Safari
Amidst the vast and ever-changing wilderness that is the Okavango Delta, this tiny camp will make your most thrilling safari dreams come true. Set within a concession in the northern Delta, Okavango Origins offers an intimate experience led by Bukakhwe Bushmen who have called the area home for centuries. Their knowledge and guiding experience is unparalleled, with every game drive or bush walk turning into a masterclass in the natural world. The camp is actually a partnership with the Bukakhwe Cultural Conservation Trust, ensuring the local community benefits directly from the fruits of Okavango Origins. This is a safari as pure as they come – sign us up!
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Built beside a small channel and overlooking those iconic, vast Delta floodplains, the central camp is humble but well-equipped with cushy sofas and a fridge that's always stocked. Meals are served family-style and each one is authentic, hearty and very tasty. After dinner, enjoy nights spent around the fire, listening for the calls of nearby wildlife. The staff are endlessly warm and attentive, whether it's waking you up for those early-morning game drives or keeping your glass filled with your drink of choice.
Okavango Origins has just four tents, making for an intimate and exclusive stay. They are simply but effectively designed, each with a king-sized bed (singles are offered on request) draped in high-thread-count linens. The en-suite bathrooms come with pressurised hot showers and flushing loos. Entirely solar-powered, the rooms are also equipped with overhead lighting, charging points and a standing fan for warmer days – hot water bottles are tucked into your bed by evening. Out front, there is a canvas verandah with director chairs, where you can simply sit and wait for the passing wildlife.
The concession is a hive of animal activity, especially when it comes to big cats and African wild dogs – the sightings are nothing short of prolific. Game drives are top of the list and are done in custom vehicles (everyone has a 'window seat') led by a guide and tracker duo. Bush walks are also available for a more intimate, close-up look at your surroundings, while seasonal mokoro rides offer a similar experience from the water. Birders will also be kept enthralled by the hundreds of species.
Authenticity may be a major buzzword at the moment, but at Okavango Origins, it couldn't be more true. The people, the wildlife encounters, the abundant nature on your doorstep... we could go on.
If you have an interest in getting to know the people of the region, visit the local village where you'll listen to stories from the community members, taste home brews and even share in some music.
The camp has a minimum age of 12 years as it is unfenced and definitely on the adventurous side!
The Time + Tide Foundation is dedicated to preserving natural environments and supporting nearby communities, and guests contribute to sustainability purely by visiting their hotels. The foundation focuses on community and school-based learning, female empowerment, health, and wildlife conservation. Through initiatives like student sponsorship, it aims to ensure the long-term prosperity of wildlife economies and foster positive social change in Time + Tide communities.
A contribution of $10 per guest, which is included in the nightly rate, goes towards the above goals.
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Where uber-stylish lodges offer a range of iconic experiences and exceptional wildlife is the cherry on top
