The Okavango Delta, a pristine oasis in the heart of Botswana, is one of Africa’s most unique and vibrant ecosystems. Encompassing a rich tapestry of lagoons, channels, and islands, this UNESCO World Heritage site is a sanctuary for a remarkable diversity of wildlife.
This article will navigate through the lush terrains of the Okavango, highlighting the best camps and lodges that will immerse you in an unforgettable African experience.
Camp Moremi
Situated on the breathtaking Xakanaxa Lagoon in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve, this camp is surrounded by diverse ecosystems, allowing guests to encounter a variety of wildlife. Camp Moremi offers an intimate African safari experience, including game drives and boat cruises that showcase the Delta’s fascinating wildlife. They also offer a unique guided ‘bush walk’ experience providing guests with a detailed understanding of the local flora.
Xugana Island Lodge
This lodge is one of the few permanent water sites in the Okavango Delta, located on a private concession. The Xugana Lagoon, the most spectacular permanent water site in the entire Delta, affords guests an unparalleled water experience. Bird-watching is spectacular, and fishing for bream and tiger fish is also offered.
Vumbura Plains
This luxury camp located in the northern Okavango Delta spans a massive 60,000-hectare concession area. Known for its diverse wildlife, the area offers both land and water experiences, and guests often spot lions, leopards, elephants, cheetahs, and wild dogs. Unique activities include hot air balloon rides over the Delta, providing a bird’s eye view of the ecosystem.
Duba Plains Camp
Duba Plains is one of the most remote camps in the Okavango Delta, situated on a tree-covered island in a 77,000-acre private concession. It offers a quintessential Delta experience with a variety of activities, including day and night game drives, boat excursions, and bird watching. The unique aspect of Duba Plains is the thrilling lion-buffalo interaction, as this area is known for its high concentration of these creatures.
Mombo Camp
Located on Chief’s Island in the Moremi Game Reserve, Mombo Camp is known as the “Place of Plenty,” reflecting the abundance of wildlife in the area. The camp offers game drives showcasing large herds of buffalo, elephant, and antelope, along with their predators. The camp is committed to conservation and operates entirely on solar energy.
Sanctuary Baines’ Camp
This small camp, named after the 19th-century explorer Thomas Baines, offers a very personal safari experience with only five suites. It is located on a private concession neighboring the Moremi, on the edge of the permanent water of the Boro River. The camp offers walking safaris, mokoro canoe trips, and a unique experience of “elephant interaction,” allowing you to get close to semi-habituated elephants.
Abu Camp
Situated in a private reserve in the heart of the Okavango Delta, Abu Camp provides a unique opportunity to bond with elephants. Guests can experience life among the elephants, walk with them, and even sleep out under the stars in the Abu Star Bed near the elephant boma. The camp also offers game drives, night drives, guided walks, and mokoro trips.
Jao Camp
Located on a remote island in a private concession west of the Moremi Game Reserve, Jao Camp is surrounded by beautiful waterways and small islands. Known for its luxurious accommodation, the camp offers mokoro trips, boat trips, fishing, day and night game drives, and guided walks. It also has a fully equipped spa where guests can indulge after a day’s exploration.
Little Kwara Camp
Situated on a secluded island bordering the Moremi Game Reserve, Little Kwara offers a diverse range of activities thanks to its location on both permanent water and dry land. The camp offers powerboat trips, mokoro trips, walking safaris, and game drives. Unique to Little Kwara is the opportunity to track and observe the lesser-seen nocturnal animals on their exciting night drives.
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
Nestled between permanent water and grass-swept plains, this lodge sits next to the wildlife-rich Moremi Wildlife Reserve. Accommodations are inspired by nature, representing a pangolin’s body armor. They offer exclusive night safaris, enabling guests to see nocturnal animals like leopards and pangolins.
Belmond Khwai River Lodge
Overlooking the floodplains of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve, this lodge offers magnificent views of the untouched wilderness. The lodge’s unique feature is its “star deck,” where guests can stargaze. In addition to game drives, they offer cultural visits to the local Khwai Village, where guests can learn about local life and traditions.
Kadizora Camp
Found in the northern part of the Okavango Delta, this lodge has access to both floodplains and vast open savannah grasslands, leading to diverse wildlife sightings. Unique to Kadizora is the opportunity to embark on a serene hot air balloon ride over the Delta, offering a panoramic view of the region.
Gomoti Plains Camp
Situated on the edge of the Gomoti river system in a private community run concession, this camp offers a mix of water and land activities. The area is known for some of the best game viewing in the Okavango Delta, with regular sightings of lions, leopards, and cheetahs. A unique aspect of Gomoti Plains is the opportunity to embark on bush walks with professional guides to track wildlife up close.
Eagle Island Lodge
Nestled on a private island encircled by some of the deepest stretches of the Okavango Delta, Eagle Island Lodge offers an immersive water-focused safari experience. The lodge provides a variety of experiences including game drives, bird-watching, mokoro (traditional canoe) and motorboat excursions. A unique offering is their helicopter safari, giving guests an aerial view of the vast delta.
&Beyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp
This camp is located on its own island within a 272,000-hectare exclusive wildlife concession, offering a tranquil retreat. The camp is characterized by serene waterways and lagoons, as well as open grasslands and abundant wildlife. Besides the usual mokoro and game drives, Xaranna offers a unique “tubing” experience, floating down the river while observing wildlife from a different perspective.
Kanana Camp
Situated in the southwestern part of the Okavango Delta, Kanana Camp has access to a variety of habitats including waterways, marshlands, and dry Papyrus islands. A unique feature of the camp is the heronry, one of the largest in the region, attracting birds of all species, offering exceptional bird watching. Other activities include fishing, glass-bottom mokoro excursions, and night drives.
Baines’ Lodge
Named after the 19th-century explorer Thomas Baines, this lodge is situated on a huge private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve. Baines’ Lodge offers motorized boat safaris, bush walks with skilled guides, and mekoro rides. Its unique feature is the “sky beds,” an adventurous open-air sleeping arrangement, allowing guests to sleep beneath the stars.
Pom Pom Camp
In the heart of the Okavango Delta on Pom Pom Island, this camp offers a scenic setting with beautiful vistas over its lagoon. Game drives, night drives, mokoro trips, and fishing excursions are offered here. The unique feature of Pom Pom is the traditional cultural interaction where guests can visit a local village to learn about the customs and traditions of the local people.
