Savute Safari Lodge

Savute is an area of some geographical difference and with a wealth of geological history. The Seven Hills of Savute, collectively known as the Gubatsa Hills, were formed some 980 million years ago and were shaped over the centuries by the ancient Makgadikgadi Lake which finally dried up some 30, 000 years ago. The latest geological phenomena to radically change the face of Savute’s landscape were the gentle tectonic movements of Northern Botswana’s earth plates – only two decades ago and hardly discernable at the time – which caused the Savute Channel and its dependent Savute Marsh to parch and dry up.  In 2009 this channel began to flow again!  It has ‘switched’ on and off without explanation in the past. Heavy rains at the beginning of 2000 rendered the area impassable. This legend continues to fuel the great mystery and fascination of Savute.

It is on the banks of this stolen river, that you will find Savute Safari Lodge in a setting of singular beauty.  Accommodation is in twelve twin bedded, local timber and glass chalets with cool thatching, beautifully furnished in fresh colours and with en-suite facilities.  The magnificent lounge, cocktail bar with a large fireplace and the dining room each overlook the Savute Channel.  The lodge’s signature expansive glass sliding doors and upstairs viewing decks were inspired by the striking panorama.  A plunge pool with sundecks provides cool relief during the hot midday hours.

The game viewing offered by Savute is an experience not to be missed, especially during the summer months, after November’s first rain when thousands of animal are drawn to the area.  Savute’s highlights are its concentration of lion and hyena, as well as its leopard, cheetah, black-backed jackal and the many lone elephant bulls.  The summer heralds the zebra migration, an awe-inspiring spectacle of up to 25,000 animals trooping through the Savute in search of the rain-ripe grasslands to the south.  The migration is determined by the rains but usually occurs between November and December and again in February to April when the zebras migrate back north to the Linyanti.