Bedroom area of Zarafa guest tent with living room beyond
© Bill Given
This is the third in a four part blog post which provides reviews of the Selinda Reserve, Zarafa Camp, and Selinda Camp. Here are the other blog posts from this series:
Zarafa Camp Review
Botswana has become famous for its extraordinary luxury tented camps, places that can deliver top world accommodation standards but do it deep in the African bush. These ultra-chic camps were started with Wilderness Safaris and dubbed to be their 6 paw properties starting with the famed Mombo Camp. In fact, all the other guests I met at Zarafa Camp were on a circuit of the 6 paw level camps combining Zarafa with Mombo Camp and Vumbura Plains. I imagine this is typically the case because Zarafa camp is meant for those looking for and willing to pay for the most opulent luxury safaris available. Zarafa Camp not only belongs in this grouping but it could possibly be the leader of them all.
Private plunge pools and expansive views are part of the luxury at Zarafa Camp
© Bill Given
To me Zarafa Camp is a camp of contrasts. It is small in that there are only four guest tents yet the tents are massive, 1,000 square feet plus the surrounding deck with private plunge pool and outdoor shower. The décor is a very appealing vintage Africa of the Hemmingway safari days but you have the modern convenience of picking up a World War II era phone and ordering drinks.
Can Zarafa Camp be Luxurious and Eco Friendly?
Zarafa camp has undergone dedicated effort to be very green and succeeded with a large solar farm that provides 100% of their 24 hour electricity and they used recycled rail ties to build the extensive decking for the central lounge and guest tent areas significantly mitigating their footprint, yet with private plunge pools and tents the size of three normal luxury tents it is hard for me to consider it in the class with the most eco-friendly safari camps. The fact is you just can’t be all things, but it is good to try and I appreciate the efforts to minimize impact but what Zarafa does best is deliver ultimate luxury in a Botswana paradise.
In room bar station can be stocked with your favorites and ice is on hand as well
© Bill Given
Guest tents are canvas on raised decking and have a complete living room with a bar station, writing desk, the aforementioned phone to the Zarafa office for any needs, and a charging inverter. There are also some goodies for wildlife fanatics at Zarafa Camp, a shelf of field guides and other wildlife books, a spotting scope and there is a trunk that contains a yoga mat as well as a Canon 40D camera with 18-135 and 100-400 lenses, tri-pod, memory cards and camera pack. The Zarafa Camp lounge has a computer to burn a disc with your images on departure.
Zarafa tent goodie chest includes a serious Canon camera kit ready to go as well as yoga mats
© Bill Given
The next section of the tent is the bed room and dressing area. The area features an enormous bed with the finest linens under a mosquito net with a ceiling fan. Immediately adjacent to the bedroom area as it transitions to the bathroom there is a stylish copper gas heating unit that feels like a swanky fire place. The rest of the main tent has an indoor shower, double copper sink basins, and copper soaking tub, while the copper flush toilet is in its own separate area.
Gas copper heating unit and copper soaking tub in background
© Bill Given
Zarafa Camp's Stellar Outdoor Area
For me the private outdoor area at Zarafa Camp is actually the best part. The views over Zibadianja Lagoon from the deck are extraordinary, definitely one of Botswana’s most magnificent settings. You can observe game at the lagoon from inside your plunge pool at Zarafa Camp, especially nice after helping oneself to the in-tent Amarula at your bar station.
Zarafa Camp Showers
If I had it my way I would never take a shower indoors on safari and a pleasant surprise for me was the outdoor surround shower (no idea what it should be called), one that had multiple tracks spraying water sideways in addition to the overhead shower. This was like getting some kind of massage spa treatment just for doing something I needed to do anyway – take a shower.
The Zarafa Camp open air surround shower is a unique indulgence
© Bill Given
Zarafa Camp Common Areas
The common areas at Zarafa Camp are also extremely large with a living room, library, formal dining area and extensive outdoor decks for dining, fire, and just relaxing. All appointed at the same high luxury vintage safari style. Food was outstanding, some of the very best that I have had on safari.
One thing that I have found that typically comes with ultra-luxury is there is an emphasis on the in-camp experience and a more formalized service standard. For example, at Zarafa the suggested game drive time in the morning was a ½ hour later than at Selinda Camp and when it came to the afternoon schedule the advice was meet at 4 (again ½ hour later than other camps I’d been to on this trip) for tea and then head out 4:30-4:45 whenever everyone feels ready. Since vehicles are shared at most Botswana camps, typically there is a set time to make sure everyone gets their full time in on the game drive. Of course management is flexible and different times can be requested but when sharing a vehicle you are somewhat limited.
This was also the only camp I visited that had foreign managers, which I assume is to deliver a refined standard that is more typical of the traditional South African style lodge safari. In my brief stay, I felt like the two management couples did a great job but it is definitely a different atmosphere from the more laid-back locally managed camps, so it is important to determine what your safari style is when choosing your luxury level.
Outdoor dining with huge views over Zibadianja Lagoon
© Bill Given
Zarafa Camp Summary
Zarafa Camp is a great choice for those who want to safari in the lap of luxury, including having more romantic down time in camp to enjoy the amenities with a little less length to the game activities that can tire some people out by the end of their trip.