A private tented safari deep inside Chobe National Park
&Beyond Chobe Under Canvas strips safari back to what makes it extraordinary: an intimate camp, exceptional wildlife and the feeling of sleeping properly inside the African wilderness.
Rather than a permanent lodge, this is a small mobile camp positioned at secluded sites within Chobe National Park. There are just five guest tents, creating an experience that feels markedly more private than staying at one of the larger lodges around the Chobe Riverfront.
Days revolve around exploring Chobe with expert guides. Evenings are quieter: lantern light, dinner around the fire and the sounds of the bush beyond the canvas.
For travellers looking for polished resort facilities, this probably isn’t the right choice. For those who want an immersive safari without sacrificing comfort, Chobe Under Canvas is something rather special.
The camp
Chobe Under Canvas has been deliberately designed to leave a light footprint on its surroundings. The camp can be moved between private campsites, allowing guests to stay within the national park itself rather than travelling in each day from outside its boundaries.
The atmosphere is intimate and uncomplicated. An open-sided guest tent provides space for dining and relaxing between activities, while meals may be served beneath the open sky and around the campfire.
There is private butler service, but relatively little between you and the landscape. This is luxury defined by access, privacy and service rather than televisions, air-conditioning and conventional hotel facilities.
Accommodation
Only five safari tents make up the camp.
Each comfortably furnished tent can be configured with a double or twin beds and has its own en-suite bathroom, separate flushing toilet and hot-water bucket shower.
The tents are approximately 29 sq m and accommodate a maximum of two guests each.
Canvas walls and mesh openings keep the experience connected to the environment. At night, the sounds outside are part of the attraction.
There is no conventional mains-powered hotel environment here. Lighting is kept deliberately simple and safari vehicles provide charging facilities for essential devices.
Safari experiences
Chobe National Park is particularly renowned for its elephants, and the wider ecosystem also supports buffalo, lion, leopard, hippo, crocodile and prolific birdlife.
Morning and afternoon game drives explore the park with professionally trained guides, with routes shaped by conditions, recent sightings and what guests are most interested in seeing.
One of the property’s distinguishing experiences is its access to the Chobe River.
Guests staying for two or more consecutive nights can currently take part in a half-day photographic boating safari aboard a purpose-designed Pangolin photographic boat. The boat has rotating seats and specialist photographic equipment, with guidance available for guests wanting to improve their wildlife photography.
It provides a completely different perspective from a vehicle safari, particularly when elephants and other wildlife gather around the river.
Dining
Dining is deliberately informal and closely connected to the setting.
Meals are prepared at camp and can be enjoyed beneath the stars or around the fire, while the main guest tent provides a comfortable alternative for dining and drinks.
A well-stocked mobile bar and attentive butler service ensure that the simplicity of the camp does not mean sacrificing good hospitality.
Good to know
This is a genuine under-canvas safari rather than a conventional lodge dressed to resemble one.
The camp is unfenced and wildlife can move through the surrounding area. Guests are accompanied when walking around camp after dark.
It is an excellent choice for couples, friends and solo travellers who value wildlife and atmosphere over extensive facilities.
The small number of tents also makes it particularly attractive as part of a carefully planned multi-camp Botswana itinerary.
Highlights
- Just five en-suite safari tents
- Located inside Chobe National Park
- Morning and afternoon guided game drives
- Exceptional access to Chobe’s elephant-rich landscapes
- Photographic safari on the Chobe River for qualifying stays
- Private butler service
- Fireside and open-air dining
- Intimate, low-impact mobile camp
- Excellent addition to a Botswana and Victoria Falls itinerary
Why we like it
Chobe Under Canvas succeeds because it doesn’t try to turn the wilderness into a hotel.
There are more elaborate places to stay in Botswana, but few offer quite the same sense of actually living inside the national park. With only five tents and Chobe immediately outside, the location and safari experience are the luxury.
Speak to Private Hideaway Escapes about incorporating &Beyond Chobe Under Canvas into a tailor-made Botswana safari.
