These Are the Best Botswana Safari Lodges for Every Type of Traveler, According to a Top Travel Advisor

Everyone takes something home from Botswana. For me, it was thousands of photos, several pieces of handmade jewelry, countless memories of wildlife encounters, and one key takeaway: Where you stay matters.

By picking a lodge that aligns with your travel style and goals, you can take an already-amazing journey to the next level. In Botswana specifically, you’ll want to choose one lodge in each of the country’s distinctive landscapes: a land-based camp for Big Five game drives; a water-based camp for exploring Okavango Delta on a mokoro (a traditional canoe); and a camp in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan for the surreal, ethereal views.

Whether your focus is on luxury, adventure, or tranquility, there’s is a place for you. Here are my top picks for each.

Loving Luxury

You’re a discerning traveler who enjoys the finer things and looks for attention to detail, design, and exclusivity.

Land: Xigera Safari Lodge

Xigera is not just a lodge—it’s a living work of art. Every detail is intentional, every experience customized. With 12 stunning suites, farm-to-table dining with a wine cellar, an extensive spa menu featuring Tata Harper skincare, luxury doesn’t get more elevated than this.

Water: Vumbura Plains

Vumbura Plains is a modern and luxurious camp that appears to float on the Okavango Delta. This is what safari fantasies are made of: private pools, spacious decks, massive suites, and elephants meandering past your room.

Salt Pan: Jack’s Camp

Jack’s Camp is vintage safari chic, featuring Moroccan styling with glamorous antique furnishings. It’s like stepping into a classic film where you’re the star. But the landscapes and unparalleled experiences, unique to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, are what steal the show.

Seeking Adventure

You want thrills and new experiences—you need wilderness, not WiFi, and the room is just for recharging.

Land: Sable Alley

Remote, unpretentious, and wild. Sable Alley features simple yet sophisticated tents—but you’ll be too busy tracking down lions and sipping sundowners to want to linger in your room. Set on the banks of a lagoon, elephants and hippos casually graze in your backyard, and water activities are just steps away.

Water: Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp

Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp is as remote as can be. Set on a 90,500‑hectare private concession and only accessible by boat, this island camp is what adventure travelers dream of. It’s like having the wildlife all to yourself.

Salt Pan: San Camp

Yes, San Camp has billowing white tents with antique trunks and incredible hospitality, but make no mistake: this is adventure land. Guests can walk with the San Bushmen, race across the salt pans on ATVs, and even track lions through the desert.

Enjoying the Silence

You crave quiet, stillness, and a deep connection to your surroundings.

Land: Tuludi Camp

With suites connected by raised wooden walkways and shaded by leadwood trees, Tuludi invites you to slow down and take it all in—preferably in the treehouse library with a glass of wine, watching the sunset.

Water: Sandibe Safari Lodge

Designed to disappear into its surroundings, Sandibe Safari Lodge is the epitome of zen: peaceful, natural, and effortlessly beautiful. It’s carefully designed with warm wooden tones and features 12 suites, each one tucked intimately into the forest with a private plunge pool and fireplace.

Salt Pan: San Camp

The seven-room San Camp offers romance and quiet at the edge of the salt pan. At night, the stars shine bright as torches. There, stillness is sacred, and your wish to disconnect will be granted.

Amie O’Brien is a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List and specializes in South Africa and Kenya trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with O’Brien by contacting her at [email protected].