroads town of Nata and the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Best for self-drive routes between Chobe, Victoria Falls, Makgadikgadi, the Delta and Central Kalahari, with birding, pans excursions and baobab breakfasts.
Nxai Pan Lodge
An eco camp overlooking a waterhole in Nxai Pan National Park. Best for travellers wanting Baines’ Baobabs, desert wildlife, waterhole viewing, Bushman tracker walks and the possibility of seeing zebra migration during Green Season.
3-STAR, 4-STAR & 5-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Central Kalahari
The Central Kalahari is vast, remote and quietly powerful. This is not a water-based safari or a conventional riverfront lodge circuit. It is a landscape of grassland, fossil valleys, pans, acacia, camelthorn and long horizons.
Wildlife is more dispersed than in river-fed regions, but the rewards can be profound: black-maned lions, cheetah, brown hyena, oryx, giraffe, wild dog, San tracking, stargazing and a sense of Africa stripped back to its essentials.
Featured Stays:
Deception Valley Lodge
An intimate lodge on a vast private conservancy along the Central Kalahari boundary. Best for travellers wanting Kalahari wildlife, Bushman tracking, night drives, stargazing, space and a strong owner-run lodge atmosphere.
Dinaka Safari Lodge
An elegant private safari lodge in the Central Kalahari region. Best for travellers wanting soft tented comfort, day and night drives, San walks, birding, stargazing and time around a waterhole.
Feline Fields Lodge
An intimate lodge in the remote northwest Kalahari between the Okavango Delta and Namibia. Best for couples and families seeking open-air design, privacy, horseback safaris, Bushman encounters, fat bikes, spa, tennis and starbed experiences.
Grassland Lodge
A family-run lodge in the Central Kalahari region, known for hospitality and San cultural experiences. Best for travellers wanting a genuine Kalahari stay with game drives, Bushman activities, predator protection experiences, rhino tracking and horseback options.
Little Sable Camp
A relaxed Khwai Private Reserve camp that may also suit travellers looking for a softer bridge between Delta wildlife and more adventurous Botswana regions. Best used in itineraries that combine Khwai with Chobe, Savuti or Kalahari contrasts.
Moela Safari Lodge
Although linked to the Makgadikgadi region, Moela also works well in itineraries that explore the broader Kalahari edge. Best for travellers wanting community-built accommodation, wildlife viewing, San guiding and access to several nearby reserves.
2-STAR, 3-STAR & 4-STAR GATEWAY STAYS
Maun & Gateway Stays
Maun is where many Botswana safaris begin. Set along the Thamalakane River, it is the country’s safari capital and the gateway to the Okavango Delta, Moremi, Chobe, Makgadikgadi and Central Kalahari.
Most travellers use Maun as a practical arrival, departure or overnight point rather than a deep wilderness destination. The right stay here can smooth the logistics: airport access, pre-safari rest, self-drive preparation, charter flight connections or a relaxed pause after time in the bush.
Featured Stays:
Audi Camp
A relaxed camp beside the Thamalakane River, close to Maun and the road toward Moremi. Best for flexible travellers wanting campsites, pre-erected tents, mini Meru tents, luxury tents or a self-catering house before or after safari.
Cresta Maun Hotel
A practical Maun hotel option that may be used when location, availability, cost or itinerary design makes it the right fit. Best for travellers needing a functional stopover rather than a wilderness-led lodge experience.
Grays Eden Sanctuary
A boutique Maun hotel along the Thamalakane River, combining refined simplicity with a peaceful riverside setting. Best for travellers wanting a softer, more polished stopover with villas, cottages, spa, pool and restaurant.
Maun Lodge
A hotel-style safari lodge on the edge of the Thamalakane River, close to town and the airport. Best for travellers needing a comfortable Maun overnight with restaurant, shuttle, pool, room choice and access to local activities.
Maun Studios
A family-run guesthouse on the Thamalakane River with private studios, gardens and a homely atmosphere. Best for travellers wanting a quiet pre- or post-safari stay, self-contained space, riverside calm and proximity to Maun Airport.
2-STAR, 3-STAR & 4-STAR WATER-BASED STAYS
Okavango Panhandle & River Route Connectors
The Okavango Panhandle is quieter and more river-focused than the central Delta. This is a region of permanent water, fishing, birdlife, mokoro excursions, cultural sites and route connections between Botswana and Namibia.
These stays are especially useful for travellers building longer Southern Africa itineraries, self-drive routes or slower journeys that connect the Okavango River, Caprivi/Zambezi Region, Delta and Victoria Falls corridors.
Featured Stays:
Drotsky’s Cabins
A family-run river lodge near the Namibia border on the Okavango Panhandle. Best for self-drive travellers, Namibia-Botswana combinations, fishing, boating, birding and visits to the Tsodilo Hills rock art site.
Guma Lagoon Camp
A rustic camp on Guma Lagoon, known for fishing, birding and raw Delta atmosphere. Best for adventurous travellers with a 4x4, fishing enthusiasts, mokoro trips, motorboat cruises, night excursions and birdwatching.
Nxamaseri Island Lodge
A relaxed island lodge in the Okavango Panhandle, surrounded by permanent water and forest. Best for travellers seeking tranquillity, fly-fishing, birding, mokoro trips, island walks, Tsodilo Hills excursions, wellness, yoga and spa treatments.
4-STAR SAFARI STAYS
Tuli Block
The Tuli Block lies in eastern Botswana, away from the better-known northern circuit. It offers a different kind of safari landscape: rocky outcrops, river systems, open savannah, elephant herds, predators, birds and a strong sense of conservation across privately protected land.
This region can work well for travellers seeking something less familiar, particularly those interested in photography, elephant encounters, active safari experiences and a quieter alternative to the Delta-Chobe circuit.
Featured Stays:
Mashatu Lodge
A substantial lodge in Mashatu Private Reserve, known for elephant activity, predators, birdlife and varied ways to explore. Best for travellers wanting game drives, photographic hides, walking safaris, horseback riding, cycling safaris, spa facilities and a different side of Botswana.
BOTSWANA AWAITS
Find the Botswana Stay That Fits Your Safari
Botswana offers many ways to experience the wild: quiet Delta islands, riverfront Chobe lodges, remote Savuti camps, private Linyanti concessions, desert retreats and practical gateway stays. Tell us how you want to travel, and Blue Crane Safaris will help match the right regions, lodges, routes and season to your journey.