Sediba Sa Rona: A New Lesson on Luxury Botswana Safaris
By
The Sybarite Team
on
4th August 2026
Desert & Delta Safaris' newest lodge champions regenerative tourism, understated luxury and the joy of experiencing the Okavango Delta at nature's own pace, says Amira Arasteh.
I arrived in Botswana hoping to see elephants. Hoping is a stretch – it was the reason I was so intent on visiting the country. Not to sound ungrateful, but not one or two from a distance, either. I wanted to see a herd in their natural habitat. I won’t hold the suspense: I did indeed see them, exactly how I had hoped (manifested). But, as it turned out, Botswana had more than that rare sighting in store for me.
That's the thing about safari. The bush doesn't care about your wishlist. Nature unfolds on its own terms, whether that's a leopard draped across a tree with its kill, its cub lazing about in the grass below; a pack of African wild dogs making light work of an impala (before being fought off by a couple of hyenas); or, if you're very lucky, an entire herd of elephants emerging from the bush after hours of tracking. In an age where almost anything can be delivered at the touch of a button, there's something wonderfully refreshing about surrendering control.
In all honesty, it’s also a philosophy that feels increasingly relevant to luxury travel.
Sediba Sa Rona, which opened in Botswana's Khwai region in March 2026, embodies exactly that shift. Rather than expanding into untouched wilderness, Desert & Delta Safaris has completely enhanced the Khawi River Lodge within its original footprint, operating entirely off-grid and adhering to a simple promise: not a single tree was felled during its transformation.
Designed With the Delta in Mind
Arriving at Sediba Sa Rona, the first thing that strikes me isn't the lodge itself, but its surroundings. Nestled within Botswana's Khwai region, where the Okavango Delta meets sprawling floodplains and mopane woodland, it feels completely immersed in the landscape. The soundtrack is predominantly birdsong with the distant rustle of leaves (enhanced by the grunt of a hippo or two outside your room, of course).
Following its extensive redesign, the lodge feels contemporary without trying too hard. Warm timber, natural stone and woven textures echo the colours of the surrounding landscape, while open-sided communal spaces blur the boundary between indoors and out. Goodbye typical bush camping, hello heavenly, luxury living.
The suites are spacious yet calming, designed to draw your attention outwards, with decks overlooking the bush and interiors layered with natural textures and locally-inspired artisanal artefacts. It feels luxurious without ever competing with the landscape beyond the glass.
Life Between Game Drives
Like any safari lodge, it's the rhythm of the day that quickly becomes addictive.
Early mornings begin with coffee and sometimes a light bite before heading into the bush as the first light spills across the Delta. Returning several hours later, breakfast tastes even better after a morning spent scanning the horizon for wildlife. There’s a chatter and buzz balanced alongside awe and slowness.
Lunches unfold beneath shaded terraces, where fresh seasonal dishes such as beef stew and grilled fish with rice or rotis are served at an appropriately leisurely pace. Evenings become occasions in themselves. Guests gather around the communal table to swap stories from the day's sightings before lingering around the fire pit with a nightcap to admire some of the clearest night skies I’ve ever seen. With virtually no light pollution, the stars seem almost close enough to touch. It's impossible not to slow down.
Safari, swim and spa: Sediba has a modest but elegant pool surrounded partly by gorgeous decking, partly by the wilderness – where you might be lucky enough to spot an elephant or hippo or two! Spend afternoons cooling off between game drives before gathering around the fire deck as the sky turns from amber to an inky blanket of stars.
In contrast, Savute embraces a more classic decor: elevated wooden walkways connect a collection of spacious safari chalets, each overlooking the legendary watering hole, where giraffes walk past your window and elephants are known to wander past throughout the day and into the night. Interiors are modern but not ostentatious; warm and comfortable to allow nature’s own movie outside to take centre stage.
The lodge's open-air lounge, bar and dining areas all face the water, making it impossible to enjoy lunch or an evening gin and tonic without taking in the beauty of the animals in their natural habitat. A swimming pool tucked among the trees offers welcome respite from the afternoon heat, although it's difficult to spend long away from the viewing deck (where you can actually sit at eye-level with the wildlife) when something could appear at any moment.
While you’ll never go hungry at a Desert & Delta lodge, food offerings provide a distinct contrast to hotel buffets where overflowing troughs of food are continually replenished in wasteful abundance. You eat more than enough here, but plates are cleaned and meals are thoughtfully prepared to limit waste.
Learning the Rhythm of the Bush
Naturally, safari is the main draw here. Our guide, NT, made every drive feel like a lesson in reading the landscape – minus any of the classroom boredom. What appeared to be an ordinary patch of sand revealed fresh tracks. A distant alarm call hinted at a nearby predator. Every outing became less about chasing the Big Five and more about understanding the intricate relationships between the animals, birds and plants that make this ecosystem so fascinating.
