Top 10 Best-value Luxury Lodges and Camps in and Around Moremi

By Anthony Ham

Moremi Game Reserve is one of Africa’s most exciting wildlife destinations and the only officially protected area within Botswana’s Okavango Delta. It is home to a remarkable array of wildlife, including big cats (lion, leopard and cheetah) and all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino), though rhino can be hard to see. All of this is framed by the classic Delta landscape of waterways, islands, woodlands and grasslands.

Moremi has some wonderful accommodations. Lodges and camps inside the reserve, and in neighboring areas such as the Khwai Concession, are set on islands and along the shores of rivers and channels. And unlike the rest of the Okavango Delta, where you need to fly into the camps, most places here are accessible to self-drive visitors. Read on for our list of the best places to stay.

The accommodations below are not ranked in a specific quality order.

116 Moremi Safaris

1. Camp Moremi (Moremi GR)

Camp Moremi is a luxury Okavango Delta tented camp with excellent rooms and facilities

Camp Moremi offers the best in Okavango Delta safaris. Luxurious safari tents, with soaring thatched ceilings and expansive living areas, look out over the woodlands and waterways. It’s accessible for self-drive visitors, but it feels like a blissfully remote paradise of water, shade and wildlife. You can expect to see elephants and hear lions roaring in the night as you sleep in your supremely comfortable bed, along with so much more.

It’s not just the rooms and the wildlife that are special. Every aspect of this place, from the public areas to the service, is first-class. And wherever you are in camp, whether it be the bar, restaurant or swimming pool, you’ll be immersed in Moremi’s beautiful surroundings.

Camp Moremi Tours

2. Camp Xakanaxa (Moremi GR)

Camp Xakanaxa is a stunning tented camp in the heart of Moremi with great excursions nearby

When you stay at Camp Xakanaxa, you’re in the heart of some of southern Africa’s best wildlife country. It’s a fabulous tented camp with high levels of comfort and luxury, set in a prime position overlooking a branch of the bird- and animal-rich Xakanaxa Lagoon. There’s a good chance you’ll see big cats and other predators such as spotted hyena or African wild dog, as well as herds of buffalo, elephant and much more.

The camp is superb, with large safari tents that let in cooling breezes and the magical night sounds of Africa. And the public spaces, including the restaurant, lounge areas and swimming pool, have a real touch of class. Activities include game drives and boat excursions.

Camp Xakanaxa Tours

3. Machaba Camp (Khwai Concession)

Machaba Camp has good safari tent accommodations and a fine location next to the Khwai River

Machaba Camp occupies a prime position right next to the Khwai River and is a wonderful place from which to watch animals come down to drink, without you even having to leave camp. Everything here faces the river, including the dining tent and swimming pool. The safari tents, where you’ll sleep, offer a great mix of comfort and simplicity. They really make you feel as if you’re deep in the African wilderness. Service is warm and friendly, and incredible wildlife is never far from camp.

Machaba Camp Tours

4. Camp Okuti (Moremi GR)

Camp Okuti has luxury safari tents and a delightful location with wildlife never far away

Camp Okuti is one of the best accommodations in Moremi. It promises all of the classic safari experiences that make the Okavango Delta one of Africa’s most popular safari destinations. For a start, it has a fabulous location next to the water and incredible wildlife is never far away. Then you have the luxury safari tents, which have distinctive domed roofs, lots of space and luxury furnishings. Add in professional service, terrific food and a genuine wilderness feel, and Camp Okuti adds up to a simply wonderful safari destination.

Camp Okuti Tours

5. Sable Alley (Khwai Concession)

Sable Alley is an excellent tented camp with first-rate rooms, amenities and location

Part of Natural Selection’s magnificent portfolio of properties, Sable Alley is one of the best places to stay in the Khwai Concession. Everything here faces out onto the water. It’s not unusual to be swimming in the pool (or enjoying a drink at sundown, or having breakfast) only to have an elephant pass by really close. You’re deep in the heart of some amazing wildlife country, and there’s so much to see from the minute you leave camp. At night, listen to lions roaring nearby and try to count the stars.

The rooms and public areas are stylish and elegant, with large terraces and a recurring feeling of light and space. Everything is positioned to catch the best view.

Sable Alley Tours

6. Khwai Leadwood Camp (Khwai Concession)

Khwai Leadwood Camp has a special feel with large, lovely accommodations and a terrific location

You’re guaranteed a warm welcome at Khwai Leadwood Camp. This magnificent property is surrounded by water, grasslands and woodlands, all of which support large numbers of animals. You can expect to see elephants, lots of antelope, maybe even a big cat or two, and that’s before you even leave camp. Elegant decor with a contemporary sense of style combines with the wilderness of the Delta to give an exclusive safari experience. You’ll enjoy exceptional rooms, high-quality meals and fantastic Delta views.

Khwai Leadwood Tours

7. MmaTsebe Tented Camp (Khwai Concession)

MmaTsebe Tented Camp promises a mix of great location, safari tents and facilities

MmaTsebe Tented Camp captures the spirit of old-style safaris without compromising on comfort. From its location in a secluded corner of the Khwai Concession, it looks out upon a watery world of wildlife. Public areas take full advantage of the location, while the safari tents are really nicely done. They feature sitting areas, private terraces and some lovely safari touches in the furnishings and decor. This is one of those places where the night sounds of Africa (lions roaring or elephants feeding nearby) come from right outside your canvas walls, which is something you’ll never forget.

MmaTsebe Tours

8. Sanctuary Chief’s Camp (Moremi GR)

Sanctuary Chief’s Camp is a terrific place with great wildlife viewing and luxury in-camp experiences

You’ll feel a little like you’ve stepped onto a film set at Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, where everything is designed with style and elegance. The attention to detail is stunning, from the wooden chests and writing desks to the pastel throws draping the armchairs. The whole look is one of safari nostalgia but updated for a modern audience with a focus on high levels of comfort. The wooden decks, whether by the rooms, around the swimming pool, or in the lounge and dining areas, all face out over the water. You’ll sometimes have amazing wildlife encounters before you even leave camp.

Chief's Camp Tours

9. Khwai Lediba Camp (Khwai Concession)

Khwai Lediba Camp is a premier tented camp offering an amazing safari experience

Khwai Lediba is a picturesque and supremely comfortable place to stay in the Khwai Concession. The camp looks out over the water, and you never quite know when wildlife is going to appear. You might spot animals while you’re swimming in the pool or enjoying a sundowner drink on the expansive terrace. The camp is decked out in light woods and canvas, which helps the whole place to blend in perfectly with its surrounds. Large safari tents, amazing food and outstanding guides are all part of the memorable experience.

10. Skybeds (Khwai Concession)

Skybeds Skybeds offers the experience of open-air beds to watch the stars and wildlife in great comfort

There’s nowhere in the Okavango Delta quite like Skybeds. Here you’ll stay in multilevel chalets, with a star bed (a bed that’s open to the skies and ideal for stargazing) on the top floor. Each of the chalets overlooks a waterhole where elephants and other wildlife often come to drink. In fact, with the stars and the wildlife, there’s so much happening that you may never want to leave. The property is run by the remarkable Natural Selection. You’ll enjoy fine dining and excellent guided game drives, and they’ll really look after you well.

Skybeds Tours