FOR LOVE OF THE GAME

A new crop of understated camps in Botswana appeals to travelers seeking a no-frills wildlife experience

- LISA GRAINGER

WITH ITS HIGH-COST, low-volume tourism model, Botswana is known for having the most luxurious safari scene in Africa. Camps like Jao and Xigera Safari Lodge, featuring handcrafted furnishings and dining options that can fulfill any craving, can run guests upwards of $2,000 a night. But not every safari-goer wants all that cosseting (or the costs that go with it). Hence the arrival of a new tranche of camps for travelers who believe that, as Peter Allison of safari pioneer Natural Selection puts it, "the luxury of objects can distract from the luxury of experience." Take Wilderness's new Mokete camp