Karangoma

peaceful, unpretentious and intimate

Karangoma is located in the remote northeast of the Sekwana Concession in the Okavango Delta area of northern Botswana.

This is a very pleasant and appealing camp that represents unusually good value for the Okavango Delta, arguably Africa’s premium safari location.

Set among mature woodland on a rise above the floodplain, the camp has a circular layout, which does feel slightly chaotic. Our biggest complaint is that the swimming pool is directly in front of the main lounge, which is a level one mistake in camp design. However, the overall feel is very pleasant and the rooms are all well positioned with views of the surrounding bush.

The team, most of whom come from the local villages to the west, are warm and personable. The place has a low-key intimacy, providing the an overall experience that will appeal to those looking for a quieter and more grounded bush camp.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Karangoma is in eight classic safari tents, raised up on low decks.

Each room has twin or double beds with mosquito nets, private indoor bathroom, private verandah, solar power, USB charging and ceiling fans.

The tents are practical and comfortable rather than luxurious, but they have a charm and integrity that matches the camp’s tone well.

Activities

Karangoma Camp provides an excellent and unusually broad range of guided safari activities …

• Vehicle safari
• Mokoro canoe safari (Jun–Sep)
• Motorboat safari (May–Oct)
• Walking safari
• Night vehicle safari

It is worth noting that the owners also have camps in Zimbabwe, which means that you can expect a higher level of guiding, notably with much more serious walking safari than one generally encounters in Botswana.

This area is very remote, which means that the wildlife may be less reliable than further into Okavango. Reports from camp indicate that sightings of leopards and wild-dogs are strong, but lions tend to be more transient.

Unlike most delta properties, Karangoma is accessed via helicopter only, with scenic transfers from Vumbura Airstrip, providing an spectacular start to the stay. The final approach provides fabulous views over the papyrus channels and open floodplain. However, this does inevitably add cost to the trip.

When it comes to trip shapes and durations in Botswana, most visitors combine 2, 3 or 4 lodges by light aircraft over 6-12 nights, one or two of which will usually be here in Okavango Delta, combined with the Linyanti Waterfront and/or Makgadikgadi areas.

These trips are often done in combination with further nights at the Victoria Falls and/or down in the Cape.

The usual stay duration here on the Skewana Concession is 3-4 nights.

Seasonality

The May-Jun flood season is a period of transition from the hot wet summer to the cool dry winter and is a great time to visit, with lots of baby animals around and the magical arrival of the floodwater into the delta.

Temperatures can drop towards freezing during the night, but this has little adverse effect on safari, the days are gorgeous and there are virtually no insects around.

The majority of camps are also significantly discounted during this time making it a smart time to travel.

The flood in this western part of the delta is usually early, reliable and heavy, turning large parts of the area into a gorgeous water-world.

Motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari should be strong throughout this season.

Despite the high flood, all the camps are usually able to offer vehicle safari, although restrictions on the availability of dry land may limit the frequency of sightings.

The Jul-Sep dry season is the classic time to visit the Okavango Delta and is the best time for wildlife viewing, as serious numbers of animals are drawn to the floodwaters which have reached, or just passed their peak.

Cooler temperatures at night may continue but the days are perfect for safari.

This is very much the high season in terms of prices and visitor numbers.

The flood in this western part of the delta should only start to seriously recede into August, meaning that motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari should remain reasonably strong throughout this season.

As the waters recede, the amount of dry land available for vehicle safari increases and the frequency of sightings should improve.

The Oct-Dec hot wet season is the transition between the peak of the dry season and the start of the rains. Temperatures and humidities can become uncomfortably high in advance of the rains.

If significant rainfall does arrive, it usually comes in short sharp showers and generally has little negative effect on safari conditions. Some animals may disperse after the rains but sightings remain strong.

The majority of camps are significantly discounted during this period.

The floodwaters should be largely gone by this time, meaning that motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari may no longer be possible.

With so much dry land available for vehicle safari and the clustering of animals around the few remaining waterholes, the frequency of sightings should be at their best.

The period Jan-Apr is the main green season in the Okavango Delta, when the area experiences the majority of its rainfall, in particular Dec-Feb threatens the greatest chance of prolonged cloud and rain.

Temperature and humidity is still high but has dropped from the preceding season.

The majority of camps are significantly discounted throughout this season, making it a very smart time to travel, particularly in April.

Water levels can remain too low for boating activities throughout this period (unless there is an early flood arrival in April). This situation can change if the rains are heavy enough, but this would be unusual.

In terms of wildlife viewing during this period, the lower animal densities due to the outward dispersal from the delta is offset by the large amount of dry land available for vehicle safari, so sightings should remain pretty reasonable. Our main concern would be that elephants may be in particularly short supply, they have a tendency to move to the vast mopane forests immediately to the northwest.

Getting there

All of the camps in the Sekwana area are usually accessed by light aircraft into the local bush airstrip. There are daily flight connections between all the camps in Okavango, Linyanti, the main airport at Maun and Kasane.

From the Sekwana Airstrip it is a drive of around 30 minutes to the camp, with a good chance of early wildlife sightings.

usually combined with other Okavango camps