Where to stay in the Okavango Delta

Where to stay in the Okavango Delta

Where you stay in the Okavango Delta matters more than you might think. Two camps that look similar on a brochure can deliver completely different experiences, different wildlife, different activities, different atmospheres. The right camp isn’t about luxury or price alone. It’s about habitat, season, and what kind of safari you’re after.

This guide explains the different camp types, how to choose based on habitat rather than location, and what each concession offers. By the end, you’ll understand how to match your priorities to the right camp.

Types of camp within the Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is a series of private concessions and wildlife management areas, each with different habitats, wildlife density and activity options. Choosing the right camp means understanding what each offers, and what each is designed for. There are three primary types of camp at the top end of the Okavango Delta market.

Permanent luxury camps operate year round. They offer consistent infrastructure, strong guiding teams and reliable wildlife access across seasons. These camps are best suited to guests who want comfort, stability and broad activity options.

Seasonal camps operate during specific water or dry cycles. They are often positioned in high movement corridors and can deliver exceptional predator activity during peak months. They tend to feel lighter on infrastructure but strong on location.

Specialist camps often focus on particular activities; some have expertise in walking safari’s which others are positioned in permanent water areas where mokoro and boating are central to the experience.

Choose your camp by habitat not by location

The habitat where a camp sits determines which animals you’ll see, which activities are available, and how the experience will feel. Two camps might both be in “the Okavango,” but they operate in fundamentally different ecosystems. Understanding these habitats is the key to choosing the right camp for what you actually want to experience.

Permanent water concessions operate where water flows year-round through channels and lagoons. These camps offer boating, mokoro trips, and the chance to encounter semi-aquatic species like sitatunga, red lechwe, hippos, and crocodiles. The experience is water-centric, early mornings on glassy channels, wildlife reflections in still lagoons, birdlife concentrated along waterways. Walking safaris can feel intimate but limited by waterways. Predator sightings are less predictable than on floodplains, but the ecosystem offers a completely different rhythm. These camps work well across all seasons, though they’re particularly valuable during the dry months when water becomes scarce elsewhere.

Seasonal floodplains concentrate game and create intense predator dynamics during the dry months (June–October). Plains game, buffalo, elephants, antelope, gather around shrinking water sources, and lions follow. Sightings are frequent and often dramatic. Walking safaris can be spectacular across open terrain. During the flood season, these same areas transform into water-based experiences. The trade-off is that these camps often feel less accessible or comfortable during green season when water spreads and wildlife disperses. They’re best suited to peak season visits when conditions align.

Woodland concessions create different predator dynamics altogether. The denser vegetation and varied terrain favor leopards, wild dogs, and smaller carnivores. Sightings tend to be more unpredictable but often more intimate. These areas offer excellent birding and a different aesthetic—more bush, less water. Walking safaris through woodland feel genuinely wild. Woodland camps suit travelers who value the sense of exploration over guaranteed big cat encounters.

Moremi Central

Moremi Central sits at the heart of the Okavango Delta, where permanent waterways meet floodplains and mopane woodland, creating one of Botswana’s most wildlife-dense areas. It’s a busy part of the delta compared with remote concessions, but that means almost-guaranteed big-game sightings: elephants, buffalo, and plains game are everywhere, and predators like lion, leopard, and wild dog make regular appearances.

Mombo Camp : ATR Rating 8.9

Often cited as one of Africa’s premier safari camps, Mombo sits on the prime tip of Chief’s Island in the Okavango Delta. It’s a location famed for exceptional predator density and classic plains game encounters. With its long-standing reputation and unbeatable wilderness access, it’s a bucket-list safari choice.

USD 5050 per person per night.

Little Mombo Camp : ATR Rating 9.0

An intimate sibling camp to the legendary Mombo Camp, Little Mombo delivers a smaller, more private experience while maintaining the exceptional wildlife-viewing strengths the area is known for. Its scale and setting make it ideal for travellers seeking exclusivity without sacrificing big game action. 

USD 4900 per person per night.

Chiefs Camp : ATR Rating 9.0

Situated on Chief’s Island in the Okavango Delta, right in the middle of a wildlife hotspot. The camp is simple, comfortable, and perfectly placed for daily game drives, walking safaris, and mokoro trips. Elephants, buffalo, hippos, lions, and other predators move freely through the floodplains, giving guests raw, up-close encounters. 

