An iconic safari lodge in Botswana
San Camp is an off grid retreat space that offers a secluded romantic safari on the edge of Botswana’s vast and starkly beautiful salt pan.
You’ll never forget your first sighting of San Camp. After an hour long flight in a nimble Cessna, as you approach the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park you will catch a glimpse of an arresting sight – a line of white tents, billowing in the breeze, each sheltered by a cluster of desert palms.
On the edge of the 6, 200 square miles that make up the shimmering Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, the impossibly romantic, utterly remote San Camp, waits to welcome you.
Completely rebuilt in 2011, San Camp is a semi-permanent camp, with bucket showers, four poster beds and mosquito nets, that is set up every dry season, from 16th April to 15th October. However, despite its transience, San Camp meets the comfort level of the discerning traveller.
For the duration of your stay, you will experience luxurious glamping at a Bedouin-style oasis and sleep with nothing between you and a pristine wilderness than white canvas.
Once settled, any time you peep through the flap of your desert hideaway, you will see an otherworldly emptiness for miles and miles. No outcrops, no grass, no trees; not a single feature interrupts your eye.
While your eyes adjust to views stretching to the horizon in every direction, your ears will notice a thick silence that wraps around you like a soft, fluffy blanket.
What wildlife can you expect to see at San Camp? If you want to tick off the big five and go through the motions of an African safari, then San Camp is possibly not the right place for you. If seeing big game is your priority, it’s best to go to one of our other big 5 Safari Lodges.
The main allure of this hidden getaway is, most definitely, the mesmerising landscape, the enveloping silence and the awe-inspiring sense of space.
However, you the emptiness is partly an illusion as this forbidding landscape is home for a bevy of fascinating creatures who have cleverly adapted to the arid conditions. You are likely to witness herds of wildebeest, ostriches, bull elephants and dazzles of zebras. Possibly you will spot brown hyenas and bat-eared foxes, and, if you are very lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a shy aardvark.
Bird watching in this barren landscape is utterly amazing. The salt pans and the blue skies are like a blank canvas to photograph rare and unusual birds in flight.
A bush hideaway full of adventure
Wondering how you will spend your time on this perfect safari? San Camp has some fabulous activities that truly set it apart.
First, the Meerkat Adventure is a must. Here, you’ll get the rare chance to interact with playful meerkats, part of the Kalahari’s ongoing Habituation Programme. These curious creatures, made famous by Timon in The Lion King, will happily snuggle up to you on chilly mornings or perch on your head as they survey the desert around them.
Four generations of Zu/’hoasi Bushmen are hosted at Jack’s Camp and you will be invited to join a walking safari with a group of them to gain insight into their ancient, threatened culture. You will witness the traditional survival skills that have sustained them for generations, such as lighting fire with wood and foraging for medicinal plants.
And when you are back at your safari accommodation, fabulous food, prepared from wonderful fresh ingredients, complements your bush experience. The evening meal, served family-style in an open-air dining area and accompanied by white linen and crystal glasses, is a three-course feast, during which you can eagerly swap stories with fellow travellers,
Afternoon tea is served in a light and airy central tent with Eastern Style rugs, dark Mahogany furniture and cabinets crammed with fascinating archaeological and anthropological finds.
At night, paraffin lamps add to the allure of your off the grid romantic getaway. In the absence of light pollution, millions of stars sparkle in the night sky. You feel straight ‘out of Africa’ and before you leave, you’ll already long to return, time and time again, to this special camp.
What we Love!
- The birdlife at San Camp is exceptional and includes Kori bustards and northern black korhaan, chestnut-backed finch larks and capped wheatears.
- A highlight is the quad bike ride into the salt pans and watching the sunset in complete silence surrounded by the vast view of nothingness.
- And after the sun has set, the star gazing is amazing. Lying on your back you can watch the stars appear from one edge of the horizon to the other and wait to see a shooting star streaking across the sky.
- Going to sleep to the sounds of wildebeest snorts and lion roars!
- The absence of internet and electricity adds to the charm, with kerosene lamps and solar-powered lights providing gentle illumination throughout the camp.
- Wildlife sightings are often unforgettable. Whether it’s watching an African python slither across the desert, observing lion brothers plotting a takeover, or spotting elusive brown hyenas, the camp offers constant surprises.
- Don’t miss the sunset happy hour on the Makgadikgadi Pans, or the sight of a red moon rising over the clear desert sky.
- For those who are exploring Botswana, the Makgadikgadi Pans are a must-see because of their complete contrast with the Okavango Delta.
What you need to know…
- There is power in the central lodge for charging essentials, but not in the individual tents.
- How difficult is it to reach such a remote location? Actually, it is surprisingly easy and part of the thrilling adventure. You fly into the tiny but comfortable airport at Maun, in Botswana. Then transfer to a one-hour small plane flight.
- As privacy is a priority, tents are tucked away from each other and the furthest is a 10-minute walk from the communal gathering space, which may feel too remote for some guests.
- Winter in the Kalahari is between May and September. Temperatures drop to a cooler 6°C (42°F) at night, with daytime highs around 25°C (78°F). If your guide says take an extra layer, then you will definitely need it!
- Be sure to pack appropriately for the Bushman walk. It’s a 2.5-hour trek so you need to bring water, sunblock, and a hat for protection against the sun, which is strong, even in winter.
- If you want to visit during the wet season to see the great migration, please browse through our other perfect safaris in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
- If seeing the big five is your priority, please browse through our other luxury safaris in Botswana.
Edited by Dawn Kennedy