That mindset completely transformed the experience. It’s how we found the leopard, high in the tree, resting after securing a kill. Her cub, a tiny little thing with the most incredible markings, playing lazily in the grass below before launching itself onto the tree trunk to climb up to its mother.
Signs about African wild dog sightings are plastered all over the airports – but they are incredibly rare to spot. We were hopeful but not expectant… which made coming across a pack of four devouring a kill even more special.
Before long, a clan of hyenas appeared and confidently chased the dogs away, reminding us just how quickly fortunes change in the bush.
And speaking of hyenas, I owe Disney an apology. Years of The Lion King had convinced me they were the villains of Africa. Then we visited a den and my heart went to tiny two- and three-month-old cubs stumbling close to their mothers while older youngsters, perhaps six to eight months old, wandered curiously towards our vehicle with oversized ears, fluffy coats and endless confidence. They were impossibly cute.
You quickly realise safari isn't about ticking animals off a list, it's about embracing the unexpected.
Finding my Elephants
I couldn’t write this piece without focusing on the elephants. After all, Botswana is home to nearly 130,000 African bush elephants, the largest single elephant population in the world. I've loved elephants for as long as I can remember, so naturally they topped my wishlist before even arriving in Botswana.
During my stay, I was lucky enough to enjoy several unforgettable encounters, including one magnificent bull who walked confidently towards our vehicle before brushing past so closely, we could practically hear every deep breath he took. While NT gently moved us on so the bull could pass, I was so mesmerised and wanted to inch even closer. Don’t be me. Always trust your guide! Being in the presence of an animal so enormous, yet so gentle, is incredibly humbling.
Still, my favourite wildlife memory came later in Savute.
Our guide, Obed, was tasked with delivering me a herd of elephants. A tricky feat indeed as we were visiting at the end of the rainy season. Savute’s water hole, which guests can enjoy as a panoramic view from their rooms or the dining space, would normally be a revolving door for herds coming to hydrate.
On the final day, as we got ready to go to the airport from our last game drive, Obed suddenly slowed the vehicle before climbing down to inspect the ground. Fresh elephant footprints. Still-wet dung. The herd couldn't be far away.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Every few minutes Obed stopped to study another clue before continuing. There was excited chatter and a thrill in the air. The anticipation grew with every turn until, suddenly, the bush opened up.
An entire breeding herd stood before us. I genuinely don't think I breathed for several minutes. Not only did we have half the herd on our left, but we soon heard trumpeting sounds, signalling a further influx of these majestic creatures. Watching so many elephants cross the path directly in front of us, pausing to establish safety of passage, was a moment I will never forget.
Smaller calves disappeared beneath towering adults, while teenagers playfully nudged one another and matriarchs watched over the family with remarkable calm. Seeing them communicate through gentle rumbles and quiet touches felt incredibly intimate. It was everything I'd hoped for and somehow even more magical than I'd imagined.
Within seconds, they’d disappeared among the green. Had we arrived minutes later, we’d have missed them. The African bush caters to no one, it’s complete luck (and a manifestation or two).
The Chobe Angels
My journey in Botswana actually started at Chobe Game Lodge, where the experience takes on an entirely different character.
Positioned on the banks of the Chobe River within the National Park, Chobe Game Lodge offers a distinctly different safari experience. The property feels grand yet relaxed, mixing hotel aesthetics with luxury safari. Spacious rooms featuring private terraces overlook the river, where elephants, crocodiles and pods of hippos provide an ever-changing backdrop. The expansive communal spaces include several lounges, riverside viewing decks, beautifully maintained gardens and a large swimming pool, connected by immersive canopy walkways.
Guests can enjoy both land and water safaris, as well as different meal options. The Botswanan barbecue night was a firm favourite of mine - I recall arriving back at the table holding a plate stacked high with every meat and stew on offer.
It’s also home to the Chobe Angels, Africa's first all-female safari guiding team. My guide, Melissa, navigated both river and bush with remarkable confidence, explaining everything from elephant behaviour to the delicate balance of the wider ecosystem. It’s thanks to her that we always had either the best, private or first view of a lioness making her way around the reserve.
A Different Kind of Luxury
Luxury safari has traditionally been associated with lavish lodges and endless wildlife checklists. Sediba Sa Rona proves that exceptional design doesn't require a bigger footprint.
Long after leaving Botswana, there wasn’t one particular sighting that stuck out to me (although the elephants came very close). What stayed with me the most was that feeling of waiting patiently, watching, and allowing the bush to unfold exactly as intended.
In a world built around instant gratification, that may just be the greatest luxury of all.
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