USD 4350 per person per night.

Xigera Concession

The Xigera Concession is a remote, water-rich area where channels, lagoons, and islands dominate the landscape. Wildlife is abundant and unpressured, with elephants, buffalo, hippos, and big predators like lions and leopards moving freely across the floodplains. Birdlife is prolific, and the waterways themselves create a constantly changing landscape.

Xigera Safari Lodge : ATR Rating 9.1

Remote and luxurious, the lodge is set on Paradise Island with stunning surroundings. Strong focus on water-based safari experiences, including mokoro and boat activities, plus traditional vehicle game drives. 

USD 4500 per person per night.

Tawana Camp : ATR Rating 9.1

A high quality, well-appointed camp overlooking sweeping floodplains that draw abundant wildlife year-round. Tawana offers guests a scenic and wildlife-rich setting that combines traditional safari ambience with elevated comfort.

USD 3,900 per person per night

Chitabe Concession

Located in a drier part of the northern Okavango Delta, with mopane woodlands and open plains that make spotting wildlife easier. It’s renowned for its high density of big cats and is considered one of the best areas in the delta for wild dog sightings.

Chitabe Camp : ATR Rating 9.1

Chitabe Camp is a small, low‑impact safari camp with just a handful of raised canvas tents set along the edge of a lagoon. The camp focuses on getting people into the bush quickly and guides coordinate game drives and walks from right outside the tents. It’s a relaxed, no‑frills base where the wildlife is the main attraction and there’s very reliable predator action.

USD 2900 per person per night.

Sandibe Camp : ATR Rating 9.0

Set on the Chitabe Concession in the Okavango Delta, &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge is a high‑end, design‑forward property with eight lavish suites inspired by the pangolin and built to feel part of the delta. There’s no bells‑and‑whistles here, just solid comfort and a real sense of place alongside guides who run wet and dry safari activities straight from camp.

USD 4100 per person per night.

Kwara Concession

Kwara concession is part of the Okavango Delta’s western flood plains with a striking network of permanent waterways. Wildlife is abundant and varied and is well known for high predator numbers, big game and luxury camps.

Kwara Camp : ATR rating 9.2 

Kwara Camp combines seasonal floodplains with permanent water channels. The camp is elegant and comfortable, with spacious tented suites overlooking floodplains where elephant, buffalo, lion and other big game move regularly. 

USD 2300 per person per night

Splash Camp : ATR rating 9.2

With a slightly lighter footprint than Kwara Camp, Splash Camp offers intimate luxury with a strong focus on water-based safari. Suites and public areas overlook permanent channels, giving excellent mokoro, boat and birding opportunities, while vehicle drives deliver predator and plains game sightings.

USD 2000 per person per night

Four Rivers Camp : ATR rating 9.0 

Four Rivers Camp sits on mixed floodplain and woodland terrain. The camp is small, comfortable and highly immersive, offering vehicle safaris, walking safaris and seasonal mokoro or boat activities. Wildlife is consistently abundant, including elephant, buffalo, predator species and plains game.

USD 1900 per person per night

Sekwana Concession 

Sekwana has variety in abundance, here you will find floodplains, woodland and grassland all on one concession. It’s a fabulous location for mixed game, seasonal water access and diverse safari days. It’s also one of the only places in the Delta where hot air balloon safaris operate.

North Island Okavango : ATR Rating 9.0

High quality lodge overlooking a scenic lagoon and a mix of floodplain and woodland. The camp is luxurious and intimate, with stylish tented suites and elevated decks giving expansive views across the waterways.

USD 3550 per person per night. 

Mbamba Camp : ATR Rating 8.8

Characterful and intimate, with well‑appointed tented suites that blend into the surrounding habitat. Wildlife is abundant and varied, with plains game, elephant and predator activity appearing regularly. 

USD 2000 per person per night.

Selinda Concession

Selinda is remote, wild and lightly trafficked. It sits within the Linyanti system and centres around the Selinda Spillway. You get a mix of riverine forest, open floodplains, lagoons and dry woodland. It’s not as permanently waterlogged as other parts of the Okavango Delta, which means the habitat diversity is huge and wildlife moves through it differently. Selinda has strong predator activity, including lions, leopards, and wild dogs, as well as large herds of elephants and buffalo. 

