Machaba Camp
Moremi

Machaba Camp was the first in the Machaba Safari group (which includes Gomoti, Verney’s, Deka and Deteema and focusses on the more affordable safari market) and it is in the game rich 35,000-hectare Khwai Private Concession in the north east Okavango region. The concession borders the Moremi Game Reserve meaning that guests can enter the park for game drives but in the concession, there is a restriction on the number of vehicles. There will be other vehicles present but the guides are supremely experienced and as Botswana has a proliferation of wildlife, due to years of pro-wildlife legislation, there is often multiple sightings to go in search for. 

The camp itself sits on the Khwai river and even in the driest of months, enormous elephants can be seen relaxing and munching on the riverbed grass. Even the pool is sloped meaning that hippos who decide that is a more favourable option to the river can enter and exit at ease. The camp has a wonderfully relaxed and family-friendly vibe and the food is delicious – huge variety of cold salads for a post-game drive lunch and warming stews as the temperature dips in the evenings. Meals are held either in the shade of the mess tent or out in the ‘garden’ next to the banks of the river with elephants, hippos and the occasional impala looking on.

The tents are in the classic luxury 1950’s style – fully tented, taupe bed linen with Persian-inspired woven rugs underfoot. The walkways are treelined giving the tents an exclusive and relaxed feeling and each tent has its own private decking with which to survey the river and the game that freely wanders through the camp. The guiding and service at this camp is fantastic which does tremendous service to the wildlife that draws guests this country.

Game viewing in the delta is second to none; leopard, lions, larger than life elephants, pods of hippos, ground hornbills, giraffe – to name but a few, and is why the Botswana safari scene has the reputation it does. A trip to Botswana would not be complete without exploring at least one, if not two camps in the Okavango Delta. The proliferation of wildlife is astounding and draws both first-time safari goers and more season aficionados.

You either get the point of Africa or you don’t. What draws me backyear after year is that it is like the world with the lid off.
AA Gill