Fodor's Expert Review Sanctuary Baines' Camp

Named after the 19th-century explorer Thomas Baines, whose imposing portraits adorn the dining area walls, the focus of this intimate and innovative camp is more on experiential luxuries such as candle-lit private dinners and à la carte meals served with a selection of artisan breads. Return from an afternoon game drive to find your room-for-two freestanding bubble-filled bath ready and waiting on your private lantern-lit deck beneath a glittering canopy of stars. Relatively compact rooms decorated with playful splashes of color are equipped with desks, simple chairs, tea, coffee, and a minibar, while your four-poster bed can be wheeled out onto the deck so you can sleep under the stars should you desire. A series of rope-lined raised wooden walkways, reminiscent of a miniature suspension bridge, leads to the thatched main area where a marine-blue bar mirrors the water lapping outside, creating a relaxed, almost beach-bar vibe accompanied by guffawing hippos. The neighboring colorful lounge continues the quirky theme, providing a welcome change from the traditional khaki palette. Conservation is also a priority: ingeniously, the lodge’s insulation is provided by 150,000 recycled cans incorporated within the walls. Activities include game drives, which can stretch to the southern tip of game-rich Chief’s Island, walks, and seasonal boats and mokoros.