Kwetsani Camp in the Okavango Delta
Located in the central region of the Jao Concession, Kwetsani Camp has access to the vast open floodplains and some of the most stunning vistas of the Okavango Delta. To the north of Jao Camp on the same floodplain system, both camps are surrounded by beautiful islands fringed by riverine forests.
Kwetsani Camp consists of five furnished ‘tree-house’ chalets, each with its own en-suite bathroom, which are an open, airy accommodation of thatch, wood, glass and canvas. The dining room, lounge and drinks area are constructed under a large, cool thatched roof and offer incredible vistas of the surrounding floodplains dotted with lechwe, wildebeest and other plains game. Guests can also watch this wildlife from a communal pool or simply the comfort of their own rooms.
Kwetsani Camp offers excellent land and water activities dependent on the annual flood levels of the Okavango Delta. Game drives by day or night are on offer, as well as breathtaking wildlife viewing by moroko. More intrepid guests can also explore the many palm-fringed islands on foot (this must be requested prior to travel) or utilise the two platform hides in the concession.
Lion, leopard, wild dog, cheetah, tsessebe and red lechwe are among the major game attractions at Kwetsani Camp, while hippo, sitatunga antelope and crocodile reside in the deeper, permanently lily-filled lagoons of the area. Nocturnal animals such as porcupine, aardwolf, serval, large spotted genet and lesser bushbaby can be observed on the night drives (water levels permitting).
Facts: 50% Game Drives and 50% Water Activities (but very much dependant on flood levels). In the summer months activities tend more towards game drives, whereas in the winter months mainly water-based activities are offered.
- Land game drives in open 4×4 Land Rovers – the camp has 3 x 10-seater Land Rovers each accommodating a maximum of seven guests, allowing all guests an outside seat.
- In times of high water guests are transferred by boat to game drive areas
- Night drives with spotlight
- Private vehicles available on request
- Walking safaris can be offered from camp, and must be requested prior to travel
- Mokoro (a traditional dug-out canoe) 5 x 2-seaters (guests are driven to the water in summer to do their mokoro activity)
- Boating in the waterways to the west of camp
- Fishing – on a catch and release basis
- A raised hide located 20 minutes from camp (which can be used for sleep-outs – maximum 6 people at a time – and is equipped with a long-drop loo).
Kwetsani Camp Game Viewing
Kwetsani Camp is located in the Jao Concession: 60,000 hectares of reserve against the western boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve in the north-western area of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, below the Panhandle.
The Okavango Delta rests between shallow fault lines at the end of the Great African Rift Valley. Deserts are low on annual rainfall and the Okavango Delta is no exception, but the annual floodwaters from the moist African highlands over 1000 km to the north create a unique wetland that supports and sustains a huge diversity of wildlife. This region is particularly famous for its lion populations.
Lying in the very heart of the Okavango Delta, the Jao Concession embodies all the magic and mystique of the region. Narrow water channels cut their way through the papyrus and reed beds in the permanent delta to the north and east of the concession. Beautiful lush palm islands, like the one on which Kwetsani Camp is built, dot the water, begging to be explored.
In the central region of the Jao Concession, vast open floodplains provide some of the most stunning scenery of the region, with beautiful islands fringed with riverine forests. Further west, the area gets progressively dryer and Hunda Island (which is the tip of a large ‘sand tongue’) is the largest area of dry land in the vicinity during the flood season. Hunda Island has sandveld vegetation supporting many species of nutritious acacia and grewia shrubs which provide excellent browsing for herbivores – upon which the lions prey.
The true wetland areas of the Okavango Delta are best known for their birdlife. The largest concentrations of endangered Wattled Crane are found in this area and Slaty Egrets, Rosy-throated Longclaws and African Skimmer are some of the specials that can be seen. Hallowed species such as Pel’s Fishing-Owl and Slaty Egret are found alongside more conspicuous and commonly seen Coppery-tailed Coucal, Pygmy Goose. The specialised African Skimmer (from which Wilderness Safaris takes its logo) may be seen on the larger lagoons and channels.
Kwetsani Camp is set in the most densely populated wetland area for sitatunga antelope and red lechwe, and hippo and crocodile are regularly sighted. In the dry season lechwe, tsessebe, elephant, wildebeest and zebra are prevalent, with lion, cheetah and leopard often sighted. The many lion prides in this area have been extensively studied in recent years, thereby building up a more intimate knowledge of their behaviour.