An Immersive New Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta

By: Scott Dubois, Fauna Travel Designer

Wild Expeditions is at the forefront of adventure travel, offering unique safari camps in some of Africa’s most remote areas. We’re particularly excited about their newest property, Karangoma, opening in Botswana this May. It’s located along the famed Selinda Spillway in one of the Okavango Delta’s most wildlife-rich areas, NG12.

At a time when many camps in Botswana are getting bigger and more glamorous, Karangoma emphasizes a more intimate natural style. There are only six tented suites in the 75,000-acre concession, making it one of the most exclusive nature getaways in the Okavango Delta.

The camp is part of a collaboration with Olatotse Sarefo, an elder of the Bukakhwe San people who live in a nearby village. Karangoma means “the healing rhythm of drums” in the local Sembukushu language and references a place in the concession where Olatotse would visit with his family to perform ceremonies for their ancestors. This spirit is central to the camp’s mission to reconnect travelers with nature. At a time when many camps in Botswana are getting bigger and more glamorous, Karangoma emphasizes a more intimate natural style.

There are only six tented suites in the 75,000-acre concession, making it one of the most exclusive nature getaways in the Okavango Delta. Even with the more authentic design and fewer amenities, the tents are comfortable, with outdoor showers, king beds, and low decks overlooking the floodplain. However, the camp will appeal most to those who favor immersion in the wild and a campfire under the stars over a private plunge pool. Activities at Karangoma include game drives, walking safaris, and a long season for mokoro canoeing.

Beyond the guest experience, Wild Expeditions is committed to preserving local cultures. Staying at Karangoma involves the local villages in ecotourism’s economic benefits and honors the tracking skills of the San. Additionally, every visit aids in reducing conflicts between humans and wildlife by partnering with the community and a local NGO that has pioneered advanced cattle management methods that include an early warning system based on satellite-tracked collars on lions.

Rates at Karongoma will only be $1,000 per person per night in high season. This is a very reasonable price for access to some of Botswana’s largest herds of elephants, buffalo, and zebra. As an added bonus, guests visiting in 2024 will get a free 10-minute helicopter flight from the Vumbra airstrip on arrival and departure. If you want the best of the Okavango, we suggest pairing Karangoma with Beagle Expeditions, another experiential camp on the other side of the Delta. Helicopter transfers between the two camps will also be included, with a seven-night stay between them. You can also get one night free if you stay for a total of seven nights with Wild Expeditions Camp Hwange in Zimbabwe.

Karangoma isn’t open yet, but it’s already one of our favorite camps in the Delta!