Elephant Sands

Elephant Sands is in Nata Botswana.

About Elephant Sands

Elephant Sands is a bush lodge and campsite in the north-eastern part of Botswana. Come and enjoy viewing the elephants at our natural waterhole right in front of the lodge.

Watch these impressive creatures while they drink just a few metres away from you—a unique experience! There is plenty of other wildlife around as well on our unfenced 16,000 ha private conservancy. The lack of fences allows all animals to roam freely.

We are ideally located in the centre of Botswana’s highlights, such as the Makgadikgadi Pans, the Okavango Delta, and Chobe National Park. Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park are practically on our doorstep.

Our lodge is a great starting point for a tour of all these places of interest. Find out more about the activities and personalised tours and safaris we offer. Stay in one of our 14 en-suite chalets or pitch your own tent and experience the serenity and peacefulness of the real African bush.

Elephant Sands: Where elephants rule.

Accommodation at Elephant Sands

We are pleased to offer 10 brand new en-suite safari tents with views of the waterhole. Accommodation at Elephant Sands includes:

• Safari tents on stilts
• Family safari tents on stilts
• Chalets
• Self-catering chalets
• Family chalets

Our thatched roof chalets are all equipped with mosquito nets.

Chalet Options:

• 12 twin chalets with either 2 single beds or a double bed. Each chalet has an en-suite bathroom with a shower, toilet, and washbasin.
• 2 family chalets with a double bed and 2 single beds. Each family chalet has an en-suite bathroom with a bath and shower, toilet, and washbasin.

Campsite

• Ample camping space available
• No allocated campsites
• Communal ablutions with hot showers and flush toilets
• Several fireplaces in the camp area; firewood is available

What to Expect at Elephant Sands

Elephant Sands is a bush lodge where you can experience the true African bush. The lodge is set on a private conservancy of 16,000 hectares.

As there are no fences, all wildlife can roam freely from one waterhole to another, and you can expect to see a variety of animals during your stay at Elephant Sands. Watching wild elephants and observing their behaviour at such close proximity is a truly unique and amazing experience.

Wildlife

We are pleased to report frequent sightings of wild dogs, with a healthy pack of 18 dogs residing in our area at the moment.

Guests can look forward to seeing a variety of wildlife including elephants, kudu, giraffe, wild dogs, steenbok, buffalo, impala, leopard, ostrich, warthog, lion, jackal, mongoose, porcupine, zebra, and more. Additionally, there is an abundance of fascinating birdlife to be observed year-round at our waterhole and birdbath.

Bush Walk (2 hours)

Let our professional guide share his knowledge of the bush with you. Learn about the fascinating uses of native plants and discover how to identify animal tracks. On foot, you will smell, hear, see, feel, and experience the bush in a unique way!

Hotel Facilities

• Curio shop
• Laundry service
• Wi-Fi available
• Swimming pool
• Restaurant – serving breakfast and lunch à la carte
• Dinner – set menu, prepared by our wonderful chefs Lazarous and Joseph
• Bar – serving a range of local and international beers, wines, shakes, and exotic cocktails

Good to Know

Enjoy the serenity and peacefulness and let the wildlife excite you, but remember where you are!

We are located far from the nearest town and might not have all the conveniences you are accustomed to. Please read the following to avoid any disappointment:

• Electricity is run on a generator, which is turned off at night; we provide candles in the rooms, but a torch is a recommended luxury.
• There are no electrical sockets inside the chalets.
• There are no electrical power points in the campsite either.
• If you’d like to charge your phone, camera, or laptop, you are welcome to do so in the restaurant area.
• The only mobile provider with reception here is Be Mobile.
• There is Wi-Fi connectivity.
• We do not have credit card facilities. We accept Pula, Rand, Euro, and US Dollars.
• Our chalets are not self-catering. We have a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• There are several fireplaces in the campsite, and firewood is available for purchase.
• The water provided for your shower is pumped from our area and has a higher salinity. It is clean and safe, just with a higher salt content.

