Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Savute Channel, Chobe National Park Botswana
Full view
View all photos (225)225
Room & Suite (37)
Dining (8)
About
#14 of 33 lodges in Chobe National Park
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Savute Elephant Lodge, a Belmond Safari, is located beside Botswana’s mysterious Savute Channel in Chobe National Park. Unpredictable wet and dry cycles create a dynamic landscape that’s irresistible to animals. The most luxurious lodge in the area, it captures the feel of a timeless explorers’ base. Attractions include an exclusive viewing hide, beautiful spa tent and artisan-designed interiors. Guests awake in four-poster beds to gaze at breathtaking views of the wildlife. Early-morning game drives reveal elephants and lions. At day’s end, an uplifting boma provides delicious local dishes as tuneful staff bring African rhythms alive. This is rugged, raw Botswana at its finest.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Yoga classes
Free breakfast
Walking tours
Free airport transportation
Photo copier / fax In business centre
Massage
Internet
Pool with view
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Kid-friendly buffet
Outdoor dining area
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Airport transportation
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Currency exchange
Mosquito net
Sun terrace
First aid kit
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Private check-in / check-out
Laundry service
Ironing service
Show more
Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Safe
Telephone
Coffee / tea maker
Minibar
Cable / satellite TV
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Private bathrooms
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Flatscreen TV
Show more
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Luxury
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Savute Channel, Chobe National Park Botswana
See all nearby hotels200Reviews6Q+A49Room tips
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 164
- 24
- 6
- 1
- 5
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
This was our second stop on our 6-night ‘Grand Tour of Botswana’ package and I can’t decide which lodge I enjoyed more because they were both excellent but in different ways. We were in room #4 located directly in front of the elephant watering hole. This gave us a chance to sit and watch hours of activity right from our balcony. Although the rooms at this property are a tad smaller than the ones at Eagle Island, the light colors used throughout the property made for a very relaxing environment. From the meals to the spa to afternoon tea and happy hour - everything was seamless. On our final night at the lodge we happened to be the only guests and the staff went above and beyond to surprise us with dinner service from the privacy of our balcony. Thank you our guide John and the entire Belmond team for making our trip memorable. We hope to return in the future.…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Stay at both Savute and Eagle Island! Chobe and Okavango Delta areas are different and equally...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
An experience of a lifetime! Having sundowners under the African sun in this breathtaking luxury lodge, truly heaven if you ask me. Walter, you and your Team left me speechless with the incredible hospitality I experienced. I didn't want to leave Botswana! But will definitely return in the near future! A massive thank you to: Walter; Tsaone; Obie; Lerato; Sadie; Franklin; Kenny; Richard; Ms. B; Chief
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: stay hydrated, wear a hat for the strong sun.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
This was the second of the three Belmond Safari locations for our trip and again we found that every member of the team was very friendly and kind. The lodge overlooks a waterhole which was frequented by all sorts throughout the day, and was then taken over by herds and herds of elephants from dinner and late into the night. Our "tent" was very well appointed (with separate indoor and outdoor showers) with excellent heating/aircon and overlooked the Savute channel leading to the waterhole. We were provided with copious amounts of delicious food and drink throughout the day, and the team quickly learnt the things that we enjoyed the most! Our super friendly guide Richard delivered on pretty much all of our requests with plenty of elephant, giraffe, lions with cubs, leopard and my highlight of a pair of cheetah brothers! Richard was also very excited to be introduced to and finding his first geocache as there was a location near the bushman paintings! Our evening drives finished with sundowners on the open plain - thank you for remembering my favourite brut rose every day!…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: The lodges have plenty of universal sockets.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
This place is incredible! From the moment you arrive, there are elephants and giraffes and buffalo right there by the deck. The rooms are gorgeous with everything you could ask for, and a private patio to sit on and enjoy the view. There is a "Hide" that you can visit, where you are just feet away from the watering hole, and it is amazing! Our guide Goms was extremely knowledgeable about the animals and the plants, and the history of the area, we really loved every moment both out on game drives and back at camp. Early morning game drives come with blankets and "bush babies" to keep you warm. The food was delicious and we tried quite a few new dishes. The entire staff is welcoming and happy to help with anything you ask. Really cannot say enough about the Savute Elephant Lodge, it was magnificent.…
