Skybeds, Natural Selection Safaris Camp (Kwai Concession) Botswana
A MILLION STAR REVIEW!
Looking for a truly unique way to spend time in the bush? Then look no further than our fabulous Skybeds, located deep within the Khwai Private Reserve. As the name suggests, this is no ordinary safari camp. Each “room” is actually a three-story raised platform, overlooking the wildlife-spotted plains of Khwai. Charmingly rustic yet perfectly stylish, you’ll find a bathroom with flushing loo on the first floor, a dressing area, and the ultimate cherry on the top floor, an enormous double bed, draped in white linens and a feather duvet and completely open to the stars.
With such spectacular skies overhead, you could be forgiven for forgetting about what’s happening down below. But keep one eye on the ground, for the Skybeds overlook a busy waterhole. In one night we’ve seen wild dog, lion, elephant and hyena – and that’s just the beginning. So, whilst we can’t guarantee you’ll get much sleep, we can guarantee one of the wildest and most wonderful safari experiences you’ll ever have.
AT-A-GLANCE
Accommodation & Amenities
3 x 5-metre high sleeping platforms
Private bathrooms
with indoor showers
Wifi available: No
Hairdryers: No
Battery charging facilities: In the vehicle
Child policy:
We welcome children aged 12 years and older
Disabled
access: Sadly, disabled access is not possible
What’s included?
All meals and local drinks; activities
What’s not included?
Flights; premium brand beverages; tips & gratuities; insurance
The Skybeds are open all year round (in the wetter months (November to April) we have a small dome tent available in case of unexpected rainfall!)
Green season: 10th January to 31st March
Shoulder
season: 1st April to 14th June; 1st November 9th January
High season: 15th June to 31st July; 1st September to 31st
October
Peak season: 1st – 31st August
Please note Skybeds is only available when booked in
combination with Sable Alley or Hyena Pan.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Sleeping under the stars in the heart of the bush isn’t something you do every day, and we wanted to keep the experience as exclusive as possible. After all, it’s not quite the same with 100 people snoring next to you. As a result, there are only three Skybeds sleeping a total of six people, and, just as importantly, each one is perfectly private from the next.
The Skybeds are no ordinary camp bedrooms. In fact, they’re no ordinary tree houses either. You’ll be sleeping high above the plains, raised two stories off the ground, and quite literally metres from a mammal-dominated waterhole. The upper platform is your alfresco bedroom, complete with bed and mosquito net. The snuggest of duvets will keep you warm when the desert temperature tumbles, and we’ve even got hot water bottles to keep you extra toasty. The bathroom is on the second-floor level, with an enclosed shower, flushing loo, and private changing area.
While the tree-house is your unique, private sanctuary, the rest of the camp is more traditional in design. The Skybeds aren’t a white-gloved, linen-tableclothed sort of place. Good, wholesome food is served around the campfire, accompanied by the wandering wildlife, the sounds of the night, and a crisp G&T.
We may have injected a good dose of romance into the Skybeds, but that doesn’t mean they’re only for couples. Small groups can book the camp on an exclusive basis (that’s what we call a party!), and we welcome families with older children, but regret that we cannot accept children under 12. If you’re embarking on a multi-day Natural Selection safari, add in a night at the Skybeds for a change of pace and scene.
THE LANDSCAPE
Skybeds is situated alongside a busy waterhole within the 495,000 acre Khwai Private Reserve concession. This is our precious reserve in the Khwai area of the Okavango Delta, and as the name suggests, it͛s private, giving our guests that most indulgent of African luxuries – space.
The reserve is at the north east corner of the Delta, and boasts a glorious diversity of land and waterscape, with a variety of ecosystems playing host to an array of wildlife. From seasonal waterholes and permanent channels to mopane woodland and riverine forests –it’s all here.
WILDLIFE
We’ve turned the idea of a traditional camp on its head at Skybeds, so we thought we might as well flip the notion of a traditional safari too. Usually, the camp is for resting, but at Skybeds, your bedroom takes centre stage in the wildlife-viewing department. Keep your eyes peeled for kudu and roan antelope roaming beneath your tree-house, predators patrolling the water’s edge and long-lashed giraffe peeping into the bedroom.
Game drives mostly focus on the resident predators, and our team of fabulous guides understand exactly where the furry icons claim their territory. Lion prides prowl with precision, leopard hide in the boughs of the trees, and packs of wild dog and scatterings of hyena are a regular part of the program. And in Khwai, it’s not just predator versus prey, but predators fighting amongst themselves too. Exciting stuff.
We also recommend that you pop out on an evening drive. The beauty of being in a private reserve is the ability to do what we want (within reason!), and one of those things is game viewing under the cover of darkness. These drives increase your chances of seeing big cats on the move, and reveal some of the more elusive nocturnal species too. And next on the list is a walking safari. You’ll follow herds of red lechwe and waterbuck, and come eye-to-eye with kudu and eland – the perfect complement to your view from the treehouse
Accommodation Rates:- From $395 per person per night. Please contact us for a quote and suggested itinerary.