San Camp

San Camp, the sister property of Jack's Camp, sits serenely in a reef of palm at the edge of the world. The land is so flat that you can see the curve of the Earth here. Turn 360° and nothing crosses the eye but the bowl of the sky. It is this nothingness that attracts visitors to San Camp in the Makgadikgadi Pans. This is God's own minimalism.

Property Details

San Camp is authentic, comfortable, and stylish, and includes many thoughtful and unique details. The roomy, classically-styled tents sit in a palm grove creating an oasis from civilization in one of Earth’s starkest environments.

The seven large walk-in white canvas tents at San Camp accommodate a maximum of 14 guests at a time. The tents are all raised up on slightly elevated wooden platforms. Each tent’s bathroom facilities with indoor showers and flush toilets are private but situated a few feet from the tent. This Botswana tented safari camp’s amenities include a mess tent for dining, a yoga and meditation pavilion, a tea tent with Persian carpet cushions for socializing, and a shop tent.

The San Camp Experience

Anyone interested in Botswana’s bigger ecological picture will find a visit to the area essential. San Camp offers a complete desert experience focusing on species unique to the area such as gemsbok, meerkat, and springbok, as well as the geology, archaeology, and anthropology of the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi. This is also one of few places in the whole of Africa where you can spot the elusive brown hyena.

San Camp is open only during the dry season, as the Nwetwe Pan becomes difficult to access during rainy season. Activities include game drives in open 4×4 vehicles custom designed for the terrain. In addition, you have use of 4WD quad bikes on the salt pans, an exhilarating way to see the area. Horseback experiences at San Camp range from simple two-hour rides for all levels  to multi-day safaris for experienced riders.

Night drives to view unique desert wildlife like aardvark and aardwolf are a special favorite for guests of San Camp. Game walks with Zu/’hoasi Bushmen trackers are a great way to learn how the indigenous people still survive in this seemingly inhospitable land. A visit to the historic baobab tree campsites of famed explorers Livingstone, Selous, and Baines are always on the agenda. Lastly, the camp also operates a fly camp option to Kubu Island (weather permitting) with quad bikes for parties with at least four guests.