SANCTUARY RETREATS


by its owner, Sanctuary Retreats. The safari specialist operates lodges across Africa and farther afield in Burma, Egypt and China. Over the past year, it has revitalised Chief’s Camp, one of four Sanctuary-owned lodges across Botswana, in time for a June relaunch. As we close in on the camp’s dusty white airstrip, the adventure begins. “Giraffes on the runway!” shouts French pilot Sebastian. “We’ll have to go again.” Giraffes safely cleared, we touch down and embark on the short drive through the bush toward Chief’s Camp. Loaded up on one of Sanctuary’s open- air 4x4s, which are perfectly adapted to deal with the Delta’s tough terrain, we pass fragrant wild sage bushes, spotting a rare Verreaux’s eagle-owl, a troop of chacma baboons and a herd of elephants enjoying a midday bath. As we approach the camp,


As we close in on the airstrip, the adventure begins. “Giraffes on the runway!” shouts the pilot


zebras and impalas flee from our path. As the first British journalist to get a behind-the-scenes tour, I start with the 10 rooms that fan out in a horseshoe shape from the camp’s central lodge. But to call them “rooms” is a an understatement; their original floorsize has been doubled to


reveal new, stand-alone pavilions, each with their own outdoor plunge pool, poised on expansive decks. Inside, muslin-draped beds and eggshell baths converge beneath airy thatched roofs. Each has its own quirks – in room three, for example, a giant termite mound rises from the deck – while an additional, all-inclusive, ultra-exclusive super-villa, The Geoffrey Kent Suite, comes with its own chef, butler and guide. This was added to cater for Chief Camp’s celebrity guests, such as Harrison Ford, and those seeking ultimate privacy. But it’s not only superstars the camp


caters for. An on-site guest experience centre will feature evening talks by outside speakers and guides, and a children’s education area will examine plaster moulds of lions paws, among other activities, to give families an


aspire june 2016 — 45


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