San Camp
SIGNATURE GUIDED SAFARIS® • BOTSWANA
Signature Guided Safaris®
San Camp
San Camp, set amidst the vast, otherworldly expanse of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans, features seven billowing beige tents, blending into the stark white desert. Once the bed of an ancient lake, the terrain is marked by shallow hollows and clusters of stunted acacia trees. This is the realm of the elusive brown hyena, as well as suricates, aardvarks, and small bustards. Here, it takes nothing more than camping atop a forgotten dune, watching the shadows grow long as the sun sinks low, and hearing the cry of the jackal as darkness settles to feel the pulse of Africa’s untamed soul.
San Camp Diaries
Astounding 6,200 square miles of the world’s largest soda lake all around: One of the only remaining places on earth where the silence is so complete you can hear the blood circulating through your ears! Camp owner Ralph Bousfield and his guides have made many important finds in the field of palaeontology, with stone implements and other evidence of Stone Age dwellers. This is a very fragile environment filled with fascination and interest. The management and guides have an approach of maximum care for the environment and this is a destination for the true lover of remote experiences.
Safari Films
A moment
in the wild
A GLIMPSE INSIDE
San Camp
Desert experience
The most beautiful old-world desert camp on earth. The scenery here is so spectacular that everything from iconic Pirelli calender shoots to stunning landscapes from Taylor Swift’s Wildest Dreams video were captured right here at San Camp. Enjoy the serene atmosphere of San Camp with its endless views of the Makgadikgadi Salt pans. The billowy beige canvas pavilion is the central living area offering a social hub for decadent meals at the long dining table and afternoon teas under canvas. A cabinet of curiosities, San Camp’s antique ‘wunderkammers’ are crammed with African pottery, stone-age tools and knick-knacks.
Views of the pans
Reimagined in 2020, the tents open up to mesmerizing views of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, a shimmering sea of white that stretches as far as the eye can see. This rustic elegance strips life down to its purest essence, where romance is found in the minimalism, and nature speaks in its quietest, most profound voice. The tents are a harmonious blend of comfort and romance, each with spacious en-suite bathrooms adorned with Edwardian colonial antiques and inviting four-poster beds. By evening, the dining table is set with flickering candelabras and crisp white linens, while the living room, lined with Persian rugs and cabinets of curiosities, holds treasures of anthropological finds. . The mahogany and brass structures form a striking contrast with the rugged wilderness outside.
Game drives, walks and quadbiking bring you close to unique species such as Kalahari Black-maned Lions, Honey Badgers, Bat-eared foxes and Brown Hyena.
- Only Six classic desert tents at San Camp
- On the edge of the mysterious Makgadikgadi
- Pared down, rustic safari elegance
- Walks with Zu/’hoasi San Bushmen
- Quadbiking in remote Botswana
- A group of habituated meerkats
- Elegant candlelit dinners with wine
- Enjoy the silence in the yoga tent
- Small natural history museum and library
San Camp
Meet Meerkats
One of San Camp’s most enchanting experiences is spending time with the habituated meerkats. Through years of ongoing research, these creatures have become accustomed to human presence, offering rare close-up encounters. On cool mornings, you might even find a meerkat nestling against you for warmth or perched atop your head, using you as a lookout in place of a termite mound. Observing their complex social behavior provides a unique window into their world, a privilege only San Camp can offer.
The wild Kalahari
San Camp offers more than just luxury—it offers an immersion into the wild heart of the Kalahari. Game drives, guided walks, and quadbiking adventures take guests close to the region’s unique wildlife, including the Kalahari Black-maned Lions, Honey Badgers, Bat-eared Foxes, and the shy Brown Hyena. Activities include walks with the Zu/’hoasi San Bushmen, where guests can learn ancient hunting techniques, food-gathering skills, and traditional craftsmanship passed down through generations. This cultural exchange offers a rare glimpse into their semi-traditional way of life, which gracefully evolves with time while maintaining its deep-rooted wisdom. Through this partnership, the camp fosters a sensitive initiative that ensures the stories and skills of the elder generation are shared with the next.
Quadbiking across the shimmering pans is an experience like no other. As the cold, dry months bring sharp, star-filled night skies, evening rides leave guests breathless beneath a canopy of stars they never dreamed possible. The daylight, too, works its magic, with mirages dancing on the horizon, a surreal vision that seems conjured from the desert itself. As temperatures rise, layers of clothing are shed, and the desert comes alive in a quiet, mystical way.
Guided Safaris®
A Day on Safari
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Every detail defines an experience in your private safari.
Our custom safaris are meticulously planned journeys where nothing is left to chance, so you can enjoy unique moments with your loved ones in total luxury and privacy. Having the ultimate say in your preferences from start to finish allows you to explore our exclusive destinations in absolute freedom, whenever you want. No set dates; no groups, ever.
Immersive, remote wilderness
At the very heart, the idea for the Guided Safaris® collection of experiences was to be poetic and endlessly inspiring: for you, as an explorer, to interpret your dreams with these visual stories and breathe life into each safari. We invite you to discover our Signature Journeys.
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Conservation at the
heart of every journey
30 year legacy
Official Guided Safaris®
Always tailormade
No groups, no set dates
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