Best hotels in Okavango Delta

It may not seem like you could step any further off the beaten track than the Okavango Delta, but how does a private island sound? Welcome to North Island, a gorgeous lodge on an island ensconced by the boughs of ebony, mangosteen, leadwood and fig trees, and watched over by a lagoon that's popular with the ample wildlife. With only three enormous tents, it's incredibly exclusive and the views and surrounding landscapes are sublime. During the day, discover the Okavango by land, water or from the sky, and in the evening, plonk yourself down and listen to the symphony of bell frogs as fireflies blink above the water. Magic.

Tapping into an incomparable spirit of safari adventure, Beagle Expeditions offers unmatched access to the Kweene Trails. This region of the Delta is extremely remote, set along a system of waterways that boasts a thriving ecosystem. As well as being exclusive use, the camp is accessed exclusively by helicopter. Promising endless discoveries, this once-in-a-lifetime expedition will introduce you to the wild and wonderful landscape of the Delta. This modest mobile camp offers the ultimate authentic safari experience.

Recently refurbished, Camp Okavango now offers some of the most beautiful and elegant accommodation available in this pristine region of the Delta. This part of the private Shindi concession has a wide range of habitats but is dominated by permanent channels and shallow floodplains, making activities primarily water-focused. There is no vehicle traffic to disturb the peace. This camp suits a traveller whose priority is relaxation and experiencing the stunning landscape surrounding this private, luxurious camp. It offers an altogether different experience of the wilderness, where seeing big game is not the sole focus.

Set in its own private concession just 18km south of the renowned Chitabe area, Gomoti Plains Camp embodies the seasoned expertise of the Machaba team. Drawing on their success with Machaba and Little Machaba camps, the owners have created an intimate retreat that captures the essence of an authentic Botswana safari experience. This chic, modern camp pairs perfectly with the beauty of the region and the diversity of activities on offer.

Sable Alley is a recent addition to Botswana’s luxury safari camp portfolio, in a stunning and remote part of the private Khwai Concession alongside Moremi Game Reserve. This part of northern Botswana has an incredible diversity of landscapes, with the permanent waters of the Okavango Delta providing a vital lifeline in this otherwise arid wilderness. The camp overlooks a lagoon with fabulous views across the lily-covered waters and Moremi beyond, with twelve elegant safari tents stretching along the waters’ edge on either side of the main lodge. Game viewing is excellent, the level of guiding is first class and you get it all for a very reasonable price.

The Okavango Delta is close to our hearts – a geologically unusual depression of desert that traps run-off water from mountains nearly 1000 kilometres away, thanks to three well-placed fault lines. Those fissures are the difference between a vast wetland that sustains a bounty of wildlife, and a muddy seep. Mma Dinare (mother buffalo) is a new jewel of a lodge at the south-east edge of the delta, overlooking the Gomoti River and its sprawl of wildlife-filled floodplains. Set within a private concession of 27000-plus hectares, there's an immense wilderness that's just waiting for you to explore its treasures.

The Outpost sits between two Western Okavango channels, where an intricate natural waterhole system shapes wildlife behaviour and movement throughout the year. Operating exclusively within this private wilderness, we invite guests to explore a landscape defined by uninterrupted space – a rare corner of the Okavango Delta where the environment itself sets the rhythm of the safari.

From the intimate eight-bed camp - curated by the founders of Barclay Stenner Safaris - guests experience barefoot luxury refined with purpose. Private tented suites, thoughtful design, and a slower, more intentional encounter with nature create a safari that feels both deeply comfortable and deeply connected to the wild.

The Okavango Delta does something to time. The seasonal flood comes down from Angola in a slow, papyrus-scented wave, filling channels, lifting floodplains, turning the Kalahari sand into a gin-clear inland sea - and Singita Elela is built entirely around that rhythm. Eight separate circular camps sit on stilts across Botswana's NG26 concession, mesh walls open to whatever breeze the Delta is offering, walkways suspended over the water below. This is Singita's first Botswana property, and it might be their most elemental. Opening December 2026.

The definition of luxury in the southern Okavango Delta, Dulini Daunara’s five tented suites are crisp, calm and utterly beautiful. Perched on the banks of a private lagoon that attracts hundreds of animals throughout the year, wildlife-watching from your deck can be just as good as heading out on a game drive – think elephant wandering past and lions roaring as you slumber. But venture out you should, for this is one of the world’s great wildlife destinations. Explore on guided game drives and walking safaris, or take to the water on a traditional mokoro trip. Whatever you choose, Daunara is all about the magic of slowing down, reconnecting and just… being.

Machaba Camp is tucked away on the sycamore fig-sheltered bank of the Khwai River to the east of the Okavango Delta. Here, 10 stunningly luxurious tents provide tranquil comfort to visitors returning from a day in the delta. The camp overlooks the river to Moremi Game Reserve, where thick wooded areas are the perfect habitat for leopard and abundant wild dog. From the tent, watch predators and plains game wandering down to the river to drink, and inspect the diverse birdlife in the surrounding lagoons.

For a unique African safari holiday take a private-guided safari into top wildlife areas. Each authentic mobile tented safari is tailor-made to guests preferences and time frame and offers affordable African holidays in some of the best wilderness areas in Botswana.

Guests can enjoy an exclusively guided private mobile safari at a rate cheaper than a busy lodge in the peak season.

