Kwando Safaris
From the beginning, the aim of Kwando Safaris was to build a Botswana circuit of the finest intimate and exclusive camps, in order to provide our guests with access to the very best that this remarkable country has to offer.
The Okavango Delta, Kwando Linyanti wetlands, Nxai Pan National Park and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve are all highlights of Botswana’s wilderness areas. The Kwando safari offers a full and extraordinary range of places, people and activities that will complete an unforgettable safari. This variety in a safari destination achieves the perfect balance of wildlife, culture and adventure.
Kwando Linyanti Wetlands & Okavango Delta
Kwando Safaris has two extensive concessions in these areas offering a true wilderness experience. The original Kwando concession consists of 232,000 ha (550 000 acres) of remote African wilderness, while the Kwara concession in the Okavango Delta is 175,000 ha (430,000 acres).
The wildlife areas of northern Botswana are unfenced, creating a vast expanse of pristine wilderness and natural animal movement. The large concentrations of wild animals in northern Botswana are typical of what is often referred to as ‘old Africa,’ and written about by the early African explorers such as Dr. David Livingstone. Botswana offers us a chance to glimpse this Africa of history.
Kalahari Desert and Salt Pans
Kwando Safaris operates camps in both Nxai Pan National Park and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Nxai Pan and Tau Pan were the first safari camps to be built in their respective areas and offer an unprecedented opportunity to experience truly pristine wilderness areas and a complete contrast to the lush wetlands of the Okavango Delta.
Nxai Pan forms part of the great fossil pan system which includes the vast Makgadikgadi salt pans. These pans were once the bed of a super lake fed by the Okavango, Zambezi and Kwando rivers.
As at Nxai Pan – despite the arid environment – the Kalahari desert (Tau Pan) is home to an surprisingly diverse number of flora and fauna perfectly adapted to their surroundings.
Lebala is situated in the south of the Kwando concession, adjacent to the head waters of the Linyanti marshes that form the boundary between Botswana and Namibia. The southerly flowing Kwando river disappears into the vast marshland before emerging as the Linyanti river. The triangle formed by this vast wetland is home to the Mamili National Park in Namibia.
Lagoon is perched on the banks of the wild Kwando River, overlooking the Mudumu National Park in the Namibian Caprivi Strip. The camp is nestled beneath towering ebony and marula trees and accommodates up to 16 guests in eight traditionally styled 'tents.' The heavily forested site is home to a wide variety of birds and mammals, while elephant and hippo are normally visible from the camp. The stunning views and close proximity of wildlife all contribute to the pervading sense of calm at Lagoon.
This well known camp is set overlooking a secluded lagoon in the northern Okavango Delta. This region offers a contrasting experience, as its location allows access to the permanent waterways of the Delta as well as expansive dry land areas, admired for their quality game viewing.
This exclusive camp is located within the game rich Kwara concession, which borders the Moremi Game Reserve on the northern edge of the Okavango Delta. This is an intimate camp, accommodating no more than 10 guests, and is consistent with Kwando Safaris promise to provide intimate camps with personal service - vintage Africa.
Tau Pan accommodates up to eighteen guests in specially designed thatched units on raised decks. The camp offers truly incredible views from the ridge of an ancient sand dune, an unusual experience in a land as flat as Botswana, and overlooks the famous Tau Pan - recognised for its stark beauty and remoteness.
Nxai Pan is located on the western edge of the fossil pan from which the camp takes its name. The camp faces east over the open grasslands of the pans and accommodates a maximum of eighteen guests in thatched units specially designed to provide a constant and comfortable temperature throughout the year, when seasonal temperatures can fluctuate from below freezing to well over 45 degrees Celsius. Excellent game viewing is possible from the comfort of your rooms as the water hole in front of the camp draws a multitude of mammal species.
