Fodor's Expert Review Chobe Game Lodge

The only permanent lodge in Chobe National Park, this grand old dame—Liz Taylor and Richard Burton got married for the second time here in the '70s—still offers one of Botswana's most sophisticated stays, although the feel is more hotel-like than lodge-like. Terracotta tiles, Rhodesian teak furniture, tribal artifacts, and the ubiquitous beautiful handwoven Botswana baskets give the feel of Africa. The solid Moorish-style buildings—with their graceful high arches and barrel-vaulted ceilings—insulate the not-so-intrepid traveler from too-close encounters of the animal kind: baboon mothers have been known to teach their young how to turn a doorknob! The gorgeous gardens are a riot of color and attract lots of small fauna. There's a well-stocked curio shop with great clothes and wildlife books. Don't miss out on the well-run daily activities from game drives to river cruises.