Kings Pool Camp

Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Botswana - Premier 5

Named for Scandinavian royalty, this luxurious and stylish Kings Pool Camp overlooks the oxbow-shaped Kings Pool Lagoon and Linyanti River system.

Nine well-appointed rooms (including one family unit) of canvas and thatch each have a large en-suite bedroom and lounge. Folding doors lead to a veranda with private plunge pool, separate thatched sala to soak up the views and an outdoor shower. The lounge and dining areas are set on expansive decks, and there is a pool and an open-air 'kgotla' (boma) for evening dining under the stars. An open-sided thatched gym is available.

Activities include day and night game drives, walks (on request), and elegant boat cruises along the Linyanti River (water levels allowing) on Kings Pool's colonial-style barge, the Queen Sylvia. Two hides allow guests to spend their siesta watching game come down to drink. One is edge of the camp, while the other is underground, with the water at eye-level – seeing elephant feet and trunks almost within touching distance while safely inside is an experience that transcends that of an ordinary safari.