Savute Safari Lodge

Savute Region

Flowing from the Linyanti River to the Savute Marsh, the Savute Channel has sustained the western reaches of Chobe National Park for generations. Yet this enigmatic waterway—known for flooding and drying at will, regardless of rainfall or flood patterns elsewhere—has long intrigued and puzzled local communities, geologists, and researchers alike.

Game drives	Game Drives from the lodge explore the Savute region in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Many excursions will incorporate a visit to the Savute Marsh to give you a chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel at the marsh against a backdrop of teeming wildlife.
Cultural experience	Guests can also enjoy a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills – a small hilly outcrop which forms a prominent landmark in the otherwise flat landscape.

Lodge Facilities

FAMILIES	Accepts children from six years and older.
ROOMS	11 Luxury Chalet and 1 Family Chalet accommodating a maximum of 24 guests
PILOT/GUIDE	1 x Pilot/Guide Room (not same standard as guest rooms)
DINING	Various indoor and outdoor dining locations.
CAMP FIRE	Located in front of the lodge overlooking the Savute Channel.
SWIMMING POOL	On a separate deck on the edge of the Savute Channel with easy access from the main area.
VIEWING DECK	An expansive, shaded deck overlooking the Savute Channel, ideal for enjoying the varied wildlife which frequents the channel and waterhole in front of the lodge. A sunken bench in front of the deck allows for low angle photography of the wildlife at the waterhole.
BAR	Fully stocked self service bar.
CURIO SHOP	Accepts cash and credit card payments.
LAUNDRY	Daily, inclusive laundry service available.
WATER	Reverse osmosis water treatment plant supplies drinking water (bottled water on request).
ELECTRICITY	24-hour power supplied by solar plant, backed up by generator. 220V AC plug’s in guest rooms.
INTERNET	Guest laptop available with basic internet connection in the library – there is no Wi-Fi available.

Room facilities

Raised decks	Each chalet is built of local timber and is on raised decks
En-Suite Bathroom	En-suite bathrooms with showers, hand basin and toilet facilities.
FANS	Fans are available in all rooms – there is no air-conditioning in the rooms.
POWER	220V multi adaptor plugs for charging photographic equipment.
SAFE	A small pass-code protected safe for storing valuables.
FLASHLIGHT	For use in the rooms at night.
HAIRDRYER	A small hairdryer is available in each room.
BATHROOM AMENITIES	A range of bathroom amenities including biodegradable soaps, shower gels etc.
TEA & COFFEE FACILITIES	small kettle with tea and coffee available.

THE UNEXPLAINED

When David Livingstone, the first European to visit the area, saw the Savute Channel in 1851 it was flowing. Thirty years later it had disappeared and the Savute Marsh had dried out, remaining this way for almost 80 years. It flowed again from the late 1950s to the early 1980s, when it again receded, hence its reputation as “the river that flows in both directions”.

In 2009, after another extended hiatus, the channel began flowing again and by January 2010 had spilled into the Savute Marsh for the first time in three decades, but for how long? No one knows…

THE LODGE

Savute Safari Lodge is designed for privacy and a deeply personalised experience, with just 11 chalets and an exclusive occupancy of just 24 guests.

Each en suite chalet celebrates the expansive views with private decks, landscape-facing lounges, and thoughtful furnishings that mirror the region. There is one family chalet, which has two interleading, en suite rooms, each with private decks and seating areas.

The lodge’s main areas are designed for both comfort and connection to nature, with a variety of indoor and outdoor lounging spaces and multi-level decks that offer exceptional game viewing—elephants are frequent visitors.

A high-level deck features a telescope for stargazing and wildlife spotting, while a photographic hide brings you eye‑level with the vibrant life around the waterhole directly in front of the lodge. Guests especially love the fire deck and dining area—perfect spots to unwind with a drink and take in the region’s ever-changing scenes.

A bar also awaits in the main area, ready with your favourite drink or signature cocktail. The pool, also overlooking the waterhole, completes this inviting setting, where the landscape and its wildlife—big cats, buffalo, birds, and more—take centre stage.

ACTIVITIES

Activities are centred around the landscape and include game drives throughout the Savute area in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Many trips will incorporate a visit to the Savute Marsh to give you a chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel at the marsh against a backdrop of teeming wildlife. Guests can also enjoy a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills—a small hilly outcrop which forms a prominent landmark in the otherwise flat landscape.

Savute boasts the second-largest summer Zebra migration in Africa; its timing is determined by the rains, but usually occurs between November and December and again between February and April, when the Zebras move from the rivers in the north in search of the rain-ripe grasslands and full waterholes in the southwest of the park. The migration is always followed by large numbers of predators – the Zebra migration is a must for visitors.

The Savute region, and the Savute Marsh in particular, is renowned for its intense predator encounters and exceptional game viewing making it one of Botswana’s most popular wildlife destinations.

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