Namibia and Botswana with South Africa

Kulala Desert Lodge (Namibia)

Kulala Desert Lodge is situated within the arid Namib Desert on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, and is closest to the iconic red dunes of the Sossusvlei. The camp comprises 15 thatched and canvas "kulalas" ("to sleep" in Oshiwambo) with en-suite bathrooms and verandas. Each room is built on a wooden platform to catch the cooling breezes and has a deck on the flat rooftop where bedrolls are placed for guests to sleep under the myriad stars that Namibia's clear skies portray.

The main area, with décor inspired by northern Africa, has a lounge, pub, dining area, plunge pool, and wrap-around veranda overlooking the waterhole - a perfect location to view and photograph the desert vista. The overall setting is a true delight to the senses, bringing together the rhythm of Namibia, French cuisine and intimacy. A waterhole in front of camp attracts a number of local wildlife (such as gemsbok, springbok, ostrich and jackal) and provides a perfect location to view and photograph the desert scenery.

DumaTau Lodge (Botswana)

DumaTau is a ten-roomed luxury tented camp located in the private 125 000-hectare Linyanti Wildlife Reserve which borders the western boundary of Chobe National Park in northern Botswana. It is situated close to the source of the Savute Channel on one of the many lagoons within the Linyanti Swamp system, which makes game drives along the Savute one of the highlights of a stay here.

The camp lies under a shady grove of mangosteen trees, raised off the ground to overlook a large hippo-filled lagoon. The tents are spacious, under thatch with canvas walls, en-suite bathroom facilities and an outside shower. Guests can enjoy the night sounds of Africa from the comfort of their rooms, and shower under the stars! There is a dining room, pub, lounge, swimming pool and a special guest bathroom with a fantastic view.

The region has all the habitat diversity to make it a haven for wildlife, and is well-known for its elephant concentrations as they congregate along the waterways and lagoons during the dry winter months. General wildlife viewing is excellent year round including impala, wildebeest, red lechwe, Burchell's zebra, giraffe, Cape buffalo, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, and warthog. Predator sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyaena are good.

Vumbura Plains Lodge (Botswana)

Vumbura Plains is a luxury camp situated in a private concession in the extreme north of the Delta. The concession, which is leased from the neighbouring community, includes a wide variety of habitats, diverse wildlife and an enormous traversing area of 60 000 hectares (130 000 acres).

The camp comprises two separate seven-roomed satellite camps, each with its own raised dining, lounge and bar area tucked beneath a canopy of cool, shady, indigenous trees and with a magnificent vista across the floodplains. A star-gazing deck with comfortable cushions protrudes into the floodplain, a place to gaze upwards, or a convivial camp fire setting.

If you're expecting a classic safari-style camp, Vumbura Plains breaks all those expectations. Each large, luxurious room is raised off the ground on wooden decks and each comprises a bedroom, lounge, shower and bathroom - with indoor and outdoor shower of course. It is open on three sides, and the billowing curtains between the various areas create the sense of a yacht floating through the floodplains. Each room also has a plunge pool and 'sala' - a comfortable area to lie and relax, watching the waving grasses of the floodplain.

What makes the Vumbura concession so unique is its position on the extreme north of the Okavango. This position encompasses such a wide variety of habitats and species that it has representatives of just about every animal that occurs in the Okavango biome.