Savute Elephant Camp Hotel is a luxury safari tented camp located in the heart of the Chobe National Park, sometimes referred to as the elephant capital of Africa, and is the Savute - an area that personifies the eternal contrast of Africa. Where our other two camps celebrate water and lush vegetation, Savute is an objective lesson in aridity.  Rain is rare and water is precious.  You will find yourself in harmony with a unique timeless place, removed from city life.  In Savute Camp, you realise that previous little has changed on these dry plains since time began.  The realisation dawns that you are fortunate and privileged to be in one of the last corners of the planet governed by nature. Savute hotel is perched on the former banks of the now dry Savute Channel; the safari camp offers a spectacular bird’s eye view of elephant in their natural habitat, with adjacent water hole just metres away from the camps main building, the impressions created at Savute will last forever. The Savute is a dramatic area to see high concentrations of elephant and lions.  Prides up to 40 strong are not uncommon as are sighting of all the other major predators; the endangered wild dog, leopard, cheetah and the hyena.  Savute is also renowned for its excellent birding during the summer months (December through March), as well as being home to some very rare rock paintings drawn by the early San Bushmen, who once inhabited the region.

Savute Elephant Camp is dramatically different from Orient-Express Safaris' other luxury safari camps (Khwai River Lodge and Eagle Island Camp). It is located on the Savute Channel in Chobe National Park, which is in the rugged, semi-arid wilderness region of far northern Botswana. And it is a tented camp, recently under thatch, in true African style.  Situated on the Savute Channel, which is an eccentric waterway that fluctuates between being bone-dry or flooding, the whole ethos of Savute Elephant Camp is commiserate with its inhabitants and environment, although the camp has not seen water flowing in the channel since 1983. Savute Elephant Camp is owned and operated by Orient Express Safaris. All tents, public areas and the swimming pool overlook the adjacent water hole so it is not uncommon to see a wide variety of birds and animals from the privacy of your own tent.  Savute also offers a dining experience in the “Boma” or “place of eating” where guests can enjoy a traditional alfresco dining experience while being entertained by staff members.  Alternatively, private dinners can be arranged in a more intimate setting on the deck of your tent.

Savute Elephant Camp is located on a once-gushing waterway that has since dried up. Because water is scarce, the watering hole that lies just meters from the camp's main building is a popular oasis for herds of grand elephants, whose footsteps barely break the resounding silence of the African bush. Along with elephants, prides of up to 40 lions strut among various other fascinating species like the endangered wild dog, leopard, cheetah and hyena. Because Savute Elephant Camp is situated right within Chobe National Park, night drives and walking are prohibited, in line with the park's rules. Game drives are conducted in open safari vehicles in the morning and again in the late afternoons.  The spectacular water hole is visible from the all of the Savute tents, the guests' public areas and the crystal-blue swimming pool. Savute Elephant Camp offers an oasis type setting in complete luxury. All luxury tents are housed on raised wooden platforms, offering great views, and shaded by a traditional African thatch roof.  The large private decks are furnished with easy chairs and a hammock, ideal for viewing wildlife, or for enjoying a private dinner in complete privacy. The tent interiors are luxuriously appointed with such comforts as an en suite bathroom, private fully stocked mini bar, four poster bed complete with mosquito netting, as well as a discreet air conditioning. 

Savute Elephant Camp Accommodation Information
It would be impossible to define Savute Elephant Camp in a single word, but two will do just fine: Orient Express. All of the experience gained in guiding some of the world’s most sumptuous trains over the past 30 years has gone into creating the ultimate Africa safari tented camp in Botswana. the camp is all about pampering beneath canvas (rather than on rails): luxury tents with all the bells and whistles, the eye-catching contrast of a human swimming pool beside a wildlife watering hole and one of those restaurants that makes you wonder how in the world they make such marvelous food in the middle of nowhere. The Savute Elephant Camp 12 luxury tents are arrayed on either side of the main lodge, all of them with views of the intermittently flooded Savute Channel and the surrounding bush. Although the walls and ceilings are fashioned from canvas, the tents sport hardwood floors that are permanently fixed to a wooden platform that affords superb views of an adjacent waterhole that seems to be permanently staffed by elephants. The decor is more like modern Arabic than traditional African: four-poster beds with gauzy currents, overstuffed pillows and cushions, and private decks strung with hammocks that beg you to take an afternoon nap. All tents come with en suite bathrooms, air conditioning, lock boxes and dual voltage outlets for recharging your electronic gadgets. Experience luxurious accommodation at Savute Elephant Camp - a retreat in the midst of the arid wilderness. Each of the luxury tents has a, mini bar (fully stocked), four poster beds with mosquito nets. The 12 twin-bedded tents are equally luxurious. These lavish amenities combine to ensure that accommodation at Savute Elephant Camp is a real treat.

