Travel reviews by Mr. M & Ms. C from Seattle

"Savute Under Canvas was absolutely fantastic in every way!

We expected a fairly basic camp since it’s in the national park and has to move every 5 days, but our tent was lovely and comfortable and full of small details that elevated the whole experience. The bed was super comfortable and warm, we had robes and foot soaking tubs waiting for us after morning game drives, we were provided a pair of binoculars and flashlight to use the entire time we were there (which no other camp we went to provided), hot water bottles were placed under our covers while we ate dinner so we came back to a nice warm bed, etc. etc. Simple, but very thoughtfully set up.

Chef Simon went above and beyond and everything we ate was truly delicious. I am a vegetarian and he made amazing vegetarian dishes just for me for every meal. In addition to multiple dishes at every meal, he also baked fantastic breads and cakes multiple times a day. We were truly blown away by his food, and left camp very full and satisfied. The bar was also fully stocked and always open, and OP made us some tasty drinks.

We were the only people at camp the two nights we stayed there so we ended up with a private guide—TT— the entire time, and had a fantastic time with him. TT asked us what we were hoping to see and did a great job accommodating our priorities; was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions; communicated well about what he was looking for while tracking and what our plans were for each game drive; and helped us see a ton of amazing animals! He was also fun to hang out with and we just had a great time.

With TT’s help, we were able to see tons of lions (including adorable cubs) from both prides in the area, big herds of elephants, and even a pack of wild dogs with their pups (in addition to plenty of other general game). While we didn’t see as much diversity of game as at the other camps we went to (no cheetahs, leopards, or buffalo), the density of animals and plenty of close encounters left us very satisfied. We were also a little worried about the park being crowded, but we almost never had more than one or two other cars with us at an animal sighting, and didn’t encounter other vehicles on the road all that often. It was obviously more crowded than in a private concession, but not bad at all.

All of the camp staff were fantastic, and because we were the only guests at camp, we got to chat more with the manager, Matthews, and other staff during meals and learned a lot about Botswana and their lives. It was a really nice, personal experience."

"Lagoon Camp is in a truly spectacular setting on the river; you can watch hippos swimming and sunbathing, elephants drinking and splashing, baboons playing, lechwa grazing, and a crocodile lounging all from the balcony of your room (or from the shared pool)!

The tents were luxurious and felt more like a high-end resort suite than a tent, with a huge wall of mesh that allowed us to watch animals from the comfort of our bed or claw foot bathtub. The tent was extremely spacious and well laid-out.

Everything we ate was very tasty and there were always plenty of options for me as a vegetarian (the chef even made me an entire veg lasagna when everyone else was being served a meat one). We were served food from a variety of cuisines and never had the same meal twice.

All the camp staff were fantastic—kind and welcoming and ready to go above and beyond to ensure an amazing stay. When they found out we were on our honeymoon from another guest (we hadn’t provided that information in advance), they set up a surprise private dinner in our room on our final night, complete with a song and dance performance, a beautifully decorated table and bed, champagne, and a candlelit walkway to a bubble bath. It was super thoughtful and memorable.

The animal viewing at Lagoon Camp was fantastic. The wild dogs aren’t currently denning in the area so while the camp is known for its wild dog sightings, we were actually able to see them here, but everything else was amazing. Lots of diversity and density of animals—we saw new things every day and a lot of them! Highlights included closely following two cheetah brothers for around 30 minutes and spotting a leopard on our way to the airport.

We were less wowed by the motor boat ride in the lagoon/river and didn’t learn until later that we shouldn’t have expected to see many big animals along the way and that the hippos submerge themselves before you can get very close to them. It was very nice for a boat ride and there were lots of birds and beautiful landscapes along the way, but if you’re more interested in the big game, we’d recommend sticking to the game drives."

"Splash Camp is a fantastic all-around camp that offers excellent game drives and animal sighting opportunities as well as the chance to explore the Delta channels, and the camp facilities and setting are equally top-notch.

The camp is set around a watering hole that was a popular afternoon spot for zebras, elephants, warthogs, impalas, and more. Watching the comings and goings at the watering hole from our cabin deck or the common areas was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, and we even had an elephant visitor in camp two of our three evenings.

Our cabin was beautiful and comfortable and spacious with a mesh wall across the entire front of the cabin overlooking the watering hole. It felt more like a luxurious resort suite than a cabin in the middle of the African bush. There were universal (including UK but not sure about US), European, and S African outlets in the room.

Chef Patella was a fantastic cook! Everything we ate was very tasty and there were always plenty of options for me as a vegetarian. We were served a good variety of cuisines and never had the same meal twice.

All the staff were fantastic—friendly, welcoming, and ready to go above and beyond to ensure an amazing stay.

Our animal viewing at Splash Camp was excellent, with lots of variety of animals and plenty of them. We had some longer stretches on drives when we wouldn’t see anything, but then we would get to a new landscape and there would be tons of animals that more than made up for the less lively parts. Our guide, Dave, and tracker, KB, were truly amazing. Together, they tracked down and spotted tons of animals we never would have had a chance to see on our own, including some long tracks to two lion prides, a cheetah, a leopard, and even wild dogs on the hunt.

We also spotted 3 honey badgers and 2 wild cats with their help. Dave was incredibly knowledgeable and while we tried to come up with a question he wouldn’t be able to answer (all in good fun), we couldn’t stump him. He was also amazing at communicating what they were looking for and what the plan was each step of the way. They were also really fun to spend time with and made for a truly enjoyable experience.

We were at Splash Camp in late July and think it would probably be even better in late August–October, as Dave, our guide, said more animals would continue to move into the area as the dry season continued and the watering holes to the north and east dried up.

Of note, Dave also told us that for the safety of the rhinos, they have been moved out of the area so it is no longer possible to see rhinos from Splash Camp."