If we could choose one place to stay in the CKGR, this would be it. These lovely solar-powered tents inhabit a gorgeous location southeast of Deception Valley and face the setting sun with stunning views. The spacious tents have wooden floors, extremely comfortable beds, 24-hour electricity, yoga mats and a roof terrace (for those wishing to sleep under the stars).
Activities include excellent San nature walks (an estimated 90% of staff come from the area) and wildlife drives on which the chances of seeing lions, leopards or cheetahs are good; there were two lion prides in the area when we were last here.
The food is excellent, Mama B is the perfect camp host, the gift shop is rather lovely and the whole camp is oriented towards vast Kalahari views across the grasslands. Nights can be cold, which is why you'll appreciate the hot-water bottles that are placed in your bed while you're at dinner – don't, as one tourist did in a similar camp, mistake it for an animal and stab it with a knife… And when it's high season in the Okavango Delta, it's usually low season down here, enabling a nice break from crowds and high-season prices.
To get here if you're driving, you can either follow the fence line south from Matswere Gate and arrange for a guide to meet you, or drive through the heart of the reserve en route. If doing the latter, the Tracks4Africa GPS system was strangely unhelpful when we visited, so we suggest you do the following. From Matswere Gate, follow the sandy track all the way into the CKGR to Deception Valley (37km). Turn left (south) and drive along the valley for 12.7km, ignoring all turn-offs along the way. After the last turn-off to the left to Deception Pan, an unsigned track leaves the main track, heading east. Some 11.5km after taking this track, another track joins from the left – ignore it and veer right. After another 7.2km, you will reach another junction at the entrance to a large grassy pan – take the right fork and follow the track for 6km into camp.