Miles Nolting in Botswana

The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s most stunning landscapes. And with 7 nights here ahead of me, I truly could appreciate its grandness with stays at multiple permanent tented camps.

I visited during May this year, which is such an awesome time to be in Botswana. May is the first Dry Season month, but vegetation is still lush from the preceding rainy season. Beautiful, clear days are complemented by mild weather, being neither too hot in the afternoons nor too cold in the mornings. This is also a great time for predator activity, especially big cats!

Some camps, like Karangoma, Mokolwane and Tawana, are new to the scene. Others, like Shinde and Chitabe, are familiar favorites to us at the Africa Adventure Company, but we looked forward to seeing them again. In the case of Chitabe, the camp had just reopened after a major refurbishment of their tents.

To this day, getting around in Botswana is mostly done by scheduled charter planes. But helicopters are becoming increasingly popular. For camps like Karangoma, Tawana and Mokolwane without airstrips, helicopters are the only way to access them.

I personally love getting around by helicopter! Not only are the flights smoother than in the charter planes, you also fly lower, allowing you to fully take in both the landscape and the wildlife below.
Botswana is always a treat, and I’m excited to recount some of the highlights of my time here!

Karangoma

This permanent tented camp is located within a private concession in the northern most reaches of the Okavango Delta. The aspect that jumped out most to be was its remoteness. Thanks to the natural barrier of the Selinda Spillway to the south, no other vehicles from other camps in the concession can access Karangoma’s game viewing area.

For instance, there was no other vehicles at my sighting of a leopard mom and her two cubs enjoying the seclusion of the woodlands. And we were so fortunate to see African Wild Dogs after a successful hunt; it’s only a matter of time before the alpha female picks a den location for her new litter!

And as mentioned before, the two nights here was all about enjoying a low-pressure, game viewing experience of iconic wildlife sightings. Elephants, zebras, giraffes and even some more uncommon species like Roan. Bird-watching was great, too. Many raptors (like the Bateleur eagle) will sun themselves in the early morning by perching atop trees.

The camps itself is really well done. Very comfortable with friendly service, but at no point, did I feel it was over-the-top. It combined elements of a classic Botswana bush camp with some modern stylings. This is one of several camps in the Okavango Delta that are accessed exclusively by helicopter.

Shinde

Up next was a two-night stay at Shinde. This permanent tented camp occupies a wonderful location along a permanent water channel. Meaning, it makes for a terrific year-round destination. This permanent water channel means that boat cruises are basically guaranteed as well. It’s within a private concession with only one other camp.

In terms of landscape, the area Shinde in has more open area than Karangoma. This includes the airstrip just a short drive from camp, which ended up being the scene of a tremendous wildlife sighting! You could also see the floodwaters begin to arrive, filling in depressions, and in the weeks ahead, many other lower-lying areas.

My two nights here was mostly occupied by following around a very active Wild Dog pack. They had not one, but two successful hunts during my stay. At this stage of the year, the packs are very large, meaning they have to hunt frequently to ensure everyone’s fed.

My stay was also marked by some opportunistic lions, namely a big male and two females. In the morning, the pack of Dogs confronted the two females at the airstrip. For some time, it looked like the dogs would attack, but they quickly changed their minds once the male stumbled in! They then left the area, and found a vulnerable lechwe, which they successfully hunted. While the Wild Dogs were able to savor some of their hunt, the lions were not far behind, and it was not long thereafter the big male singlehandedly chased the whole pack off the kill.

Shinde is a great “classic” safari camp, and because of its location along a permanent water channel, its able to offer both land- and water-based activities. I always enjoy a good boat cruise, and it did not disappoint for me, as I was able to tick off many birds on my checklist. These boat cruises are great in the afternoons, as many animals (including elephants and even some predators) come down to drink.

Chitabe

Since the Africa Adventure Company began operating in Botswana many years ago, Chitabe has been the gold-standard for game viewing in the Okavango Delta. The private concession which is situated in the eastern part of the Okavango Delta is surrounded by two water channels. Between them are a broad spectrum of habitats. This means that it’s an incredible destinations for all of the big predators: leopard, lion, wild dog and cheetah.

My only regret is that I could only spend the one night here! Mere days before we arrived, Chitabe reopened after an extensive renovation to their tents. They are now super spacious and comfortable, and each of them have an advanced cooling system, meaning you should have no hesitation about travelling here during the hotter months of the year! But while the camp has integrated more “premium” elements into, it still retains much of its “classic bush camp” soul. For instance, communal dinners are the norm, bringing everyone together. And for those who still want a fully “classic bush camp”, its nearby sister camp Chitabe Lediba is there as well!

For those wanting to do more than just game drives while in Botswana, we highly recommend combining Chitabe with a second camp that offers water-based game viewing. During our game drive, we saw a pride of lions just after sunset, a solo leopard on our drive back to camp, and even a hyena den!

My colleague and Shelley and I flew in on the same flight and were able to spend a night here at camp before moving on to our next destinations the following day.

Tawana

This is another helicopter-only permanent tented camp. This was also the only place I visited not in a private concession. Rather, it’s located in the southern part of Moremi Game Reserve. So while you are to follow national park rules (limited off-roading and game viewing only during daylight hours), the area Tawana is located in is far removed from the busiest areas of the Reserve. But this is no different than camps like Xigera, Chief’s and Mombo, and Tawana is at a fraction of the cost for a very comparable caliber of luxury.

The camp opened last year, and is run in cooperation with the local community. To say the least, it is stunning. The tents are super spacious with a coolign system over the bed and plunge pool. Each are well-spaced from each other to ensure privacy and can be accessed on an elevated walkway from the main area. With three two-bedroom “family tents”, this is also a great option for those travellign with children. The main area has multiple sitting areas, a large pool area, and even a refridgerated wine cellar.

This was another one-night stay, but the wildlife sightings were still great. This part of the Delta has a lot of open plains, meaning visibility is great. These plains are also a hotspot for cheetah, and I was so thrilled to see a group of four of them together both in the evening and the morning I departed. In the evening, they were even poking their heads above the grass as they watched a herd of zebras stroll by. More general sightings as well, with some warthogs, a bateleur taking flight, and even a “business” of mongoose peeping

Mokolwane

After another helicopter flight, it was off to the final permanent tented camp in the itinerary. Mokolwane is through and through a classic bush campa and is another camp only accessible by helicopter. It’s located in the western side of the Okavango Delta, which tends to be drier than the northern and eastern parts. This is great for land-based game viewing, meaning you’re less restricted with your vehicle.

This was another one-night stay, but we sure saw a lot in a short time! We saw a pride of lions in the evening, and the following morning, we followed around a pack of Wild Dogs before they strode away into the distance.

For those prioritizing game viewing in a private concession, like the feel of a bush camp, and want to do it at a reasonable price, Mokolwane is a great choice for the Okavango Delta.