Read more
Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Give yourself at the very least 2 days here.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gabriella Wiseman, Marketing at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 13 Jul 2023
Dear Bag382, Thank you for your incredible review! We're thrilled to hear that your experience at Savute Elephant Lodge was magnificent. We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back to Savute Elephant Lodge soon. Best regards, Savute Elephant Lodge Team
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Savute is a gorgeous lodge and safari experience! The team at Savute is excellent and welcoming. We had so much fun with OB and Moss as our guides - Belmond is so lucky to have them on the team! You truly can't beat watching elephants at the watering hole from your room's back deck. We really hope to make it back to Savute someday.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gabriella Wiseman, Marketing at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 30 May 2023
Good morning colleensstarr, Thank you so much for your kind words. We will most certainly pass it on to the team and let OB and Moses know that you had such an incredible time with them! We hope you had a safe journey back home with many heartfelt memories of Botswana. Wishing we'll be seeing you again soon! Take care.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It was a magical experience - beautifully appointed tent-like structure, very well air conditioned, comfortable bed, lovely toiletries, complimentary laundry service and best of all a spacious covered porch looking out on the watering hole. Elephants parading by day and night for a drink! We could watch the wildlife from the comfort of our room. The staff made our stay very special, so attentive to our every need. We went on twice daily game runs with our guide Richard - saw it all: wild dogs, lions, cheetah, leopard, ostrich, and many, many elephant and giraffe and more. There's even a spa where I enjoyed excellent massage therapy. Food was excellently prepared, wines were divine. This place is very special!
Read more
Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: We went in late February...had only a few other guests the entire time. Lots of personal...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gabriella Wiseman, Marketing at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 23 May 2023
Hi jpS6265YO, Thank you so such for your wonderful review! It sounds like your experience was simply magical - we are so thrilled about that! We will certainly pass on your kind words to the team. Take care.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had a girls' trip here & had one of our most memorable experiences here - elephants would cross the front of our chalet on the river to drink water & take a bath - it was amazing! The decor is beautiful & the food is delicious! Obi, our safari guide was just remarkable at his work & is extremely well-knowledgeable of the environment, landscape & animals - he was able to track African wild dogs that are only spotted approximately every 2 months, we saw a hunt & he was able to track all of this! We had sun downers under a baobob tree & during our safari rides, we saw all one can be thankful to see: lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, African wild dogs - it was truly beautiful! We will never forget our time here & the customer service was excellent!
Read more
Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Enjoy your siesta & keep an eye out for the elephants that cross the river to drink & bathe -...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Inge Dykman, Owner at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 01 Jan 2023
Dear Footprints667320, Thank you for sharing your review and feedback with us, we are elated to see that you had an enjoyable time at the lodge. We will share the wonderful feedback with the team and hope that you will return. Best wishes Inge Dykman Area Marketing Manager
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A group of us spent three days at Belmond’s Savute Elephant Camp. The experience was underwhelming, to say the least. While the game drives and animals seen were excellent, and the guides outstanding, the experience at the camp itself left lots to be desired. The food was fine. But the temperatures were hot, around 100 degrees Fahrenheit every day and the tents were barely air conditioned, leaving temperatures inside the tents exceeding 80 degrees in the evening. Internet was unavailable throughout our visit. We were told that the camp could not have a larger solar panel array to power the camp, and thus the AC was under powered. Our next stop was Belmond’s Eagle Island Camp, with the same hot temperatures, but at Eagle Island, the AC worked beautifully, and the WiFi was mostly OK, although still below international luxury standards. The solar array at Eagle Island was 3 times the size of the one at Savute. There is simply no excuse for the woeful AC and non-existent WiFi! I have stayed at many Belmond properties. They have usually been among