Camp
Selinda, Botswana & the Okavango
Zarafa Camp
An under-canvas camp on the Zibadianja Lagoon in Botswana's Selinda Reserve, noted for leopard and painted dog sightings.
Price on request
Camp · , Botswana
Great Plains Conservation, Zarafa Camp
Four tented suites raised above the Zibadianja Lagoon in Botswana's private Selinda Reserve, each with a copper bath and a private plunge pool.
Overview
Zarafa Camp sits on the private Selinda Reserve, the concession that links Botswana's Okavango Delta with the Linyanti waterways. The camp overlooks the Zibadianja Lagoon, the source of the Savuti Channel, and every area of camp faces that water. Four tented suites, each raised on reclaimed railway sleeper decking and built from recycled hardwoods and canvas, sit under a stand of ebony trees. Each suite measures over 100 square metres and includes a claw-foot copper bath, a private plunge pool, an outdoor shower and a wraparound deck.
The main camp area holds a lounge, indoor and outdoor dining spaces, a bush boutique and a private wine cellar. There is an outdoor gym and a spa, where treatments can be taken in a suite or on its open-air deck beside the plunge pool. Electricity comes from an on-site solar farm. Zarafa was Great Plains Conservation's first camp in Botswana, and the first to introduce the copper bathtubs now found across its Réserve-Collection camps. It is one of the Great Plains Réserve-Collection camps that hold Relais & Châteaux membership, the only such camps in Botswana.
The Selinda Reserve carries leopard, lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, red lechwe, zebra and giraffe, along with African wild dogs, roan and sable. Hippos are visible in the lagoon from camp, and elephants pass through regularly. Guests go out on open-vehicle photographic drives at dawn and dusk, take guided walks, or explore the floating islands on the camp's pontoon, the HES Zib, when water levels allow. Seasonal tag and release fishing is also available. The camp takes its name, Zarafa, meaning Beloved One, from the story of the first giraffe taken from Africa to Europe, a gift to King Charles X of France.
- Rooms
- 4
- Minimum stay
- 1 night
- Check in
- 15:00
- Check out
- 12:00
Why we like it
- Four tented suites, each over 100 square metres, overlook the Zibadianja Lagoon
- Built from recycled hardwoods and canvas, with electricity from an on-site solar farm
- Home to leopard, lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, red lechwe, zebra, giraffe, African wild dogs, roan and sable
- First Great Plains camp in Botswana, and the first to introduce copper bathtubs now found across the Réserve-Collection
- One of the Great Plains Réserve-Collection camps holding Relais & Châteaux membership, Botswana's only such camps
- Guests can explore the lagoon's floating islands by pontoon, the HES Zib
Gallery
Rooms & suites
Categories shown for orientation. Your travel advisor will confirm which are available for your dates and recommend the one that suits the trip.
Safari Suite
Each of the four tented suites measures over 100 square metres under flowing canvas, raised on reclaimed railway sleeper decking. A lounge area flows into the bedroom and an open-layout indoor bathroom with a shower and a claw-foot copper bath. Hand-crafted Zanzibar doors are central to the design. The wraparound private deck includes a plunge pool, an outdoor shower and outdoor seating.
100 m²Up to 2 guestsZibadianja Lagoon view
Amenities
- Spa
- Private wine cellar
- Outdoor gym
- Bush boutique
- Indoor and outdoor dining areas
- Private plunge pools
- Pontoon boat (HES Zib)
Reserving through us
Included when your travel advisor confirms this stay
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Property credit or equivalent where the house offers one
- Early check in and late check out on request
- Welcome amenity and your travel agent known to the general manager
Eligible preferred amenities are applied wherever available, subject to the property at the time of stay, and are confirmed in your proposal.
Location
, Botswana
Water camps in the delta, high game density and very few vehicles.
Questions
- How many suites are there at Zarafa Camp?
- Zarafa Camp has four tented suites, each measuring over 100 square metres under canvas, raised on reclaimed railway sleeper decking and overlooking the Zibadianja Lagoon.
- What wildlife can I expect to see from the camp?
- The Selinda Reserve is home to leopard, lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, red lechwe, zebra and giraffe, along with African wild dogs, roan and sable. Hippos are visible in the lagoon from camp, and elephants pass through regularly.
- Does Zarafa Camp have a spa?
- Yes. Guests can take treatments in the privacy of their suite or on the open-air deck beside their private plunge pool.
- What water-based activities are offered?
- Guests can explore the floating islands of the Zibadianja Lagoon by pontoon, the HES Zib, and take part in seasonal tag and release fishing. Water activities depend on water levels at certain times of year.
- Is Zarafa Camp part of a recognised hospitality group?
- Zarafa Camp is part of Great Plains Conservation's Réserve-Collection, which includes the only Relais & Châteaux member camps in Botswana.
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