Elephant Pan revels in its location, tucked deep within the sandy mopane forests of the drier interior of Khwai Private Reserve. This laid-back camp sits beside a busy waterhole that draws wildlife throughout the day, giving guests a front-row seat to the action. If you’ve always wanted to get up close to ellies, this is the place. Stylishly simple in design, the camp offers eight canvas tents overlooking the bustling waterhole. Mornings begin with the sound of elephants trumpeting as you open your tent flaps, afternoons are spent watching herds splash and snort in the shallows, and evenings unfold around the camp fire. 

At the heart of camp, the dining deck and lounge areas invite you to settle in and watch the comings and goings at the waterhole from the deck, or cool off in the mini splash pool as elephant slurp nearby. Meals are hearty and satisfying, and when darkness falls the camp lights up the waterhole, revealing the nocturnal drama that unfolds after sunset – like a David Attenborough documentary, just without the voiceover.

This isn’t a place for opulence or extravagance. Elephant Pan is a private corner of big-game Africa where the wildlife encounters are authentic, intimate and always wild.