Botswana Lodging amp; Camping Options: Central Botswana

Photo: Giant baobabs are famous landmarks in central Botswana

Botswana - Accommodation

In Botswana, the most luxurious accommodation options are found inside national parks where only temporary structures with minimal impact on the environment are permitted. Tented camps offering 'canvas rooms' meet the highest expectations.
Most of them are accessible by air transfers only.
Upmarket, conventionally built lodges are mostly found on the fringes of nature conservation areas and within a few kilometres of urban centres. Road access and wilderness experiences are available.      

Find accommodation & camping options in Botswana and read about the guest facilities, activities, and unique experiences on offer by each of the hosts Unique Tours & Safaris recommend:

Central Kalahari - central Botswana

Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Gweta,
Makgadikgadi Nat. Park, Nata, Nxai Pan National Park

Chobe National Park - north-eastern/central Botswana

Chobe River, Kasane, Savuti Area

Ghanzi Area - western Botswana

Bushmen, Trans Kalahari Highway

Okavango Delta - north-central Botswana

Maun, Moremi Wildlife Reserve

Okavango River - north-western Botswana

Shakawe/Sepupa Area

Here you'll find essential Botswana Travel Info

What to do for sightseeing while travelling around Botswana and neighbouring countries? Country Info.

Unique Tours & Safaris, Namibia

Contact Heike by Email:
info@unique-tours-safaris.com

Web: www.unique-tours-safaris.com

P. O. Box 1301
Swakopmund/Namibia
Cell:  +264-(0)81-2122580
Tel/Fax: +264-(0)64-406313
NTB-Registration: TFA 00107

Botswana Accommodation & Camping Options

Central Kalahari Game Reserve - Gweta - Makgadikgadi National Park - Nata - Nxai Pan National Park / central Botswana

Central Kalahari Game Reserve
This is the largest game reserve in Botswana and at almost 53,000 sq km is the second biggest in the world. Renowned for its vast and unspoilt tracts of land this reserve is the place to go if you are seeking to get away from the hustle and bustle of civilization. Situated in the centre of Botswana the reserve can be accessed either from the east near Rakops, the west near Ghanzi or in the south through Khutse Game Reserve. The reserve is split into two areas - the northern part of the reserve which is the most frequently visited one and the remote southern section of the reserve where visitors are scarce. The Kalahari is renowned for its impressive black-mane lions and the habitat of wide open pans makes this reserve one of the best places for seeing Cheetah in Botswana.
The game reserve has a number of campsites each pleasantly located - please keep in mind though that there are no facilities provided at all, as civilization is kept to a bare minimum.
 
Sunday Pan Camp Site: There is always game in the shade of the Acacia trees and there are often Lions in the area. The camping sites are situated on low hills and overlook the pan. This is one of the most beautiful spots in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

Piper’s Pan Camp Site: This is one of the areas with the most game, provided the pump of the waterhole is working. It is worthwhile to do a day trip there, but it is even better to stay over for the night.

Deception Valley is all that remains of a sprawling riverbed that has long since dried up. Stretching across 80km of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve's north, the valley is now covered with short grass, dotted with the occasional island of bushy trees. The low canopies of these tree grove islands, usually made up of umbrella thorn (Acacia tortilis) and buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata) provide shelter for game during the heat of the day and one can often see lion dozing in the shade of these thickets.

Haina Kalahari Lodge
The lodge is located on the northern border of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. Classically African, relaxed and informal accommodation is offered in luxury safari tents. The Main Boma consists of a lounge, dining room and bar area decorated in wood and thatch. A swimming pool, sun deck, well-appointed bar and an expansive boma eating area are among the facilities available to visitors. The sundeck is a popular spot for social activities and for exchanging accounts of the various sightings of birds and animals seen during the day. The lodge accommodates up to 20 guests in tented accommodation which are all private with their own decks.
The 6 Luxury tents each consist of a bedroom and en-suite bathroom with shower and toilet.
Three of these are Superior Luxury tents with thatch roofs, large decks and full bathrooms. All units are furnished in subtle earth tones and dark woods in a contemporary African theme and reflect the bush area.
The family tent has been built around the trees and is furnished with 1 king-size and two 3/4-beds ideal for families.
The lodge is in the heart of the Kalahari, bordering the Central Kalahari Game Reserve; about 3 hours drive from Deception Valley. The nearest village is Rakops, about 2 hours' drive to the east, and the most popular shopping facilities are at Maun, about 2.5 hours drive further north.
Mobile overnight and day trip safaris are offered into the Game Reserve. Activities on offer include game drives, quad bike safari and an unforgettable experience with the local Bushmen people.

