Fodor's Expert Review Kwara

Spun from the same cloth as the properties in the Kwando concession, this 100% solar camp is a rare year-round land and water camp, located in a prolific wildlife area. Spacious canvas-and-wood pole tents have lined ceilings, a cotton-white canopied bed, and a separate lounge area furnished with a sofa, armchairs, and rug in neutral earthy tones. Luxuriate in your claw-foot bath or venture outside to revel in the outdoor rain shower. On the back wall dark-wood shutters aid ventilation in summer, while in front, wood and mesh sliding doors lead to a deck with lagoon views. Rooms are well spaced out on either side of the main area, ensuring complete privacy, and each side of camp has its own pool, complete with a drinks fridge. Meals tend to be taken communally unless specifically requested, where the dining area is separated from the leather-sofa-filled lounge by a small bar. If the camp’s public areas appear to prioritize functionality over aesthetic embellishments, it is probably a reflection of Kwara’s primary focus, which is firmly on safari activities. Wildlife viewing can be spectacular with lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs all frequently seen, as well as hordes of plains game, and having a dedicated tracker and guide further enhance your potential sightings on both day and night game drives, which come equipped with complimentary binoculars. For birders, the cacophonous Godikwe heronry, accessible by boat, comes alive from September through February when hundreds of storks, herons, egrets, and pelicans arrive to breed. For a change of pace, float along crystal clear channels in a mokoro after which you might arrive at an impromptu gin bar, where you can choose from multiple flavors of gins, tonics, and even ice.