Zarafa Highlights

Day and afternoon game drives
Night drives with spotlights
Relais & Châteaux badge
Bird watching
Absolute in luxury
Cuisine is fantastic

Zarafa Camp Information

Lodge type; Safari Camp
Location; Selinda Reserve
Lodge size; 5 safari tents
Recommended stay; 3-7 nights

Introduction

Zarafa Camp, Botswana's first Relais & Châteaux camp has, in all honesty, no equal in our opinion. Located in the far North of Botswana in the 130 000 hectare Selinda Reserve, one of the more isolated areas in Africa.

Zarafa and her exquisitely appoint tented suites all look out over the crystal waters of Zibadianja Lagoon, a lagoon that in turn hosts a large population of both wildlife and birdlife.

Wildlife in the area that one can sight ranges from leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo, Red Lechwe, zebra, giraffe to rarer African wild dog, cheetah, roan and sable antelope. Birders will not be disappointed either.

Rooms and Suites

Four exquisite tented suites await all overlooking the crystal waters of Zibadianja Lagoon. The suites offer on average a 100m² living space that consists of a lounge with writing desk, fireplace and king-sized beds. En-suite bathrooms are open plan with a claw foot bath, indoor shower, separate loo and double basins.

Each of the four suites has its own private plunge pool and viewing deck.

The Zarafa Dhow Suite offers two bedrooms with full bathrooms (each with full-body outdoor showers and claw foot baths), a separate lounge and dining area that are for the sole use of guests staying in this suite. This suite is one of the largest tents built on the African continent, 210m² in total all under canvas.

The Dhow Suites large viewing deck offers up not only viewing of the surrounding landscape and wildlife but is also home to a rather large swimming pool.

Note: Each suite includes one pair of Swarovski HD binoculars and a professional Canon camera body and lens kit for complimentary use by guests.

Cuisine and Wine

Taking into account the remoteness of Zarafa, the cuisine is extraordinary. The team in the kitchen conjure up all sorts of magic and this is on display when one's meals arrive. Menus are varied while most dietary requests are catered for including vegans.

One of the best camps for those with a keen interest in cuisine. One could spend 10 days in camp and not have the same meal twice, now that is something not every camp can or does offer.

In a nutshell, when a camp carries the "Relais & Châteaux" badge, one is guaranteed an exceptional dining experience.

Lodge Facilities

The central guest area at Zarafa Camp is a small intimate affair with lounge, small library and indoor dining area. The viewing deck offers a seating area with an open fireplace for the spectacular sunsets.

The entire area itself is raised off the ground with views out over the surrounding floodplains teaming with wildlife.

Safari Activities

Safari activities include game drives (morning, afternoon and at night), allowing for sightings of both diurnal and nocturnal wildlife. Short nature walks with an experienced guide are available as well.

Wildlife includes elephant, zebra, giraffe, cheetah, wild dog, lion and a fantastic amount of birdlife.

Siesta time at Zarafa is best spent in the sunken hide at the edge of the waterhole, watching the wide variety of plains game and predators that arrive to drink.