• We purify part of this water, which we bottle and sell. By purchasing a bottle of Elephant Sands water, you support the Water and Elephant project. Profits go towards the desalination process of undrinkable saltwater. With your help, we can supply fresh water to the elephants and other wildlife.
• There are hot water showers in the chalets and the campsite ablutions. The water is heated by so-called ‘donkeys’. Let the water run for a while to enjoy a nice hot shower.
• Mosquito nets are provided in the chalets, but bring repellent, especially during the summer months (November-April) for the evenings around the fire.
• Our campsite and lodge are unfenced; all animals roam freely, which means you can expect to see anything. Always bring a good torch or headlamp with you if you do not want to bump into a browsing giant on your way to the bathroom.

Activities

NEW! Mountain Bike Adventure

Elephant Sands and Patrick Cruywagen bring you The Great Makgadikgadi Pans Mountain Bike Adventure 2013! A 3-day, 150-km mountain bike adventure across the 12,000 sq km white salt pans of Botswana, from 31st July until 3rd August.

Game Drive (2.5-3 hours)

We offer guided morning (06:00 AM), afternoon (04:00 PM), and night game drives (08:00 PM) in our open game viewing vehicles.

Our game drives either take place on Elephant Sands’ 16,000 ha private conservancy or in a nearby wildlife concession. Enjoy the opportunity to view wildlife in its natural surroundings.

Bush Braai

Enjoy a delicious, hearty meal prepared by our wonderful chef on the open fire. Depart in the late afternoon on a game drive to the braai site. Witness the beauty of the bush as day turns into night. After an unforgettable sunset, we will return to the lodge.

Bush Camp

Prefer to spend the night under the stars? After a game drive in our open game viewing vehicle, you will arrive at the campsite for the night. We will set up camp for you in a remote and secluded location. This is for the adventurous only; just you and the bush!

After a delicious and hearty dinner prepared on the open fire, there will be time for stargazing and relaxing around the campfire while sharing some great stories. The excitement of listening to lions roaring or hyenas calling in the distance (or close by!) is unforgettable.

A warm breakfast is included the following morning, as well as drinking water and coffee/tea. There will be a bush toilet, and we will provide open-air canvas bucket showers.

Makgadikgadi Pans Camp

Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable pan experience on one of the largest salt flats in the world? A scenic drive will lead you to the campsite for the night. The ‘moonscape’, with its white, dry salt crust, creates a surreal and magical camping location.

Enjoy the most beautiful, indescribable sunset and sunrise with a 360° view! Wildlife sightings may include jackal, blue wildebeest, zebra, ostrich, springbok, and plenty of birdlife, though this activity is really all about the scenery.

Dinner, breakfast, and refreshments are included. There will be a bush toilet, and we will provide open-air canvas bucket showers.

Kubu Island Trip

Spend a night at the photographer’s paradise known as Kubu Island. The mystical atmosphere created by the moonlight reflecting on the almost white surface of the endless salt pans, combined with the ancient baobabs surrounding the campsite, cannot be described in words.

Kubu Island is a national monument, a magical experience, and a sacred place.

Dinner and breakfast, camping, and entrance fees are all included in this activity. The campsite has long-drop toilets, and we will provide canvas bucket showers.

Tailor-Made Mobile Safaris with Elephant Sands

Let Elephant Sands organise your safari in Africa—easy, affordable, with a small group size and a personal touch: just you and your family or friends.

We will provide:

• Professional and qualified guide, driver, and chef
• All necessary camping equipment
• 4x4 safari vehicle and trailer

Possible destinations and places of interest:

• Chobe National Park
• Okavango Delta
• Moremi Game Reserve
• Khwai
• Makgadikgadi Pans
• Nxai Pan National Park
• Central Kalahari Game Reserve
• Hunters Road
• Caprivi
• Victoria Falls
• Hwange National Park
• And many more...

Choose your preferred type of accommodation: lodging, camping, or tented camps. Rates start from $200 per person per day, depending on group size, season, type of accommodation, and destinations.

A detailed itinerary and rates are available on request.