What to Expect from Botswana

• Bostwana has a wealth of natural sites and wildlife.Chobe River image by Hippo from Fotolia.com
  
  Bostwana has long been a favorite spot for wildlife photographers and film crews to go and make their names shooting the abundance of animals and unspoiled terrain. The country is largely undeveloped except for a collection of cities to allow for wildlife and the tourism it brings to remain a key part of the national economy. The massive and entirely unique Okavango Delta is by far the largest draw of visitors to the country, with Maun serving as the last outpost before the bush. Botswana has some of the most luxurious safari lodges and camps in the world to choose from. The expense is substantial but the experience is invaluable. Most lodges and campsites throughout sub-Saharan Africa are all inclusive due to the remote nature of the accommodations. Accommodations are often so remote that air transportation from major airports to bush airstrips is required.
  
  

Camp Okovango

• Camp Okavango is a luxury accommodation located in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve on Nxaragha Island in the Okavango Delta itself. The camp is one of a very select few lodges permitted to operate in the Delta by the Botswani government and as a result guests get a closer look at the landscape and its inhabitants than almost anywhere else. Although it is technically a camp, do not expect to be roughing it. The Main House is a large thatch and reed building with luxurious amenities like a cocktail bar, lounge and library, plunge pool and open air patio. Guests are housed in large "tents" which are in reality freestanding rigid structures with glass windows and sliding doors all set on raised platforms to keep you away from the creepy crawlies. The tents feature large beds with mosquito netting, sitting area, large outdoor deck and private bathroom facilities. The best part of staying within the Delta are the activities and Camp Okavango offers several including canoe tours, motorboat tours, bush walks and bird watching. Rates at the camp include accommodations, all meals, local drinks, all game watching activities, emergency medical evacuation and laundry service. Tips and premium drinks are extra. Rates are available on request.
  
  

Chobe Game Lodge

• The Chobe Game Lodge is located in its namesake, Chobe National Park in the northeastern corner of the country where Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia meet. The lodge sits along the banks of the Chobe River and provides excellent access to both land and water wildlife and views. The park is home to all members of the Big 5 and the largest herds of elephant in Africa. The main lodge building is home to the bar, billiard room, gym, salon, library, terrace and restaurant. Included activities include 4-by-4 game drives, river cruises, sun-downers, stargazing treks and walking safaris. There are 47 guest rooms each with traditional African decor, glass doors and windows, ceiling fan, sitting area and large beds. Rates include accommodation, all meals, local drinks, minibar use, park entrance fees, laundry and unlimited activities at the lodge. Rates are on request and unlike most lodges Chobe Game Lodge welcomes children of any age.
  
  

Orient-Express Kwai River Lodge

• The Orient-Express Kwai River Lodge is a window into safari expeditions that have passed when people with wide brimmed hats and khaki suits met at the lounge for a gin and tonic and a chat about what trophies they had bagged that day. OK, so it wasn't such a great time but everyone certainly looked the part. The Kwai River Lodge still does, and its position along the rim of a forest in the Moremi Reserve makes for a perfect safari experience. As an Orient-Express property the lodge has five-star equivalent amenities including a full spa menu, large observation deck with telescope, elevated game hide, Boma, swimming pool, gift shop, library, SAT TV viewing area, SAT phones, telephone service tent-to-tent, educational lectures and a personal airstrip. Guests are free to dine at the Boma, restaurant or in their tents. Activities include game drives, bird-watching, moonlight safaris, stargazing, village life tours and walking safaris. Accommodations are referred to as tents but are closer to private thatch-and-reed huts elevated on stilts with large private decks, en suite facilities, minibar, air conditioning and mosquito nets. The rates include accommodation, meals, all drinks, at least two activities per day, park entrance fees and emergency evacuation. Rates for a tent start around $1,535 per night, as of January 2011.