The Camp

Location: Okavango Delta, Botswana
Number of Tents: 9

Mapula Lodge comprises just nine intimate safari tents. The lodge has recently been reimagined, and the nine canvas-and-thatch bedroom tents are replete with king-sized metal four-poster bed and plush pillows to fall face first into after a day’s game viewing. En suite bathrooms have both indoor and outdoor showers, and there are two Malawi chairs in the mini lounge area. Safari-chic finishing touches include rich Kilim rugs on the floors, polished butler trays and brass lanterns. At the main area, an aquamarine swimming pool is the perfect antidote to hot delta afternoons, and if the cool waters don’t tempt you in, the views over the hippo-filled lagoon below might. If you’d rather stay dry, pick a perch in the lounge to keep watch over the wildlife action. There’s a variety of comfy sofas and slouchy armchairs to choose from. Then there’s the "chili pit," a sunken lounge area overlooking the lagoon.

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Facilities & Amenities

• En suite bathroom with indoor/outdoor showers
• Shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion
• 220v charging outlets in room and main area
• Central swimming pool
• Laundry included
• Local drinks included (house alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)
• No air conditioning, hair dryer, telephone, or Internet

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Wildlife Viewing & Activities

This enormous, 220,000-acre concession is on the northern side of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Despite its vast size (and the abundance of game), the area is home to only a handful of camps, making it a prime destination for those looking for an exclusive experience in a blissfully uncrowded area. The camp itself occupies an enviable position on a large, treed island at the edge of seasonal floodplains along the upper reaches of the famous Selinda Spillway, the river that connects the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti. From Mapula Lodge, explore the Okavango Delta on game drives through vast tracts of pristine wilderness in search of lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, hippo and the rare sitatunga antelope. View the wildlife at eye level on a boat or traditional mokoro safari through the lily-filled channels. Additional activities at a fee include a hot air balloon or helicopter safari, giving you a bird's-eye-view of one of Africa's most amazing aerial landscapes.

The Okavango Delta is a year-round wildlife viewing destination, with the peak mammal viewing in the dry winter between June and October and fantastic birding all year. The below chart shows major wildlife sightings. Other typical sightings may include small mammals, such as jackals, foxes, caracal and serval, and a wide variety of birds and reptiles. Exact sightings will depend on weather and wildlife movements and can vary from camp to camp, since many camps are located on islands.

Climate