Elephant Sands Lodge

Elephant Sands is a bush lodge and campsite in Nata, Botswana, built around a natural waterhole that draws wildlife. You stay in one of twenty en-suite tents or eight chalets, all set close to the water. The tents have beds, en-suite bathrooms, and ceiling fans; the chalets offer the same with more space. Campers can pitch at designated sites with shared bathrooms and barbecue facilities.

The waterhole is the center of the lodge. Elephants come to drink, and you watch them from the restaurant, bar, or swimming pool. Activities include bush walks with guides, game drives, and mountain biking through the surrounding area. The lodge is unfenced, so animals move freely — you might hear elephants at night.

The restaurant serves meals throughout the day, and the bar looks out over the waterhole. The swimming pool is a place to cool off between activities. The campsites have shared bathrooms and spaces for braais, the local term for barbecues.