Most people visiting the Okavango never get anywhere near NG12, a 90,000-hectare sweep of palm islands, channels and floodplain in the far north of the Delta. That’s rather the appeal. Expeditions Camp is the work of third-generation guide Ralph Bousfield, and it’s his idea of what safari was before it became an industry. Eight Meru tents sit on the sand beneath ebony trees, facing a seasonal floodplain. There are four-posters, Persian rugs, bone-handled silver cutlery and a drinks cabinet that never seems to run dry. You won’t find an infinity pool or a statement building. It’s nostalgic without tipping into fancy dress, and it leaves the Delta to do the talking.
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Camp life revolves around the mess tent, with its well-chosen furniture, a small library and that drinks cabinet, which suggests someone here understands the value of a cold G&T after a long morning out. Meals move between canvas and open sky depending on the evening, and the conversation round the fire tends to be one of the things guests remember. The setting changes with the seasons. When the floodwaters arrive from Angola, the plains around camp turn into a maze of bright channels, and the place goes from atmospheric to properly spectacular.
The eight semi-permanent Meru tents, three double and five twin, are pitched on levelled sand rather than raised platforms. That puts you at eye level with whatever wanders past. Inside you’ll find four-poster beds under mosquito netting, antique furnishings and rich textiles. It’s a 1920s look that comes across as considered rather than contrived. Bathrooms are fully plumbed, with hot water, a flush loo and an indoor shower, so there’s no bucket bathing. Each tent has charging points, Wi-Fi and a private deck onto the floodplain, which is the best seat in camp for your morning coffee.
Mornings and afternoons are spent on game drives across the floodplains and islands. Night drives turn up the animals that keep out of sight by day. Once the water is up, you can go out by boat or glide silently through the channels in a mokoro. The guiding comes from the Bousfield tradition, so expect a game drive that feels more like a masterclass than a tick-list. For something different, take the helicopter to the Tsodilo Hills.
It’s the Okavango with the volume turned down. You get serious wildlife in country that feels as if hardly anyone has been there before you, with old-school camp comforts to come back to.
Ask about a helicopter excursion to the Tsodilo Hills. It’s a UNESCO site with thousands of San rock paintings, some around 24,000 years old, and you’ll have almost no one to share it with. The flight over the Delta is worth the fare on its own.
The camp is seasonal. It’s open from 1 April to 9 January and closed from mid-January through March, so plan around those dates. It’s also deliberately simple: there’s no pool, no air conditioning, and the tents sit on the ground rather than above it.
Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch
Expeditions Camp can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Botswana trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Botswana trips featuring Expeditions Camp or get advice and suggestions from one of our Botswana specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Expeditions Camp start from around $870, or US$870, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
Where uber-stylish lodges offer a range of iconic experiences and exceptional wildlife is the cherry on top
