Freephone an expert 01306 744 656

Send Enquiry
Opening Times
Monday
10am - 6pm
Tuesday
10am - 6pm
Wednesday
10am - 6pm
Thursday
10am - 6pm
Friday
10am - 6pm
Saturday
10am - 2pm
Sunday
Closed

Call 01306 744 656 or

For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni
For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni 

Things to do in Botswana

Savute Elephant Lodge: where the wildlife comes to you

You don’t need to go far to see some of the Chobe National Park’s amazing animals…

By Cindy Boshoff
Director of Sales and Marketing for Belmond Safaris

We’re on the banks of the Savute Channel but it’s a very dry area. We’re waiting for the day the water starts to flow again but for now we actually pump water (we run off a whole solar plant) into the waterhole which attracts animals all day and night. Once I woke up to a pack of wild dogs enjoying their morning water and later that afternoon saw big herds of buffalo. You will often see different birds throughout the day and hear the lions roaring. That’s one of the highlights. You don’t need to go far to see some of the Chobe National Park’s amazing animals.

A lot of people may not know this about Savute but it’s a great area for lions. Just seeing these huge prides of lion – 20 or 30 – walking slowly past you on the hunt is amazing. We also have an animal hide where you’re at eye level with the waterhole and you could literally sit there for hours. We arrange lunches in the hide and in the evening it’s floodlit so our guests can enjoy private dinners. I must’ve seen 20 elephants and you can hear them so clearly – it’s almost surreal.

We have a boma, and dinners here are very emotive. Everybody sits around the fire, there’s a barbecue going and the staff choir comes to sing. It’s one of those moments you’ll always remember – a feeling that you get which is difficult to describe but you might get goose bumps and become a little bit teary because it’s such an emotional evening.

Categories

  • Places to stay
  • Wildlife

Available in these itineraries…

Alfred & Cindy Boshoff

Originally from Johannesburg, Cindy Boshoff moved to London to embark on a career in hospitality. After 10 years of experience abroad she returned to Africa where she has lived for eight years in Cape Town working in the luxury hospitality industry. She is an avid birdwatcher, keen photographer and conservationist. Most of all she loves creating bucket-list Botswana travel experiences for her clients, one dream trip at a time.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Louise, who's travelled extensively in Botswana. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the rangers who'll ensure you'll spot the best wildlife in Chobe, the village chiefs who'll give you an insight into local life and the helicopter pilots who can land you on an island in the Delta never visited by humans before.

Freephone an expert 01306 744 656

Subscribe to Newsletter

Let us inspire you with holiday ideas, exclusive event invites and travel offers from our network of contacts around the world.