Botswana Family
Safaris made for you

On a verdant palm island in the middle of the northern Okavango, Shinde is a classic safari camp, intimately sized and surrounded by animal and birdlife. There are eight spacious tents with large walk in showers and sliding doors leading onto a decking area and breathtaking views over the open floodplains and waterways of the Delta. At the camp’s heart, a multi-tiered dining room and lounge set under canvas provide a welcoming communal area, as does the bar and fire. Thanks to its location, Shinde can offer both water and land activities year round. Motorboats or Mokoro provide a chance to experience the incredible bird, plant and reptile species found in the aquatic habitat of the Okavango Delta and game drives are conducted by a personal guide in comfortable, specially designed game drive vehicles. For the more adventurous, guided walks are also available while fishing enthusiasts will enjoy fishing for a variety of species such as tilapia and tigerfish.

Wilderness Little Mombo is the smaller more intimate sister to Wilderness Mombo Camp, with just three elegant safari suites. Each are nestled under a shady canopy, each with their own en-suite bathrooms, outdoor shower and large deck to enjoy the views over floodplains that host some of the best big game viewing in Africa. The suites are linked together on the raised platform which allows wildlife to pass by underneath. Wilderness Little Mombo has its own dining room, boma, kitchen, lounge and pool, making it an ideal base for a family or group of friends seeking extra exclusivity. A raised walkway leads back to the main camp’s communal lounge, gym and thatched decking area. Dedicated to conservation, a solar farm powers much of the camp and wastewater is treated above ground. Your rate also contributes to various conservation projects including lion research and elephant monitoring. While you are offered daily morning and afternoon game drives, many choose to stay behind and take in the prolific wildlife surrounding camp. Herbivore densities – especially of red lechwe, plains zebra, giraffe and impala – are extremely high and this supports one of Africa’s highest density lion populations. Spotted hyena and leopard are other frequently seen carnivores, the latter often in camp. Birding is excellent with a great mix of water birds (wattled crane, long-toed plover) and also those species associated with Kalahari thornveld (crimson-breasted shrike, pied babbler).

Perched above the Zibadianja Lagoon, Zarafa Dhow Suites is an understatedly opulent retreat, exclusive for your family or group of friends. Oozing old-world elegance, this award-winning private tented villa echoes the 1920’s style of Zarafa’s main camp – but on a more personal scale. A lavish lounge and dining room, filled with deep leather sofas and beautiful campaign furniture, sits at the centre of the property and is bookended by two sumptuous suites. Inspired by the unique flavour of Eastern Africa, the rooms are dressed with ancient Zanzibari doors, fireplaces and grand cropper baths overlooking the lagoon and untouched wilderness. Drink in these elevated bushland views, spotting the resident wild dogs, big cats and elephants, with your suite’s professional Canon camera and Swarovski binoculars. Then, get up close to the incredible wildlife on game drives and bush walks with your expert guide, bush picnics, afternoon tea and canapés. Dining here is first-class, at Relais & Chateaux standard, and most magical when enjoyed under the vast expanse of African stars.

Alongside the Maunachira River which flows through Xakanaxa Lagoon within the world renowned Moremi Game Reserve, Okuti Camp sits right in the middle of one of Botswana’s prime game viewing regions. Okuti comprises of five twin-bedded mosasa (an ancient tribal word for house of reeds) on raised teak decks with river views, each with en-suite bathrooms, indoor and outdoor showers with hot and cold running water. The honeymoon unit features a double bed, bathtub, indoor and outdoor shower. An additional two family units consist of two bedrooms which share spacious bathroom facilities – ideal for families in this child-friendly camp. With water flowing in front of the camp, guests can also explore the Delta’s waterways by motorboat, its open lagoons and winding channels a real birder’s paradise. The Moremi Game Reserve itself is rich in wildlife with consistent year-round game viewing, ripe for an action packed safari aboard specially designed vehicles.

Overlooking the wilderness of the northern Kalahari plains, this desert based camp promises unique rooftop sleep-out areas alongside Botswana’s finest summer game viewing. Morning and afternoon game drives or day trips to Deception Valley give you the chance to spot the wildlife highlights of Kalahari lions, cheetah and gemsbok among other plains game and predators. Early morning guided nature walks are a good way to spot the smaller creatures and birdlife at a slower, more peaceful pace, plus walks with the local San bushmen lets you into the nomadic and traditional way of life unique this Kalahari tribe. Between breath-taking safari activities you will have the comfort of your canvas guestroom to enjoy. Providing plenty of space, each unit has its own amazing sleep-out deck on the roof, an unmissable highlight which offers the perfect spot to take in the African night sky. While two rooms cater for families, all have en-suite facilities including a shower and a veranda to soak up the scenic views. Besides comfortable accommodation, Wilderness Kalahari Plains Camp also boasts impressive eco credentials being run completely on solar panels. What’s more, the deck and swimming pool offer other spaces to relax, while a lounge, dining area and bar are also provided.

With uninterrupted views over Osprey Lagoon, and a fantastic vantage point from which to watch the areas mega-herds of elephants,  Wilderness DumaTau and nearby Wilderness Little DumaTau are perfectly located for making the most of your stay in Linyanti Wildlife Reserve. Each spacious tented guest suite has been positioned to offer great views whether you’re relaxing on your deck, or cooling off in your plunge pool. You’ll also find the tents include spot-cooling meaning you can find respite from the hot afternoons indoors. Spend time investigating the ‘curiosity boxes’ you’ll find mounted on the walls in your room and the drawers filled with fascinating artefacts and information the main shared area. They are a great way to learn more about the area’s wildlife and rich history. Look out for unique elephant and wild dog art in the rooms and library made from reclaimed snare wire. The rebuild has also allowed Wilderness Safaris to vastly improve the comfort and facilities in the new camps. In addition to the in-tent cooling systems, you’ll discover that the central Osprey Retreat which sits between the two camps boasts and pool, drink and snack counter and a Safari Boutique area, offering you more space to mingle with your fellow guests if you choose to do so. The upgrade has also seen the decks extended, plunge pools added and awnings erected at each of Duma Tau’s eight tented suites as well as at the four at Wilderness Little DumaTau. The Wilderness DumaTau team continues to focus on the sustainability of wildlife corridors, as they have done since 1997. They believe that it is more vital than ever to protect large, connected, natural tracts of wilderness like those within the vast Linyanti Wildlife Reserve – especially for the African elephant and wild dog that cover extensive ground. Staying at WildernessDumaTau offers you easy access to the Linyanti floodplain as well as the Savuti Channel, in fact, it is the only concession from which you can access both. The region has all the habitat diversity to make it a haven for wildlife, and is well-known for its elephant concentrations as they congregate along the waterways and lagoons during the dry winter months. General wildlife viewing is excellent year round including impala, wildebeest, red lechwe, Burchell’s zebra, giraffe, Cape buffalo, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, and warthog. Predator sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyaena are good. As well as day and night game drives, you can explore on nature walks or take to the water on motorboats or the river barge (depending on water levels).