Top 10 Okavango Delta Lodges in Botswana

It’s only once you’ve quietly meandered down a channel in a mokoro in the Okavango Delta that you can say you truly know Africa. Botswana’s incredible waterways are all about luxury, from the exceptional lodges to the unrivalled wildlife sightings.

Your choice of Okavango Delta lodges shapes your whole safari. It sets the pace, the views, the way you explore the channels and floodplains. Below, we highlight 10 outstanding options across the delta’s private concessions and Moremi, from water-based retreats to design-forward, ultra-luxury suites.

Each of these Okavango Delta lodges offers superb guiding, thoughtful service, and that deep quiet you only find on the water.

How to Read This Guide

Water vs land focus: Many camps offer both water and land safaris, but some are predominantly water-based (think mokoro and boating).

When to go: Peak flood (July to August), brings dreamy mokoro conditions; green season (November to April, peaking in January and February) means rich birding and dramatic skies.

Who it suits: Solo travellers, couples, families – we note the stand-out features to help you match the camp to your style, from exciting safari activities to five-star dining and luxurious creature comforts.

1. Machaba Safaris Monachira Camp

Monachira Camp is a water-based wonder when it comes to the world of Okavango Delta safari lodges.

On the Monachira Channel in Moremi, elevated decks overlook lily-studded wetlands where elephants and buffalo drift through like ghosts. Designer tents (two are family tents and eight are double) balance vintage canvas with modern comforts. You get a plunge pool, gourmet dining, and optional in-room spa.

Explore by mokoro and motorboat, with nature walks and drives rounding out the day. Keep an eye out for sitatunga, and listen for Pel’s fishing owl after dusk. Nature walks and game drives are the brushstrokes that make a perfect safari in the delta.

2. Desert and Delta Xugana Island Lodge

Set on one of the delta’s most celebrated permanent water sites, Xugana Island Lodge frames vast, glassy views from multi-level decks and intimate, lagoon-facing suites. Your always-on view is water stretching ahead of you, dotted with lilies, the incredible African sunset toasting your sundowners each evening – this is one of the reasons why this accommodation stands out in the world of Okavango Delta lodges.

Expect slow, sensory days on the water – mokoro drifts, boat trips at sunset, and long, starry dinners with the soft chorus of frogs and nightjars.

Xugana Island Lodge is a secluded, exclusive experience. Only 22 guests can be accommodated in the luxury lagoon-facing tents.

3. African Bush Camps Atzaró Okavango Camp

Atzaró Okavango Camp is all about eco-luxury with soul, seamlessly blending luxury with an authentic safari experience.

An open-plan design, hand-crafted details, and 12 private suites, each with a plunge pool, set the tone. Solar power, recycled materials, and a light touch on the land pair with deeply indulgent touches – indoor-outdoor showers, wide decks for private game-viewing, and fine dining that still feels rooted and relaxed.

4. Natural Selection North Island Okavango

On its own island in the far north of the Okavango Delta, North Island begs you to immerse yourself in the magic of the wetlands.

North Island is a haven for rarities. It has African wild dogs and aardvarks as well as abundant lions and elephants. Seven raised tents each have a private plunge pool and broad sundeck above a lagoon loud with hippos.

Activities flex with water levels: mokoro, boating, drives across open grasslands, and superb birding (wattled crane, carmine bee-eater, secretary bird). Green season, November to March, when migrant species arrive, is a birder’s delight.

5. Ker & Downey Shinde

Under ebony and mangosteen canopies, Shinde’s treehouse architecture sets it apart from other Okavango Delta lodges. Inside: king beds and thoughtful touches from yoga mats to hairdryers. Outside: beautiful lagoon views teeming with wildlife.

Explore by mokoro or motorboat, walk with expert guides, and head out on day and night drives. Anglers note: bream are best from May to September; tigerfish from September to November.

Shinde is a year-round destination, setting it apart from other Okavango Delta safari lodges, and there is always something to explore.

6. A&K Sanctuary Chief’s Camp

The best is always saved for the chief. Chief’s Island is the largest island in the Okavango Delta, and it’s home to Chief’s Camp. It’s prime Big Five territory.

Chief’s pairs ten luxurious pavilions (plus a three-bedroom family suite) with unhurried mokoro rides, dawn and dusk drives, walking safaris, and scenic heli flips. After game drives, the spa’s botanicals – think marula and African potato – help you ease into the island’s slow rhythm.

Each pavilion has a private deck complete with a bath, shower, and plunge pool.

“Our tracker, Sky, at Chief’s Camp was amazing and we spent four hours one day tracking down a rhino until we finally managed to see it, making our trip complete! The staff at all of the Sanctuary camps were incredible and being able to go on either private or small group game tracking made the experience infinitely better.” – Jon from the United States about his experience in the Okavango Delta.

7. &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

Design-led, wildlife-rich Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge offers luxurious Okavango Delta accommodation. Its sculptural, pangolin-inspired design hides among riverine forest on a private concession renowned for exceptional sightings, especially after dark.

Twelve elevated suites come with fireplaces, reading nooks, and private decks complete with plunge pools. Between drives, try the interactive kitchen, stretch your legs on a bush walk, or take to the skies for a helicopter perspective.

8. Great Plains Sitatunga Private Island

A Robinson Crusoe aesthetic – ship-evoking timber, beaded curtains, bamboo accents – meets Great Plains’ signature conservation ethos. Drift through channels where elephants wade and elusive sitatunga melt into the reeds. The pool faces the flow of life, so the game-viewing never really stops.

Sitatunga Private Island is all about barefoot romance and serious game viewing, on drives and back in camp. The seclusion of this camp is what makes it stand out among Okavango Delta lodges.

9. Kwando Splash Camp

Kwando Splash Camp offers the best of both worlds of land- and water-based safaris. In the private Kwara Concession bordering Moremi, it curls around a pan that’s a magnet for wildlife.

Twelve spacious rooms feature indoor and outdoor showers, lounge nooks, and verandah views. Activities span mokoro, boating, guided walks, morning and evening drives, seasonal fishing, and rewarding birding – a balanced land-and-water experience.

10. Wilderness Vumbura Plains

In the delta’s far north, Wilderness Vumbura Plains camp makes the most of the stunning natural surroundings without compromising on luxury. Its open-plan suites spill onto big decks with plunge pools and daybeds, your front-row seat for elephants crossing channels and wild dogs on the move.

The open-plan design means full appreciation of nature, whether you’re enjoying coffee in bed in the morning or soaking up the sun outside.

Spot wild dog packs on the hunt, lions jumping across channels, and elephants wading through the water. Mix papyrus-lined mokoro safaris with sunset boat trips and day and night drives for the full delta tapestry.

Plan your Okavango Delta Accommodation

Accessibility: Most camps are fly-in via light aircraft, making them scenic, seamless, and direct.

Families: Several lodges offer family tents, private vehicles, and flexible mealtimes. Ask us to tailor the right fit.

For broader inspiration, explore our overview guides to Botswana safaris and Okavango Delta tours – or design a route with us that strings these lodges into your perfect flow.