Camp Overview

Named for Scandinavian royalty who camped at the water's edge, Kings Pool Lagoon attracts large herds of elephant during the dry season. Kings Pool Camp combines such spectacular sightings with a luxurious place from which to see them.

Situated on a lagoon in the fabulous Greater Linyanti, this luxury lodge is close to the top of the tree when it comes to comfort and experience. Kings Pool Camp is located in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, a vast private concession in the northern part of Botswana, on the western boundary of Chobe National Park. The accommodation here is luxurious, the wildlife spectacular.

Lodge Layout

Kings Pool's main living area is large and built on raised decking, structures are mainly under thatch. The whole lodge is designed to take advantage of the fact that it sits right on a lagoon on the Linyanti River, the aspect of which creates a wide open viewing area where you can watch the many forms of wildlife go by, especially elephants who dominate the area and love the waters.

The main area as such faces the lagoon straight on, with a combination of 5 thatched units to one side and 4 on the other, which fan out and all also sit on the lagoon. A little behind the main area is a boma with a fire pit for evening drinks. There is a central bar, which is unusual as it sits in the middle of the floor space where guests can sit around. The rest of the main living area is quite open planned with plenty of seating arrangements, predominantly of soft furnishings. The feeling here is that there are more places to sit than the camp can accommodate guests. The rest of the furniture is tastefully modern African wood in nature

A very well stocked and pretty curio shop is also in this area together with a good library.

Dining is undertaken in a large area as part of the open planned aspect of this main theme, either under thatch or uncovered out on the veranda and closer to the water for the view. Out on to the large decked veranda, there are 3 semi circular seating areas that again take in the view, one of which sits beside the pool on the waters edge and the other two are lower in position and have fire pits. These are superb areas to relax in and watch wildlife.

Camp Environment

Kings Pool Camp is located in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, a vast private concession in the northern part of Botswana, on the western boundary of Chobe National Park. The accommodation here is luxurious, the wildlife spectacular. The Camp overlooks the Linyanti River and the oxbow-shaped Kings Pool Lagoon, apparently named after a Scandinavian monarch who spent a number of nights camping out on its banks - long before any camp was built here.

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve has abundant wildlife in a wide variety of species, but is most noted for its very large elephant population which can reach enormous densities during the dry winter months. Other game is abundant, such as impala, lechwe, kudu, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and bushbuck, and their predators: lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyaena. Rarer species such as sable and roan antelope also emerge from the woodlands during the dry season.

Apart from the simple appeal of watching the elephants at the water's edge from the luxury of the raised decks of Kings Pool Camp, spectacular wildlife viewing is available on day and night game drives and walks. Allowing for water levels, seasonal barge cruises along the Linyanti River are also on offer. The reed and papyrus swamps are ideal for numerous and diverse species of birds and are a magnet for game in the dry winter months.

Kings Pool Camp is famed not just for the sights, but also the sounds of wildlife all around. For this reason the camp has two hides. One is located at the western end of the camp where one can spend one's entire siesta time watching game come down to drink. The other is an original underground hide, with the water at eye-level. Seeing massive elephant feet and trunks almost within touching distance while safely inside is an extraordinary experience.