Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a natural phenomenon. A cluster of seasonal lagoons, channels, swamps, and floodplains that begin in Angola’s highlands and trickle into the heart of the Kalahari Desert, it is the world’s largest inland delta, completely landlocked by Botswana. As a result, this utterly unique and vast Eden-like oasis is teeming with wildlife, with each of its individual waterways literally injecting life back into Africa’s precious ecosystem and inviting its most prized mammals to make it their home. It is, unsurprisingly, one of the most sought-after safari destinations in the world. 

Accordingly, there are in excess of 80 different places to stay in and around the delta. So how to choose? Well, no one does safari camps quite like National Geographic filmmakers, conservationists and Great Plains founders, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, who, in 2023, extended their seven-strong collection of Botswana-based camps to the upper reaches of the Okavango Delta with Sitatunga Private Island. Accessed solely via helicopter from the nearby Omdop Airstrip – which kickstarts the experience in fabulous fashion as you spot herds of elephants and prides of lions from the air – the exclusive, sustainably-minded hideaway has been built on an island that stretches just three kilometres in length and two in width. 

Sitatunga was designed to offer something distinctly different from its neighbouring camps in the Selinda Reserve: eschewing game drives in a jeep for game drives on a boat. Conceptualised as a ‘slow safari’, and one that’s ideal to sandwich between Big Five expeditions in nearby game reserves or to break up an epic multi-country trip, Sitatunga Private Island has created a tranquil haven that matches the easy rhythm of the calming delta. 

Image: Great Plains

That’s not to say, however, that the only wildlife you’re going to see here is in the water. Mere moments after hopping off the helicopter, I’m greeted by a lone bull elephant, munching on grass and leaves. He would have swam across from the adjacent bank to get here, much like the rest of the mammal population sauntering around this patch of private island. Herds of elephants, together with pods of hippos, are responsible for creating such trimmed and concise waterways throughout the delta, joining forces to become the world’s most natural landscape gardeners. 

Stepping onto dry land at the foot of Sitatunga’s main hub, guests are greeted by warm African hospitality, song and, rather gratefully, cold herbal towels. Accessed via steps, the heart of the camp is formed from a raised, wraparound railway sleeper deck topped with a thatched roof, with the open-air design allowing for unobstructed panoramas of the reed-lined lagoon. 

Dotted with whisky trays, wine fridges, coffee stations and a table perpetually laden with homemade snacks – think fluffy chocolate cake topped with whipped buttercream and crispy fish goujons – the space is made for socialising. Delicious breakfasts, lunches, afternoon teas and dinners are served here, featuring inventive dishes such as avocado tartare, monumental morning buffet spreads with homemade pastries, scones and granola, and the fun addition of make-your-own stir frys cooked on flames in front of your eyes. 

This Réserve-Collection camp was built with just eight adults in mind – and service, led by the kind, generous and uber-efficient Lizzy Bayani, reflects this, with her team having mastered the art of being considerate, welcoming and unflappable without making you feel crowded. This intimate size also allows for a unique approach to interior design, tapping the Joubert’s treasure trove to house antique finds, reclaimed furniture and artwork curated to reflect the surrounding landscape. 

As Dereck Joubert explains: “Sitatunga’s design tells the story of the Okavango, a camp surrounded by water, and one that has had indigenous fishermen in the region for over 200 years. Those fishermen designed and used fishing baskets and traps made from reeds in a funnel shape, so I took this reference and designed the rooms as tents hanging inside of giant fishing baskets. The interiors, as a result, draw on a colour range that mirrors that of the Okavango – a blend of misty greens and light bleached woods.”

Accommodation spans two separate and stunning one-bed suites, and the signature eponymous suite which houses two bedrooms across a whopping 5,534 square feet. The tented, thatched-roof spaces have been built high up in the canopy of the island’s ebony trees, not only to reflect traditional accommodation styles and provide shade in the height of summer, but also so as not to disturb the hippos and elephants that walk through the unfenced camp. 

Inside, the capacious living space is big enough for a whole family (and positively palatial for two people) and peppered with the Jouberts' wildlife shots – which serve as perfect inspiration for when you get your hands on the in-room Canon camera which is provided for every Great Plains guest. Push the intricately-carved Zanzibar doors open to discover your own terrace, complete with a plunge pool, the welcome addition of yoga mats, an exercise bike, light weights (one thing about safari trips is you don’t get your step count up) and hanging rattan chairs angled to overlook the delta. 

