Elephant Sands Lodge lies on an unfenced 16,000-hectare private conservancy in north-eastern Botswana, where elephants drink at a waterhole just metres from your chalet door. It is located 53 km north of Nata, a small gateway town to the Makgadikgadi Pans, and sits near the Nata Bird Sanctuary. The lodge’s 14 thatched chalets, including 2 family chalets, all come with en-suite bathrooms featuring a bath, shower, toilet, washbasin and mosquito nets for the night. A swimming pool, curio shop and bar (stocked with local and international beers, wines and exotic cocktails) round out the facilities, while the restaurant serves à la carte breakfast and lunch, with a set-menu dinner prepared by chefs Lazarous and Joseph.
Note that electricity runs on a generator switched off at night (candles are provided!) – a small price for front-row seats to elephant, lion, leopard, wild dog, and more roaming freely through the conservancy.