Having made its grand entrance in May 2024, Natural Selection's latest gem is set amongst a gathering of ebony and sausage trees in the south-east Moremi Game Reserve of the Okavango Delta. The camp was created alongside the paramount chief of the Batwana tribe (after whom it's named), whose forebears were instrumental in the conservation of the wild areas that would one day become Moremi. The design of Tawana is striking, from its arched entrance inspired by fishing nets to the chic, palatial suites that occupy three thatched areas. Add to that the impressive numbers of lion on the plains surrounding the camp, and you've got an all-round excellent safari.

Maun is the well-established gateway to the Okavango Delta, where tiny planes depart every few hours, filled with eager travellers. Set in a 250-hectare private reserve on the outskirts of the main town, Thamo Telele offers an amuse-bouche before the real safari begins. Meaning 'long neck' in Setswana, the lodge is named after the youngest of its resident giraffe who wander the grounds - the staff will teach you how to identify each one based on their pattern! Thamo has an easygoing feel and families are very welcome - the gardens are big and lush, and the reserve is predator-free.

Set on the banks of the Mababe River this tented camp is an exclusive new addition to the Bush Ways collection. Located within the Mababe Private Concession which borders the Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve, this seasonal camp promises guests a front-row seat to one of Botswana’s most pristine and wildlife-rich areas.

With just 8 Meru tents accommodating a maximum of 16 guests, Mababe Tented Camp provides an intimate safari experience. Each tent is positioned along the riverfront and features an en-suite bathroom with indoor shower and thoughtful comfort. Twin and double configurations make the camp ideal for solo travellers, couples, friends and families alike. The Camp is proudly eco-friendly, solar powered and designed to leave zero footprint on the land. From here, guests set out to explore the concession and surrounding areas on game drives and mokoro excursions, witnessing elephants, predators, and abundant birdlife.

Okuti is hidden on the banks of the Xakanaxa Lagoon in the wildlife-rich heart of the Moremi Game Reserve. A wonderful mix of traditional and contemporary design incorporating thatch, reeds and locally sourced sun-dried bricks, it’s a visually appealing camp offering plenty of photographic opportunities inside and out. Once here, explore the game-rich region by land or water to encounter a wide variety of wildlife – and enjoy the feeling of being in one of the world’s most mesmerising wilderness areas.

A private property in the Mababe region, found within an extension of the Chobe National Park, Tumani Tented Camp offers front-row access to incredible wildlife areas, set apart from the busier areas of Northern Botswana. and a star bed safari experience rarely offered in this same way. Easily accessible from Maun and a 25km drive to Khwai - this beautiful spot is set to be one of Botswana's living legends.

The camp is deliberately intimate: eight tented rooms plus a family suite, each slightly raised on wooden platforms with an exterior staircase off the veranda leading up to a private star-deck. At Tumani, sleeping under the stars isn’t a special activity, it’s a built-in feature available to every guest. At the heart of the camp lies a sprawling main area under thatch, with multiple lounge pockets, interior and al fresco dining offering either privacy or conviviality, and complete with a pool sporting uninterrupted views across the river.

Tumani benefits from access to both the Mababe region and Chobe National Park, combining a quieter, exclusive wilderness within one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife destinations, known for large elephant herds and strong predator populations. Enjoy daily game drives and guided walking safaris, and even add a scenic helicopter flight to your itinerary.

As you might have guessed, Great Plains' latest camp is set on a gloriously private island in the Northern Okavango. On arrival, you'll scarcely believe such a place exists, with every corner providing a front row seat to this startlingly beautiful corner of Botswana. Hosting a maximum of eight guests, you'll have your guide's utmost attention whilst exploring the channels and lagoons, watching hippos wallow, elephant swimming, and the birdlife a-fluttering. And how could we forget the shy sitatunga antelope dwelling in the reeds of the Delta from which the camp takes its name?

On the banks of the Khwai River, under a canopy of leadwood and fig trees, this brand-new lodge sits in Botswana's Khwai Concession, on the border of Moremi Game Reserve. That position gives you two kinds of safari: day trips into Moremi on request, plus everything the concession allows, from night drives to mokoro trips in season. The thatched main area stands on raised timber decks, and every tent looks over the river. It replaces Khwai River Lodge, one of Botswana's first photographic safari lodges, on the very same footprint. For a first trip to Botswana, we'd struggle to find a better base.

Wild Expeditions is on a mission to take intrepid travellers into the remotest corners of Africa, encouraging visitors to establish a meaningful connection with nature, sans frills or flourishes. The latest outpost, Karangoma, is located in 30,000 hectares of exclusive terrain near the origin point of the Selinda Spillway in the Okavango Delta. A name that harkens a good future in the Sembukushu language, Karangoma was established in close partnership with local elder, Olatotse Sarefo, and the camp is committed to maintaining genuine and reciprocated engagement with surrounding communities. And of course, its exceptional location means top-notch wildlife sightings from both land and water - and not another soul around to interrupt.

Well, it might not be a brand-new camp but The Jackal & Hide, the supplier of some of the best photographic safaris in the region, has been renamed Little Sable. Expect a camp of pared-down luxury with comfy rooms, subtly stylish touches and excellent views across the floodplains of Khwai. In the field, it’s all about an authentic, back-to-basics safari experience with classic game drives, mokoro safaris and boat trips all on offer – and all this comes at a truly fantastic price. What’s not to love?

For a unique African safari holiday take a private-guided safari into top wildlife areas. Each authentic mobile tented safari is tailor-made to guests preferences and time frame and offers affordable African holidays in some of the best wilderness areas in Botswana. Guests can enjoy an exclusively guided private mobile safari at a rate cheaper than a busy lodge in the peak season.