The Okavango Delta spills its water into the plains that make up the Kalahari Desert, a meeting point of two of the most iconic places on the continent. A world-famous wetland area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta on the planet. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it combines both live-providing wetlands and unforgiving deserts, two contrasting habitats located next right to one another.
For obvious reasons, this marvelous place attracts enormous numbers of wildlife—it is basically a huge, albeit seasonal, oasis in a vast expanse of dryness. There are, for instance, hippos and crocodiles, elephants and giraffes, lions and hyenas, wildebeest and zebras. Bird species observed in the wetlands number well into the 400s.
This pristine and unspoiled environment is vitally important for the survival of literally hundreds of animal species. Human interference should therefore be kept at an absolute minimum. The Delta Camp Botswana aims to offer its guests a unique African experience amid this spectacular setting, while also ensuring that the impact by humans remains as low as possible.
The lounge and dining rooms of this amazing eco-lodge offer commanding views of the Metsematsweu and Boro channels of the delta. Even from the deck, guests can usually spot various wildlife. Elephants are almost always present, while crocodiles and hippos are common sights as well. Other high-profile animals that have been seen from the lodge include lions, hunting dogs and even the occasional leopard. Delta Camp Botswana is situated on an island in the very heart of this awe-inspiring place and can be reached only by aircraft from Maum.
Accommodation is available in chalets, which have been built with old-growth trees from the woods on the island and are maintained in a sustainable way. As the complex can in no way improve the landscape, it aims at blending in into the environment as well as it possibly can. That is why many buildings are built on decks above ground to minimize impact on the soil, why guest won’t find any glass windows, and why there is the occasional tree growing through the floor or even through the roof. Even the furniture is made with locally sourced materials and built by local artisans. The electric lighting inside the chalets comes from solar power.
Twice every day, Delta Camp Botswana offers its guests the chance to head out into the wilderness of the Moremi Game Reserve on hiking safaris or on excursions in a dug-out canoe (known as a mokoro in the local language). These educational trips are led by an experienced guide who was born and raised in the Okavango and involve learning about animal tracking, wildlife spotting and physical exercise. Visits to local villages, led by a local guide, are organized as well. More adventurous visitors can also partake in extended camping excursions in the bush. These wilderness adventures can last from two nights in the wilderness to up to eight nights.
