Uyaphi.com
African Safaris and Tours
Kalahari Desert Lodges
Botswana Kalahari Desert Lodges on the Pans, the Boteti River and the Central Kalahari's Edge
Botswana's Kalahari lodges sit in three very different settings, and the one you pick shapes the whole desert leg of your safari. On the northern and north-eastern boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Dinaka Camp and Deception Valley Lodge each have a private reserve of their own. Further north-east, a cluster of camps sits on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans, and two lodges look across the Boteti River to the pans' western side.
The Makgadikgadi is one of the largest salt flats in the world, the dry bed of an ancient lake, with Ntwetwe and Sua as its two great pans. Jack's Camp, Jack's Private Camp, San Camp and Camp Kalahari are all set on the edge of this vast, glittering expanse, and Planet Baobab stands among giant baobabs near Gweta. Habituated meerkats, walks with San guides and quad biking on the pans, where the camp offers it, set a stay here apart from anything in the Delta.
Leroo La Tau and Meno a Kwena sit on the western bank of the Boteti River, looking across to the protected Makgadikgadi Pans. Both have a hide at river level and offer boating, at Leroo La Tau when the river allows. The zebra and wildebeest that migrate between the Boteti and Ntwetwe Pan move through this country.
Because Dinaka and Deception Valley sit on private reserves rather than inside the game reserve, they can offer night drives and off-road game viewing, which are not allowed inside Botswana's national parks and game reserves. Both also run guided walks.
For the best months to go, see when to visit Botswana. For malaria advice, see Botswana malaria.
Every lodge below is priced as part of a tailor-made safari itinerary. Uyaphi has been planning Botswana safaris since 1999. Tell us how you want to experience the desert and we'll match you to the right camp.
Choose Your Kalahari Desert Lodge
Camp Kalahari
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A tented camp on Brown Hyena Island, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi pans. Meet habituated meerkats, walk with Zu/'hoasi guides, ride horses or quad bikes, then head out on game drives. Elephants sometimes drop in to drink at the pool.
Deception Valley Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Deception Valley Lodge sits on a private reserve on the north-eastern boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and has its own airstrip. Days are built around off-road drives, night drives and walks with San trackers.
Dinaka Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Dinaka Camp has its own private reserve on the northern boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Expect game drives, night drives and walks with San guides, time in an underground hide and the option of a night on the sleep-out deck.
Jack's Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Jack's Camp is set on the edge of Ntwetwe Pan in the Makgadikgadi, and every tent has its own plunge pool. Habituated meerkats, walks with San guides, quad bikes, horse riding and game drives make for a desert stay quite unlike anywhere else in Botswana.
Jack's Private Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
An exclusive-use villa set apart from Jack's Camp on the Makgadikgadi pans. Its two suites come with a private pool, guide, vehicle, chef and host. There are no set schedules, so the days run entirely to your plan.
Leroo La Tau
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Leroo La Tau looks out from the western bank of the Boteti River towards the protected Makgadikgadi Pans. Game drives head into the pans, boating runs when the river allows, and a river-level hide puts you close to wildlife coming down to drink.
Meno a Kwena
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Meno a Kwena perches on a clifftop above the Boteti River, looking across to the protected Makgadikgadi Pans. Expect a floating hide at water level, boating, San-guided walks and a rock pool, plus a sleep-out on the pans for stays of three nights or more.
Planet Baobab
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Planet Baobab stands among giant baobabs near Gweta, its thatched huts and shady campsite gathered round a pool and bar. Habituated meerkats, baobab walks, village visits and game drives to Ntwetwe Pan run from camp, with quad biking on the pans in the dry season.
San Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A dry-season camp of lantern-lit tents on the edge of Ntwetwe Pan, on a private concession bordering the protected Makgadikgadi Pans. Habituated meerkats, walks with San guides, night drives, quad bikes and horse rides (at extra cost) fill the days.
Kalahari Desert Lodges: Your Questions Answered
Where are the Kalahari Desert lodges in Botswana?
