Welcome to one of our favourite new safari camp gems in Botswana! This one has real character.  Allow us to introduce you.

Sable Alley Botswana is in the Khwai Private Reserve and just a stone’s throw from the world famous Moremi Game Reserve. The camp overlooks a lagoon that’s connected to the Khwai River, a major water source for wildlife in the area. There are always hippo here – you see them and hear them day and night, it becomes your safari sound track.

The Camp retains its tented style with raised platforms to maximise breezes and beautiful spacious canvas rooms. Every tent has stunning views of the landscape complete with lagoon and expect space with ensuite bathroom at the back boasting toilet, double sinks, indoor and outdoor showers.  Rooms are spaced out in a semi circle around the lagoon and you can see the rooms beside you, but vegetation will soon take over and provide more privacy. You can always drop your window flaps for complete privacy or draw the lovely curtains.

The main area has multiple shared areas so it feels very quiet even when camp is full. Split levels, pool pavilion wing, campfire area, lounge, dining, indoor and outdoor seating, a fantastic bar – you will want for nothing more here other than extra time on safari.

The casual elegance of this camp is heightened in appeal with some of the best safari staff we’ve encountered not to mention a team of great guides and brilliant management. If you are in camp at the same time as The Butlers, you are in for a treat. Get a seat by the fire at night, a glass of your favourite drop and listen to some sensational stories of life in the bush and Botswana’s past, present and future told by one storyteller of note – Mr Butler.

By day you can head off on 4×4 game drives (morning and afternoon plus night time as it’s not a national park). You can mokoro safari (canoe) water levels dependent and walking safaris are also available pending wildlife movements and wilderness conditions (such as grass height).

What we love most is the diversity of landscapes in the reserve – from riverine woodlands, open floodplains to mopane woodland. Diversity in landscapes bring lots of different animals from the sable (of course! you’d expect no less), wild dog to lion, elephant and endless plains game.  There has been an impressive leopard program to track and learn about the 12 leopard in the area so you may just get lucky and see one in the wild here.

New bridges have recently been built and connect guests to a previously untouched wilderness paradise abundant with wildlife, so your Botswana safari will be truly special if you choose Sable Alley.

Danica and Jonathon spent two nights here in December 2017 so you can ask them about it and read an extract from Danica’s journal below.

Sable Alley combines well with Meno A Kwena – different landscapes, similar commitment to great guides, beautiful wilderness and opportunities to simply relax and take it all in or safari your socks off.

It was a beautiful morning at Sable Alley safari camp in Botswana with a hue of mist over the waterhole in front of our tented room. The sun had not yet cracked through the horizon and we were awake. Whether it is the in built safari alarm clock or being parents of small children, we didn’t mind because what was about to unfold has to be one of the finest experiences one can hope for on a safari anywhere in Africa.

The dogs came in quietly as a pack to drink from the waterhole and moved across our horizon. Both of us saw them, grinned like kids in a candy store and quickly gathered our camera equipment. We were already dressed and ready to go for breakfast early, so now the adventure would hopefully begin if we could find our guide.  Footsteps came quickly towards our room as we were preparing to walk out. Dogs!  Right here, do you want to go? I’ll get the vehicle ready and meet you out front.

As if Aubrey read our minds, he proactively came to find us because we had said we wanted to see the dogs if we could during our stay. Off we raced, hearts pumping. No time for breakfast but I still managed to grab water bottles and a muffin or two. Coffee was already loaded in the vehicle.  Let’s go our guide shouted and we didn’t hesitate for a moment to literally jump into the vehicle.

We could not see the dogs at first, fear set in as I worried my one minute muffin distraction may have foiled the best chance at seeing wild dogs hunting.  Thankfully, short lived fear as a blur of fur and spots raced by.  The dogs were on a scent and we were closely following. They moved far quicker than we could and our guide was hesitant to drive too fast – we quickly squashed any extra caution he was taking for ‘guests’ and said this is the adventure we were looking for.

Needless to say the next two or three hours were spent with the dogs. We watched them track down prey, hunt, kill and devour in minutes. Bloodied faces soon got up and raced off again. Then it was time simply watching the pack interact by a bridge on a river bend, just us and this wonderful pack of dogs.

Sable Alley safari camp in Botswana you impressed us. Thank you for hosting the Wilsons. Encompass Africa will send many guests your way because you offer a truly rewarding and genuine safari experience with conservation at your core.