Huge double beds with netted canopies, Persian-style rugs, wooden wardrobes and reclaimed benches and trunks make the suite feel like home, but the real talking point is the bathroom. The claw-foot bathtub and indoor-outdoor rainfall shower sit in front of a netted window so you can watch wildlife while you bathe, while the double wooden vanity features stone basins, hanging lights and large mirrors that reflect the backdrop beyond. Everything you touch has been reclaimed and recycled – but nothing ever feels sacrificed in terms of luxury. 

The island’s raison d'être – conceived over a series of Zoom calls during lockdown in 2020, and named after the rare sitatunga antelope that can be spotted in the area – was to prove safaris can be sustainable. To that end, everything at Sitatunga has been thoughtfully curated by not only the Jouberts and their team of engineers. The result? A camp that is completely off-grid, powered by 228 solar panels that actually generate 30 per cent more energy than the island needs, which is harvested and used later. Food is shipped in from Maun once a month, and supplemented by fresh produce from nearby farms. 

Elsewhere, water is sourced directly from the delta and pumped into an on-site plant, where it is treated before heading to taps and showers; Land Cruisers are parked on plastic membranes to catch any oil spillage that might disturb the land’s ecosystem; and pioneering biogas systems mean the staff quarters essentially run off waste porridge. The team says that, should they need to, they could pack up the camp in two months and leave no trace. Less keys lends itself to exclusivity but, at this Great Plains camp, it’s also about putting the environment first. 

Here, classic game drives are swapped for three activities: boating, walking and canoeing. The former is Sitatunga’s form of game drive, led by seasoned safari guides Mo and Dave, whose boat-driving skills are something to behold. As we weave through the hippo-made waterways, their knowledge of the delta’s wildlife and ecosystem is enough to impress, but its map is clearly something they have studied endlessly – and it shows. While the channels may look identical to an untrained eye, they know exactly where you are on the delta at all times. 

Sundowners are integral to every Great Plains safari – and Sitatunga’s are truly showstopping. As the sky came alive with ribbons of red, yellow and orange, I nibbled on biltong and sipped a gin and tonic while bobbing along what the guides have named ‘hippo highway’, watching as ears and eyes dip in and out of the water. 

After our mokoro canoe trip – a traditional method of transport for the delta’s indigenous people and conducted by guides whose families have been poling these smaller boats around the waterways for generations – we were picked up at the water’s edge and transported by jeep to the team’s makeshift ‘bush bar’. Makeshift makes it sound shabby but, in reality, every bottle you can dream of was on offer, with innovative bartenders on hand to whip up any tipple you like (try the Grasshopper: half Amarula and half peppermint liquor, delicious). Great Plains’ teams are as inventive as possible when it comes to sundowner locales, and it always pays off. 

Days are marked by wildlife in all its glorious forms: a baby crocodile zipping through the lily pads, pods of hippos watching us from afar, impala bouncing on the delta’s banks, elephants flapping their ears among the reeds, and even a rare buffalo migration thundering through the water. 

Don’t miss the walking safari (it’s normal to feel apprehensive but you’re in great hands here) to explore the plains on foot. Birders, especially, will be in their element with the chance to spot some of the delta’s 400-strong species, ranging from red-billed hornbills and African jacanas to fish eagles and swamp warblers. As the landscape opened up in front of us, elephants sauntered in the distance, warthogs chaotically criss-crossed through the trees (their memory capacity of just eight seconds really shows) and baboons swayed in the branches above. Again, Mo and Dave’s ability to identify a bird from a simple tweet or toot, and a mammal from a pawprint in the sand, is mind-blowing. 

Safari has become synonymous with spotting the Big Five, and while it is possible to see some of them here, Sitatunga Private Island spotlights safari’s lesser-known slower side and prides itself on something you can’t get in the likes of Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Offering a different but no less impressive stay, guests are allowed the time and pace to reset and recharge among the calming and storied waters of the Okavango Delta. The unique setting encourages guests to immerse themselves in learning, and experiencing, a deeper appreciation for Botswana’s famous waterways. You will leave not only rejuvenated but changed, having experienced the delta, and its wildlife, in all of its glory. 

Nightly rates at Sitatunga Private Island start from $1,965 (£1,458) per person. Journeysmiths (journeysmiths.co.uk) offers trips to Victoria Falls and Botswana, with a six-night stay at Mpala Jena, Sitatunga Private Island and Zarafa from £9,685 per person all-inclusive, including return flights from London with British Airways.

Read more: The best new luxury hotels opening in 2026