Fodor's Expert Review Kwando Lagoon Camp

Perched on the banks of a tributary of the fast-flowing Kwando River, this delightful camp boasts water views from every angle. Canvas and thatch chalets with claw-foot bathtubs, indoor and outdoor showers, and a lower-level lounge area with floor-to-ceiling views nestle on grassy slopes under the shade of giant jackalberry trees that are hundreds of years old. After a night spent next to one of these mighty trees, a major source of natural energy, people say you wake up rejuvenated, your body buzzing with new life. From the thatch dining and bar area, you can watch herds of elephants only yards away as they come to drink and bathe, or hippos snoozing in the sun. You might also spot a malachite kingfisher darting like a bejeweled mini-jet over the water. Go for a morning or evening game drive, track game on foot, drift along the river in a double-decker boat, or go fishing for tiger fish and bream. Terrestrial wildlife, particularly predators, is plentiful—wild dogs are a specialty—while keen birders will tick off hundreds of species in the wet summer months.