Activities

Wake up with the wild before dawn. The earlier you get into the bush, the greater the rewards.

In the cool morning, more animals are active, either returning from the hunt, setting off to find food or warming up in a patch of golden light. Predator-tracking is our speciality; if it’s out there, we’ll find it*. And we know flexibility is critical to outstanding sightings, so there are no hard and fast departure times, meal sittings or rush to return to camp.

*Our lawyers said we had to say TRY. We’ll TRY our best to find those wily African wild dogs

Spot unusual animals on a Night Drive.

Animals that are tough to locate and observe during daylight hours include porcupines, springhares, servals, civets, genets, African wild cats, owls, nightjars, bushbabies bouncing through the trees, and perhaps even a rare pangolin.

As the evening progresses, predators, such as spotted hyenas, lions and leopards come out to prowl. The cooling temperature heightens your chances of seeing them hunting, and they move about with more purpose, stalking under cover of darkness.

Ever wonder why Kwando has a Guide and a Tracker? Because predator-tracking is our speciality. 

Instead of just randomly driving around, you’re actively tracking something in a real-life treasure hunt. And in large private concessions, we can follow the predators off-road and at night, significantly boosting your chances of getting a front-row seat to the action.

A soothing tonic to exhilarating off-road game drives.

Explore the deep waterways and permanent swamps of the Okavango Delta by switchbacking through secret channels, searching for colourful birds, and enjoying the scenery. However, don’t be surprised when the peace is shattered by the snort of a territorial hippo warning the boat of his presence! Elephants and other big game species are often seen from the boat, but the sound of the water and the birds dominate the experience.

Boating is available at Pom Pom, Moremi Crossing, Lagoon, Kwara and Splash Camp

Deeply rooted in the Delta, people relied on these boats for centuries for transportation, fishing, harvesting and hunting. Today, these same vessels (now fashioned from fibreglass instead of wood to protect ancient sausage and mahogany trees) allow travellers to connect with nature by getting lost in the floodplains.

Piloted by our skilled polers, you’ll sit at water level, centimetres from the surface and glide across the glassy waters of the delta, passing fantastic plant and animal life, from tiny Angolan painted reed frogs to lechwe leaping through the water.

Mokoro is available at 4 Rivers, Kwara, Mma Dinare, Moremi Crossing, Rra Dinare, Pom Pom, Splash Camp 

Many Kwando camps lie in the heart of the Okavango Delta’s permanent water.

Target various species, including several types of tilapia (bream), such as the olive bream or nembwe, red-breasted tilapia, purple-faced largemouth, and three-spotted tilapia, as well as sharp-tooth catfish, African pike, and the mighty Tiger fish. While fly fishing is possible, due to the vegetated verges, it is only available to experienced individuals with their own equipment.

Fishing is seasonal, subject to government regulations, and prohibited during January and February. Kwando follows a catch-and-release policy, promoting sustainable fishing practices.

Fishing is available at Pom Pom, Moremi Crossing, Lagoon, Kwara and Splash Camp

Tread upon hippo highways and wild game tracks scored through by thousands of hooves.

Walking safaris inspire, humble and afford a remarkable appreciation of Africa’s natural environment. With your tracker, you’ll unearth the subtle differences between leopard prints and lion tracks and learn to pinpoint the age. Have insects crisscrossed the pawprint? Any botanical debris littering the indent? Or is that lion track as fresh as the morning dew clinging to your long trousers?

Walks in the wild are not hikes, and the length of the walks can be adjusted to suit personal interests and fitness levels, even if it’s just a short stroll from the vehicle for a leg stretch. Walking is a particular speciality at Moremi Crossing and 4 Rivers Camp

Learn from one of the world’s oldest cultures. Wander the wild with a Bushman guide or tracker on a nature walk. Discover time-honoured survival skills, medicinal plants, and other deep knowledge carried through generations.

During a spellbinding nature walk from Tau Pan Camp, you can see the land of the lion through ancient San eyes. At Nxai Pan Camp, an informative stroll takes place within the camp’s footprint to learn about how people used to live nomadically, hunting, gathering food and ensuring reliable water sources.

When you enter this world as a student, it ensures the conservation of this fast-vanishing culture.

Sleep below the stars at Tau Pan Camp, where the Milky Way practically tucks you in.

This elevated platform, equipped with two three-quarter beds, a washbasin, and a toilet, allows guests to sleep under a canopy of stars in one of the world’s most remote wilderness areas. After a delicious meal, head to the deck for a night surrounded by stars and lions roaring in the distance, returning to the main camp by morning for more adventure. 

Pack your curiosity and pre-book the adventure camping at Moremi Crossing, where mobile-style canvas tents are set up in an exclusive wilderness area for a raw Africa experience.  

By day, it’s mokoro rides, bushwalks, and tracking animals with our expert guides; by night, it’s campfire chats and surreal stargazing. It’s rustic, raw, and ridiculously rewarding — perfect for those who like their safari a little more wild.

​Pack a picnic lunch at Nxai Pan Camp and head deep into the national park to witness this amazing collection of baobabs made famous by the writer-artist Thomas Baines in 1862. His work was among the earliest European visual records of southern Africa’s landscapes, capturing a timeless scene that remains almost unchanged today.

Botswana is birdwatching bliss. Ostriches strut their stuff through the Central Kalahari and African fish eagles belt out the soundtrack of Africa along the waterways. Barbets, buzzards, bee-eaters, bustards — you name it, it’s flapping by. Even from a mokoro, you can admire African jacanas jogging along lily pads and malachite kingfishers perching off the end of drooping papyrus stems. 

The Delta is also home to the near-endemic slaty egret, with almost 85 percent of its population believed to be found only within these waters. Other special sightings include Southern ground hornbills, swamp boubous, black herons, black-crowned and white-crowned night herons. 

Deception Valley is located in the heart of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the world’s largest and most remote protected areas. Head off early along a series of pans to the almost ethereal valley to see what inspired its haunting name. Along the way, you’ll discover the history of the Kalahari and its people.

If you’re a bird lover, this is a spectacle not to be missed. Safely nestled in an oxbow lagoon, the Godikwe Heronry is a vital seasonal breeding ground for thousands of waterbirds. Accessible by a stunning boat cruise from Kwara or Splash Camp, the heronry comes alive between September and March with species like yellow-billed storks, sacred ibises, and black-crowned night herons nesting and raising their young in a vibrant chorus of life. 

All of our camps can be hired out for exclusive use. We’ve hosted weddings and exclusive birthdays for 30 people. For smaller groups, we recommend hiring out the Splash and Lebala Enclaves. Each of these ‘mini camps’ has its own pool and dining area, so you won’t see anyone from outside your group unless you want to.

The ultimate Kwando Wildlife Experience is hiring a private vehicle with its own private guide. Want to leave before everyone else? Check. Want to stay longer with the playful lion cubs? Check. Want to track down the elusive bird? Check. Returning guests wanting a specific person as their private guide? Easy to arrange for the cost of relocating that guide.

Get high on a Helicopter Safari and experience incredible sightings from the sky. Various helicopter voyages and transfers are available: request a doors-off flight for awesome aerial photography or a champagne stop at a remote palm island if celebrating.