gallery of 8 photos

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Savute Elephant Camp

Savute Elephant Camp is one of the three Orient Express Lodges in Botswana. It's great for those who do not do well in the heat since rooms have air conditioning, which is rare in Botswana. The lodges are run a bit more like a hotel than a camp so the atmosphere is divided. The ice cold pool built above the elephant filled water hole is not authentic Africa but it is a fabulous afternoon swim.

We have to question some of Orient Express's choices for the camp hosts at times. The colonial attitude has no place left in today's Africa in our opinion.  — Mango's view

In the heart of the Chobe National Park, sometimes referred to as the elephant capital of the world, is Savute Elephant Camp. Perched on the former banks of the now dry Savute Channel, the camp offers a spectacular bird's eye view of elephant in their natural habitat, with an adjacent water hole just a few meters away from the camp's main building. The area is also renowned for high concentration of predators such as the endangered wild dog, lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena. Find yourself in harmony with a unique timeless place as you witness a play that has no script, by actors who have no lines, in an environment that needs no set.

Situated on the Savute Channel, which is an eccentric waterway that fluctuates between being bone-dry or flooding, the whole ethos of Savute Elephant Camp is commiserate with its inhabitants and environment, although the camp has not seen water flowing in the channel since 1983.

All 12 luxury tents are housed on raised wooden platforms, offering great views, and shaded by a traditional African thatch roof. The large private decks are furnished with easy chairs and a hammock, ideal for viewing wildlife, or for enjoying a private dinner in complete privacy. The tent interiors are luxuriously appointed with such comforts as an en-suite bathroom, private fully stocked mini-bar, four poster beds complete with mosquito netting, as well as discreet air conditioning. For your convenience, in-room safes are now provided for the safekeeping of all cash, travel documents and other articles.

Meals at Savute are well prepared with fresh ingredients and fine style. Guests can also take advantage of the incredible Boma dining experience. The Boma offers spectacular vistas of the African night skies, through the silhouettes of Camel Thorn trees and Acacia nigrescens, which have been incorporated into the design. Dining in the Savute Boma will, without a doubt, bring you closer to nature within the heart of a true bush environment.

Savute Elephant Camp promises outstanding game viewing without having to leave the confines of the camp itself, so prevalent is the wildlife around the water hole. When you do venture out, in open 4 x 4 vehicles, there are excellent opportunities to see wildlife on the now dry Savute Marsh, which is also home to the zebra migration during the months of February and October. In addition to the game drives, excursions can be arranged to see the historic San rock paintings in the hills or the ancient Gametrackers Baobabs.

Includes: All meals, soft drinks, house wine, local beers and spirits, mini-bar, laundry, & safari activities