Selinda Camp : ATR rating 9.0

A genuinely high‑end, original safari camp that’s been substantially upgraded since its early days. The camp is shaded among trees at the western edge of the wetland and centres on open‑sided public areas with a lounge, dining space and decks looking out over the plains, plus a pool and a small spa. Selinda is known for its extremely high levels of service and attention to detail, and the wildlife often wanders right through camp.

USD 3,900 per person per night. 

Selinda Explorers Camp : ATR rating 9.0 

Authentic and relaxed, this intimate camp has just four guest tents. Open public areas and direct views into the spillway channel give a front-row seat to wildlife. Guided walks and game drives focus on the spillway ecosystem, including hippo pools and frequent elephant crossings.

USD 2050 per person per night

Okavango Explorers Camp : ATR Rating 9.0

An intimate tented camp overlooking the spillway environment. Tons of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, antelope and predators within the broader area.

USD 2000 per person per night.

Duba Concession

Duba Plains is famed for its exceptional wildlife encounters and private wilderness experience. The area combines expansive floodplains, seasonal lagoons, and dry woodland, creating a habitat that supports large herds of buffalo, elephants, and plains game alongside big predators like lion, leopard, and wild dog. Its relatively remote location means fewer vehicles and more intimate sightings.

Duba Plains Camp : ATR Rating 9.5

One of the very top safari camps in Africa with outstanding game encounters. Set on a private floodplain island, it combines intimate luxury with phenomenal wildlife action, especially dramatic buffalo and lion interactions alongside elephant, leopard, wild dog and plains game. With only a handful of tents and a classic explorer aesthetic, it’s perfect for travellers seeking an unforgettable, high‑end Delta safari. 

USD 4250  per person per night.

Duba Explorers Camp : ATR Rating 9.0

A slightly more accessible option within the same concession, Duba Explorers Camp still delivers excellent wildlife viewing and a true wilderness feel but at a lower price point than its sister lodge. Set along seasonal waterways and shaded by trees, its small scale and quality guiding make it a fantastic choice for those who want an authentic Okavango experience without the premium luxury pricing. 

USD 2500 per person per night.

Abu Concession

Located in one of the most remote corners of the Okavango Delta, the Abu Concession is a real wilderness where wildlife moves freely and visitors are few. Mopane woodlands give way to floodplains and seasonal waterways, creating a mix of terrain that draws elephants, buffalo, hippos, and big predators like lions, leopards, and wild dogs. 

Kweene Trails : ATR Rating 9.3

A genuinely stripped‑back mobile safari experience operated out of two simple camps, Kweene River Camp and Magwegwe Camp, that move with the trail rather than sitting in one place. Each night you sleep under canvas in ridge tents with an outdoor bathroom setup, a basic open‑sided mess area, and a firepit where the crew cooks and you eat together. USD 1,400 per person per night.

Ranns Concession

A seasonal floodplain where wide open plains meet winding channels and islands. It’s a raw, quiet part of the delta, with few visitors and camps that are tucked into the bush, letting wildlife move undisturbed.

Mokolwane Camp : ATR Rating 9.2

Mokolwane Camp is a relatively simple, well‑priced property in a private area of the Okavango Delta. Guides run vehicle safaris, mokoro trips and walking safaris straight from camp. The Ranns Concession has been the backdrop for decades of wildlife documentaries.

USD 1,450 per person per night.

How camps work in the Okavango Delta

Most high-end camps in the Delta operate within private concessions, managed areas that limit the number of vehicles and visitors at any one time, giving you a more intimate encounter with the wilderness. The privacy of these concessions means that camps can offer experiences you won’t find in more public spaces, such as off-road and night drives and guided walking safaris.

Access is usually by light aircraft from Maun. The flights themselves are part of the adventure,  landing on airstrips carved out of reeds or grasslands, with hippos, elephants, or even a herd of buffalo often visible from the air. Once you touch down, you’re deep in the Delta: no towns, no shops, no public infrastructure, no through traffic.

Rates are generally fully inclusive. That means your accommodation, guiding, daily activities, meals, and internal transfers are all wrapped into one package. The setup keeps logistics simple and uncluttered, letting you focus entirely on the wildlife and the landscape. Everything is designed around access and experience rather than convenience.