the very best properties I have visited. Savute Elephant Camp is a legendary luxury camp and I looked forward to staying there and told my friends it was considered one of the finest safari camps in Africa. For us, the the steep price we paid, it was anything but. I do not believe this was the fault of the camp staff, who tried their best to be accommodating. The offered me a complimentary massage, but then the massage tables were the old-fashioned ones with a slit in the table for your most and no adjustment for one’s head at all. Because of shoulder and neck problems, I need a adjustable table in order to have a massage. I have been to numerous remote properties with massage capabilities, and all had tables with adjustable head rests. The ones at Savute I haven’t seen anywhere for years, and never at a Belmond or comparable property. Fortunately our experience at Eagle Island and two other stops on the trip somewhat made up for the disappointment at Savute, but Belmond has some serious work to do to get Savute straightened out. Also people should know that in addition to the AC being very underpowered (we had a journeyman AC technician as part of our group of friends and he knows what he is talking about) but tents have no insulating value for either heat or cold,. They may feel a bit more authentic safari experience than a solid building, but you need a lot of heating and cooling to keep a tented structure comfortable. Those making reservations should check expected temperatures for the time of year they plan to visit and schedule accordingly.…
Read more
Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip: Avoid the hottest and coldest times of year.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Inge Dykman, Owner at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 12 Nov 2022
Dear Ajgeb, Thank you for your constructive feedback and review, we do appreciate it, as this assists us to ensure that we improve on the feedback provided. Please accept our sincere apologies, as we can assure you that this is not the norm or the level of standards that we provide , as you will see from recent reviews. We have shared your feedback with the team and we will ensure to give this all our attention. Kind regards Inge Dykman Area Marketing Manager
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge was Extraordinary! It was such an adventure. The Lodge was beautiful as well as the rooms. Within the first 10 minutes of arriving to the camp, we saw a variety of animals right in front of the deck and our room. Our last night we saw 3 male lions right across from our room! The surroundings were beautiful. Everyone was so friendly at the lodge, we were even treated to a concert and outdoor barbeque our first night. The food was wonderful! Kops, our guide was Brilliant! His ability to track animals and use all of his senses and knowledge to find animals on our game drive was amazing. Watching him was almost just as fascinating as seeing the animals. We were able to see and observe a diversity of animals and will carry those unforgettable experiences with us forever. Thank you to EVERYONE at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge!!…
Read more
Date of stay: September 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Inge Dykman, Owner at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 08 Oct 2022
Dear CourtneyB702 We cannot thank you enough for the great review and feedback. At Belmond we take extreme pride in our work and will share your positive feedback with Kops and the rest of the team. We hope to welcome you back very soon and share more of the Belmond magic with you. Best wishes Inge Dykman Area Marketing Manager
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed for two nights at this very special lodge that had families of elephants there every day and night. The service is in true Belmond style, over the top and the staff are terrific. Our guide, OB, was with us every step of the way and had an uncanny ability to find animals, including the elusive leopard and so many other interesting things for us everywhere that we went. Special shout outs go to staff members Wacky, Maps and Banks as well. Will never forget this experience and recommending to all of our friends now.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Inge Dykman, Owner at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Responded 29 Sept 2022
Dear TimK5888FF, We are overwhelmed by your positive review and feedback and cannot thank you enough for the comments shared. Thank you for highlighting our team members and highlights of your trip, we will share with the team. We do hope that we will welcome you back in Botswana! Best wishes Inge Dykman Area Marketing Manager
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ALSO KNOWN AS
savute elephant camp by orient-express hotel chobe national park
LOCATION
BotswanaNorth-West DistrictChobe National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingSAVUTE ELEPHANT LODGE, A BELMOND SAFARI, BOTSWANA - Reviews (Chobe National Park) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
What are some of the property amenities at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
Which room amenities are available at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and yoga classes during their stay.
Does Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana have airport transportation?
Yes, Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.