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LUXURY LODGES: Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge,Botswana

HERE AT The Luxury Travel Bible we love a good safari lodge. There is something about the combination of luxury camp and wild open spaces that sets out hearts racing. However too often the look of safari camps are all cut from the same canvas - seen one grass-roofed bure you've seen them all. Not so the latest offering from andBeyond. 'Modernism and nature form a dramatic alliance' in the design and concept of the newly remodelled andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge in Botswana. The lodge has re-opened following a highly creative transformation from architects. and artfully combines sustainable design, natural elements and modern amenities.

Design-wise we now vote it one of the most exciting lodges in Africa.

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Originally scheduled for a soft opening in September, this month (October) is now its official unveiling and we couldn't resist showing you these newly-released images of the luscious lodge.

We suspect that The inspirational CEO of andBeyond, Joss Kent, had more than a little input on how this lodge should look. Kent says, "The innovative design of andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge is driven by nature and reflects the sustainable footprint of the lodge while remaining warm and intimate. It is one of the most architecturally impressive lodges in the Delta.".

The design was inspired by the nest of a weaver-bird and a pangolin's (scaly anteater) body armour, and the new structure is an organic wave across the landscape. All soft curves and flowing lines and egg -like villas. The folks at andBeyond like to think it is a 'bohemian blend' of natural and recycled materials and we have to agree with them. Inside the camp is all rusty tones, copper-clad mekoro (dugout canoes), sculpted wooden tables and wove Botswana baskets.

The blend of wood and other natural materials makes guests feel as if they too are nesting in the bush in their own elaborate bower. The eight new suites are raised above the wild palms and gnarled fig trees, and enjoy views of the winding channels and lush floodplains of the Delta. Each suite has its own private plunge pool. Inside the cocoon-like suites have fireplaces for the chilly evenings.For families on safari there is one family unit made up of two interconnecting suites and four more suites is planned for 2015. Each suite has its own private plunge pool.

One of several high-end camps on the Okavango Delta, the original Sandibe camp opened in the late 1990s on the banks of the Santantadibe River. In January the camp closed to be reborn in designer style. Guest will be glad to know the new suites also have better views of the surrounding delta than the original camp.

It's good to know that all this attention to nature isn't just skin-deep either. The off-the-grid lodge relies solely on the latest alternative energy sources, all in line with andBeyond's core ethos of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People.

Set in a maze of lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge offers one of the Delta's best wildlife experiences with exclusive traversing rights over 55,600 acres of land. The floodplains are home to giant horned kudu, secretary birds, cheetah, wild dog, elephant, antelope, hippo and giraffe and much, much more.

Luxury insider says: In June this year Botswana's Okavango Delta was officially named the 1000th World Heritage Site. Known as' the river that never finds the sea'.

Luxury link: www.andBeyond.com

Luxury insider says:
In June this year Botswana's Okavango Delta was officially named the 1000th World Heritage Site. Known as' the river that never finds the sea.
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