Chiefs Camp in the Okavango Delta

Chiefs Camp is a luxury bush lodge situated on Chiefs Island in the exclusive Mombo Concession of the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana. In this “predator capital of Africa”, wild dog, lion, cheetah and leopard abound, and guests enjoy exceptional opportunities to interact with this amazing environment. Recently, white rhino have been introduced to this concession, making it the only place in Botswana where these magnificent animals can be seen in their natural habitat.

Chiefs Camp has been so skillfully integrated into the landscape that guests can often view game without even leaving camp. Shaded from the heat of the day by a beautiful grove of jackalberry trees, the Camp is so remote you’ll feel like the only humans for miles and miles.

Twelve secluded, permanent luxury bush pavilions are designed for ultimate privacy and comfort, and to offer you a front row seat for this rich and rewarding African adventure. Each features an en suite bathroom and private game viewing deck. The main lodge complex houses the dining area, curio shop, library and reception area. There is an exquisite swimming pool and a range of spa treatments are offered by our resident beauty therapist in a poolside treatment sala from May to October each year.

Game viewing opportunities include daily excursions in open four-wheel-drive vehicles and quiet mokoro trips along narrow Delta channels during the flood season. (Subject to water levels) . Expert guides are always on hand to offer a wealth of wildlife knowledge, to help you make the most of these rare and wonderful opportunities.

Chief’s Camp is situated in the Mombo Concession of the Moremi Game Reserve, which is known as the “predator capital” of Africa and is considered to have the finest game viewing in Southern Africa. The area is also home to the Big Five.

The camp is situated on the northwestern tip of Chief’s Island, in what is termed seasonal delta. The area is therefore seasonally inundated with floodwaters. Generally, the floodwaters infiltrate the area in June / July and remain for a period of 4 to 5 months.

Chiefs Camp Game Viewing

Mokoro excursions

Mokoros, local dugout canoes, are ideal for getting close to the bush in the company of a highly trained local guide. Each June the whole area around the camp floods and turns the Okavango Delta into a labyrinth of lily-filled lagoons and streams where hippos fight for bathing rights and crocodiles wait for unwary antelope to linger too long over a drink. Poling through the byways created by the floodwaters is a magical experience that allows guests to get very close to the biggest of game and to see the world from a totally different angle – looking up onto the banks rather than down onto them. As a change from a game drive, the quiet, gentle pace of a mokoro is a real introduction to a way of transport still used in the Delta by the ‘river bushmen’ or BaYei people. This activity is subject to water levels.

Game drives

The expert guides always on hand to share a wealth of wildlife knowledge, take guests deep into the bush in specially modified open 4 x 4 vehicles on morning and afternoon game drives to find the secluded places where elephant families congregate in search of the tastiest fruits and berries. The game viewing opportunities at Sanctuary Chief’s Camp are awe-inspiring. On the plains one may find the roaming lions that prey on the thousands of antelope, zebra and buffalo who live here all year round. Guests may see spot wild dogs. These extremely rare predators have been hunted to the point of extinction in most areas of Africa and this is one of their last strongholds. Intensely curious, painted dogs, as they are known here, are extremely rewarding to view and accessible to only the few. Sanctuary Chief’s is the ideal place to spot the big 5 – perhaps even the rare rhino. There are several local lion prides as well as leopards, genet cats and hyena are in abundance.