Singita Elela

Each of the eight camps is designed as its own self-contained world - circular, raised on stilts, walled in mesh rather than canvas or solid timber so the Delta can breathe straight through. Shared spaces within each camp will feature pale local woods and deep-cushioned seating, with open dining oriented toward the waterways. Singita's track record with interiors - precise, site-specific, never flashy for its own sake - suggests this will be worth the wait. The concept alone sets it apart from anything else in the country.

The eight camps range from one to four bedrooms, each taken exclusively by a single travelling party. Expect the Singita hallmarks: beds positioned to make the most of the light and outlook, outdoor showers, bathrooms that open toward the water rather than away from it. Private decks will extend over the floodplain - in peak season, directly above the rising Delta itself. Singita don't cut corners on thread counts or taps. On current form, the rooms should be very good indeed.

Slip into a mokoro and let a poler take you through channels so clear you can watch the tigerfish below. Game drives across the NG26 concession - unshared with any other operator - should put you among elephant, lion, wild dog and leopard without the vehicle traffic of the main Delta corridors. Walking safaris bring everything down to termite-mound and terrapin level, which sounds modest until a bull elephant appears through the reeds at thirty metres. Fishing is on the cards too. The Delta rewards patience.