Kwando Lagoon Camp

The camp is a row of thatched chalets along the Kwando River, including a family chalet. Rooms are comfortable but fairly plain, and the real appeal is the river and the guiding. The reserve covers about 2,300 square kilometers, with riverine forest along the water and mopane woodland to the west. Flights from Maun or Kasane by light aircraft take about an hour. The pool is not fenced, so young children need watching.

Every drive goes out with a guide and a tracker, with at most six guests per vehicle, and night drives are part of the routine. Wild dogs have denned in the reserve since 1997, and June and July, the denning season, give the best odds. Boat trips and fishing run when water levels allow, usually May to September. Walks are short and at the guide's discretion. It works as the predator stop in a trip that also includes a Delta water camp.

Lagoon suits wildlife-focused travelers, including families with older children who are keen. Children aged six and over are welcome, but families with children aged six to 11 must book a private vehicle. Guides tend to put big cats and wild dogs ahead of general game viewing, which some guests love and others find too narrow. It is not the place for a long walking safari, and the camp is unfenced.