Safari Destinations >> Botswana Safaris >> Delta Camp
Delta Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Delta Camp was one of the pioneering camps in the Okavango Delta and although it has been upgraded to a luxury level its mission remains true to deliver the authentic, vintage Delta experience. Here there are no game drive vehicles, instead you travel as the locals do by mokoro (dugout canoe) to focus on bush walks on nearby Chief’s Island, a renowned wildlife paradise.
Delta Camp is unique in that each chalet receives their own private guide. In fact, there is a local upliftment Young Guides program where an apprentice from the local village comes along as an assistant to the Senior guide as an opportunity to learn from the master so there is actually a one to one staff to guest ratio on activities.
There is no better way to feel the essence of the Okavango Delta than to ply its waters by mokoro, the traditional mode of transportation. Due to tourist demand most camps now use fiberglass mekoros but at Delta Camp the guides take great pride in using authentic mekoros that have been hand-carved from Ebony or Sausage trees.
A walking safari provides the ultimate connection to the land. The pace is easy and your expert guide is able to show you the small things, the sign that animals leave behind and in this area it is common to view big game on foot. This is an area where no vehicles drive and the animals are accustomed to people on foot allowing for great interactions.
Guests are also able to travel by mokoro to the village where the staff and guides hail from. This is not a tourist show visit; rather it is a walk around a real village where people go about their daily business. Your guide may show you his home and possibly introduce you to some friends and family along the way.
Delta Camp is set on a spectacular island overlooking a flooded channel and plains with Chief’s Island in view on the other side. Accommodation is for only 16 guests in spacious 'lethaka' (reed) chalets with en-suite facilities. Built of natural materials and elevated off the forest floor, each chalet has hot and cold running water, a shower with a view, and solar-powered electric lighting. There is one very unique multi-level en-suite tree house that is a real treat and completely one of a kind accommodation.
Delta Camp is an eco-friendly leader for all of Africa. Delta Camp engenders in its staff and guests alike an acute awareness of the ecological sensitivity of this magnificent area. Biodegradable products have been sourced and are used. Careful separation and treatment of refuse ensures that nothing that is not fully biodegradable stays on the island.
Delta Camp does not allow motorized activities in or around the camp; Just the low impact traditional activities of walking and mokoro, no game drive vehicles and no powerboats. The camp owner also owns Delta Air, the bush plane company that typically delivers guests to this camp. At Delta Air they calculate the carbon output of their flights and offset this on a monthly basis. They also instruct their pilots to keep idling to a minimum and to keep taxi distances as short as possible. The airstrip has not been treated with chemicals as is standard in most Botswana airstrips, as some of these chemicals used to stabilize/ compact airstrips are known poisons and are especially harmful to aquatic species. Beer and soda cans are collected and provided to the neighboring Sedibana village for use in construction of their buildings. The local people use cans together with termite mud to construct their homes. The camp uses lanterns and solar power instead of operating with a generator. Most importantly Delta Camp believes in hiring and training local people and all employees come from the local village, including Camp Managers.