Savute Elephant Camp Restaurant:
Guests are invited to enjoy an unforgettable dining experience in a traditional outdoor Boma. The Boma at the Savute Elephant Camp offers spectacular views of the African night skies, through the silhouettes of Camel Thorn trees and Acacia nigrescens. Enjoy a memorable meal in the African bushveld in a traditional Boma, which is a meeting place. A Boma is traditionally the venue for senior community members to meet and discuss important issues. Here, traditional meals were enjoyed while, at this particular venue, gorgeous views of the high African sky, Camel Thorn trees and Acacia nigrescens offer a welcome diversion from the important matters being discussed. The Boma has a main entrance, as well as a secret entrance for the safe entrance of the elders and chief. Being part of this compelling African experience lends an authenticity to your stay in Botswana.

While guests are welcome to drink the tap water at Savute Elephant Camp, the mini bar is fully stocked with cool drinks, mineral waters, etc...and can be found in each tent.
Covered dining room and lounge area at the Savute Camp
A fully stocked bar awaits the thirsty traveler
A camp fire and seating area invite for memorable nights

The meals, which are served at the camp, include the following:
Early breakfast (served around 6am)
Light brunch (served around 11am)
Light snacks, tea and coffee on morning activity
Afternoon tea (served around 4pm)
Drinks and snacks on afternoon activity
Dinner (served around 8pm)
Savute Elephant Camp has ensured that guests are able to relax within a serene and comfortable environment. A heated swimming pool has been dug into the riverbed for a real African swim. The Boma enables diners to enjoy their meals under cover right in the heart of the Botswana bushveld. The private outdoor leisure area ensures that guests - young or old - are able to relax in comfortable surrounds.

Additional facilities include:
Illuminated pathways
Slide projector and screen
Satellite phones on request
Telescopes
Laundry
Curio shops
Reference library
First aid kit
VHF radio communications plus 24 hour emergency facilities
Environmental flora and fauna check lists, talks and lectures
Emergency medical evacuation service
Savute Elephant Camp guests are met at Maun Airport by a African safaris and Adventures representative. From here, they are escorted onto light aircraft, which delivers them to the Savute Airstrip.

Airport transfers are available to guests in order to transport them to and from hotels, which is particularly convenient for guests overnighting in Maun. In addition, all flights via Air Botswana and Air Namibia are automatically reconfirmed by Savute Elephant Camp staff.

Savute Elephant Camp offers a choice of dining options. Guests are invited to relax in the comfortable covered dining room and lounge area, with a fully-stocked bar.
Enthralling game drives in open 4x4 vehicles are enjoyed right within the confines of Savute Elephant Camp and promises an abundance of our wild residents, particularly around the watering hole. The Savute March, which has dried up over the years, is another game-rich area and hosts the zebra migration during February and again in October each year. Other daytime excursions include trips to the hills to see the historic San rock paintings, or to the ancient Game trackers Baobabs. Game is best viewed early in the mornings, or late in the afternoons (dusk). Conducted tours at these times are in our comfy safari vehicles. There are restrictions on the activities, based on the laws of the greater Chobe National Park.

Bird watching atSavute Elephant Camp
Savute Elephant Camp is the driest of the three camps in the area, and is perched on the banks of the dried-up Savute Marsh. As such, over 250 species of desert and savannah birds soar above the parched ground in an exquisite display. On the Marsh live extensive flocks of the largest flying birds - Kori Bustard, Ground Hornbills, Ostrich and Northern Black Orhaan. In addition, Savute is home to LBJ's - Ayers, Desert Cisticolas, Pipits and Larks. The desert-bound Bradfield's Hornbill offers a rare sighting for the birding enthusiasts. Many of these birds are endemic to this area. Summer is an ideal time to view the vast array of our bird residents as the summer migrants follow the Rift Valley south. Summer is also the greenest period for the area.

All the while, Savute's elephant and lion tenants roam freely and provide fantastic opportunities for a real wildlife experience. During the dry season, bull elephants, antelope, black-backed jackal, bat-eared foxes, tsessebe, kudu, impala and ostrich and lion amble around half-empty pans and permanent watering holes. In summer, the rains mean that vegetation is lush and abounding. Summer is also the migration period for thousands of zebra, who are joined by large herds of wildebeest and Cape Buffalo, who all congregate in the vicinity of the marsh. This, in turn, attracts the predators, including lion, cheetah and hyena. The existing bird population of over 250 species is exploded during these summer months, and sightings usually include Carmine Bee-eaters, Kori Bustards and Red-crested Korhaans.                                                                              
Orient-Express Safaris, home of the best luxury African wildlife safaris in Botswana.
Experience Africa safari in style. Whether you decide to stay at one of our five star luxury Southern African safari camps with family or honeymoon and hotels or travel to other areas within this magnificent region, we offer you a highly personalized and professional service to help you plan the holiday vacation of a lifetime.