Gweta Lodge
The public areas include a bar, lounge, pool, open rondavels (one with power outlets for wireless laptop access), an outdoor kitchen, restaurant, curio shop, and a boma fire pit.
The comfortable accommodations include two luxury rooms, family rooms for four or more guests, double rooms with en-suite showers, and traditional thatched-roof rondavels. There are also camping facilities and an ablutions block with hot showers and toilets.
Optional activities offered are a Village Tour, a Cultural Baobab Trip, Nxasini Pans sundowners, Ntwetwe Pan day visit, Paintball and quad-bike rides.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
The Makgadikgadi Pans Nat. Park was set up to protect the fragile environment around the Salt Pans which extend into the southern section of the Park. The village of Khumaga is located on the northern border of the Park, and a controversial fence built to protect the villagers' livestock from roaming lions nowadays prevents lions from leaving the park. Bordering the Boteti River wooded with lush vegetation in the north and covering the northern tip of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in the south, this park, whilst not having as high a concentration of game as other areas, is well worth exploring. The vast expanse of the Makgadikgadi Pans is a sight to behold with salt-baked sands stretching as far as the eye can see. The southern section of the Park is mostly flat grassland with sparse shrub. The Zebra migration from Phuduhudu to the Khumaga area of the park is one of the highlights of this area with large herds of Zebra filling the air with their calls.

Khumaga Campsite in the north has 5 camping sites and is pleasantly situated overlooking the Boteti River bed. There is no water available at Njuca hills and the Khumaga water has a strong sulphur smell making it unsuitable for drinking. The Khumaga camp site is well developed, with sit-down flush toilets, cold showers and running (non-drinkable) water.

Meno A Kwena Camp offers a traditionally classic tented camp experience with wonderful views of the dry Boteti River bed. Meno A Kwena Camp boasts the only Boteti stone rock pool in Africa! It is situated on a cliff with views of wildlife coming to drink in front of the camp. The view from the entire camp high up on white calcrete and silcrete cliffs, forms the centrepiece of the Meno A Kwena experience. Meno A Kwena is a fully serviced tented camp using mobile equipment to accommodate guests. Mini meru walk-in ridges accommodate 2 people with beds and bedrolls made out of linen. Each tent has a bucket shower and bathroom with flushable toilets. The atmosphere at this Botswana accommodation is tranquil and promotes relaxation.
A variety of safaris are on offer for guests staying at a fully inclusive rate.

Nata Lodge
The modern Nata Lodge serves as an alternative to accommodation in the Gweta area and offers full-day excursions to the Makgadikgadi Pans and Nxai Pans National Parks.

Nxai Pans National Park
This National Park has recently been extended to incorporate the area surrounding Baines's Baobabs, which became famous through a Thomas Baines painting. in the late 1800's, after he returned from Africa as a member of the David Livingstone expedition that also discovered the Victoria Falls for the remainder of the world.
The Baines Baobabs are a group of 7 majestic trees found south of the Nxai Pan Nat. Park overlooking the KudiaKam Pan. The trees all clustered together – a rather unusual phenomenon for this tree species. The cluster is commonly referred to as the ‘sleeping sisters’. The site of the baobabs has been dated back to between 105000 and 128 000 years, thought to be around the same time that this area was a beach on the edge of a super lake that covered most of what is the Republic of Botswana today. The Baines Baobabs can be reached by taking the Nxai Pan access road, about 12km from the park's entrance gate.

The main focal point of the park is Nxai Pan, a large grass covered pan. Situated on the opposite side of the Nata - Maun road to the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park the entrance gate is 28km from the main road. The Pan attracts a number of plains game such as Gemsbok and Springbok and the surrounding bushveld provides habitat for Giraffe, Kudu and Impala. This is the only place in Botswana where Springbok and Impala occur together naturally. The Pan provides perfect habitat for Cheetah and the waterhole on the Pan is the focal point for interactions between Lions and their prey. Wild Dog can occasionally be seen here and Elephant often come this far south in the summer months.

In February 2009, the Nxai Pan National Park's first permanent camp opened called Nxai Pan Camp. It is a uniquely styled camp, overlooking a waterhole on the edge of the Nxai Pan.

Planet Baobab
Along the cracked and crop-less landscape on the road between Maun and Nata/Francistown, where elephants tear up any tree that dares to raise its head, a large grey hulk looms into sight at the edge of the road. If this is an elephant it is a very peculiar one! The eyes recognize a giant anteater. But, follow the side road pointed out by that anteater snout and you will discover the intriguingly named “Planet Baobab”. Welcome to the Baobab capital of the world and home of the Kalahari Surf Club! The average age of these baobab trees: 4000 years.
Beyond, the boundless salt pans of the Makgadikgadi, a lunar landscape the size of Switzerland.
Thankfully, the funkiest bar and the coolest pool in the Kalahari await your pleasure. Just a stone's throw from the camp is the elephant's paddling pool. Oblivious to guests crouching in nearby trees, the elephants and travellers mostly ignore each other. At Planet Baobab, you can sleep in traditionally styled Bakalanga huts with en suite showers, curl up in a Baobab hut which share the best ablution blocks you'll ever see or pitch your tent, or park your 4 x 4. Enjoy Planet Baobab's unique Pan-African cuisine. A bar menu is also available and the lodge is vegetarian friendly!