Thatch-and-canvas suites on a lagoon in the Linyanti, with a hide at elephant eye level and dry-season herds at the river.
King's Pool is where I send people who want to be surrounded by elephants. From July to October the herds come down to the permanent Linyanti River in huge numbers, and the camp's hide puts you at ground level beside the water as they drink. Lunch in the hide is one of those safari hours people talk about for years.
The eight thatch-and-canvas suites stand on raised decks under jackalberry trees, looking over the lagoon the camp is named for. Days are split between drives in the private reserve, where lion, leopard and wild dog are all regulars, and slow afternoons on the Queen Silvia barge with high tea and a sundowner.
It is a camp for the dry season. In the rains the elephants spread out across the region, and you will see more birds than big herds. It is also a long way from the Delta's mokoro channels, so most people combine it with a water camp such as those around Vumbura or Duba on the same trip.
One of eight suites with a separate lounge and bedroom in copper and teal, on a raised deck near the water with views across the lagoon.
The eye-level hide below camp and the Queen Silvia barge on the lagoon are the two spaces guests use most between drives.
The menu leans on ingredients from farmers who live alongside the wildlife of northern Botswana. Lunch can be taken in the hide overlooking the water, and high tea and sundowners are served on the Queen Silvia barge.
The camp runs on solar power and has a swimming pool, a library lounge and a boutique for the hours between drives.
Tell us the ages of any children when you enquire, and we will check the camp's current policy on children and game drives before we book.
| Suites | Eight thatch-and-canvas suites |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, about 126,000 hectares |
| Activities | Game drives, walks, boat and barge trips, hide, stargazing |
| Getting there | Wilderness Air charter flight from Maun |
| Wi-Fi | In the suites and the main area |
| Rate includes | Meals, twice-daily activities, park fees, laundry and local drinks |
Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, northern Botswana, Botswana
A few of the things we plan for guests in Botswana.
A mokoro is a shallow dugout, poled by a guide standing at the stern. You sit at water level among lilies and papyrus, watching for painted reed frogs, malachite kingfishers and hippos to give a wide berth. It works best from a water camp between June and September, when the flood is high. Ask for an early outing, when the channels are glassy.
The eastern edge of the Delta, where Moremi Game Reserve meets the Khwai River, is some of the most reliable predator country in Africa: lion, leopard and wild dog, which often den here mid-year. Camps in the Khwai community area can drive at night and off-road, which Moremi itself does not allow.
In the late dry season, elephants come down to the Chobe River in their hundreds each afternoon to drink, swim and cross to the islands. A small boat out of Kasane puts you at eye level. The park is busy, so we favour private boats, and Victoria Falls is a short drive away.
Three camps and one waterfall: Chief's Island for big game, the Duba Plains for lion and buffalo, the Chobe riverfront for elephants, and two nights above the Zambezi to see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