They fall into three areas: private reserves on the boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (Deception Valley Lodge, Dinaka Camp), the edge of the Makgadikgadi salt pans (Jack's Camp, Jack's Private Camp, San Camp, Camp Kalahari, Planet Baobab) and the Boteti River (Leroo La Tau, Meno a Kwena). Each gives a different desert experience.
Should I stay near the Central Kalahari or on the Makgadikgadi Pans?
It depends what you want from the desert. The two Central Kalahari camps sit on private reserves, with game drives, night drives and San-guided walks. The Makgadikgadi camps put you on the salt pans themselves, with habituated meerkats and San walks, plus quad biking or horse riding at the camps that offer them.
Are Deception Valley Lodge and Dinaka Camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve?
No. Both sit on private reserves on the game reserve's boundary, Deception Valley on the north-eastern side and Dinaka on the northern side. Because they are outside the reserve, they can offer night drives and off-road game viewing, which are not allowed inside Botswana's national parks and game reserves. Both also run guided walks.
What is different about the Boteti River lodges?
They overlook water. Leroo La Tau and Meno a Kwena sit on the western bank of the Boteti River, looking across to the protected Makgadikgadi Pans. Both have a hide at river level and offer boating, at Leroo La Tau when the river allows. The zebra and wildebeest that migrate between the Boteti and Ntwetwe Pan move through this area.
Which Makgadikgadi camp suits our style of trip?
It depends how much privacy you want. Jack's Private Camp is exclusive use, with its own guide, vehicle, chef and host and no set schedule. Jack's Camp, San Camp and Camp Kalahari are tented camps with a similar mix of meerkats, San walks and quad biking. Planet Baobab offers thatched huts and a campsite, with activities paid as extras.
Are any Kalahari camps seasonal?
Yes. San Camp opens only in the dry season, on the edge of Ntwetwe Pan. Planet Baobab is open all year, though quad biking on the pans is a dry-season activity there. Which camps are open and which activities run depends on the season, so ask us which ones fit your travel dates.
Map of Lodges in and around the Kalahari Desert
Botswana Travel Topics
10 Reasons To Visit Botswana
Ten reasons, from the Okavango's flood and Chobe's elephant herds to the Makgadikgadi salt pans, Kalahari lions and San trackers, wild dogs in the Linyanti, mokoro trips, and a low-volume tourism policy that keeps vehicle numbers down.
Best Botswana Safari Lodges
Our pick of Botswana's safari lodges, region by region: Mombo and Xigera in the Delta, Chobe Game Lodge on the river, Jack's Camp on the pans and Savute Elephant Lodge, plus how to choose between them.
Botswana Chobe National Park
A practical guide to Chobe: getting there from Kasane, river cruises versus game drives, where the elephants come down to drink, the lodges we use, and how to add Victoria Falls on the way in or out.
The Perfect Okavango Delta Honeymoon Safari
Planning a honeymoon in the Okavango Delta: the camps that suit couples, from Camp Okavango to Mombo, with sunrise boat cruises, mokoro trips, and private dinners and helicopter flights where the camp offers them.
10 Reasons To Visit The Savuti
Ten reasons to put Savuti on your route: bull elephants, big lion prides, wild dogs, the Savuti Marsh, San rock art in the Gubatsa Hills, and a channel with a habit of drying up for years at a time.
5 Best Lodges In The Chobe National Park
Five lodges in and around Chobe National Park that we would happily send you to: Chobe Game Lodge with its all-female guiding team, Ngoma, Muchenje, Chobe Chilwero, and &Beyond Chobe Under Canvas, which moves camp to follow the game.
How Much Does It Cost to Go on a Safari in Botswana?
What a Botswana safari actually costs, and why: camping versus mobile versus lodge, the season you travel, flights between camps, park fees and tips, and where a few honest savings can be made.
10 Best Lodges In Okavango Delta
Ten Okavango Delta camps we rate, from Eagle Island and Xigera to Jao, Jacana and Duba Plains, with what each does best, from mokoro trips on the water to family suites and walking safaris.