Kati Knowland, our director of business development, was delighted to return to her favorite country – Botswana – for the chance to visit a few new and existing properties to get firsthand insight for our clients.
During her stay, she visited Karangoma (the newest property opened by Wild Expeditions), Mokete (a new Wilderness Safaris property), and Setari Camp, Kala Camp, and Treehouse (three privately owned water-based camps). She’ll be discussing each property in turn and sharing photos – next up, the Setari properties, including Setari Camp, Kala Camp, and Treehouse.
Setari Camp/Kala Camp/Treehouse
One of the most iconic ways to experience Botswana is on the water, whether that’s in a motorboat cruising through the larger channels and spillways of the Delta or gliding through smaller seasonal waterways on a mokoro. These three sister camps – Setari, Kala, and Treehouse – are “water-based,” meaning that the majority of their activities take place on the water versus on land in safari vehicles.
To me, a water-based camp is an excellent addition to a Botswana itinerary and a great way to see wildlife from a different perspective. However, a camp surrounded by water DOES offer a few logistical differences!
On arrival at the airstrip, we were greeted by a few elephants hanging out at the end of the runway, then we took a short walk down to the water, where boats were waiting to transfer us to camp. We headed to Kala Camp first, which meant a 25-minute boat ride, followed by a 15-minute drive to camp. Had we headed directly to Setari Camp from the airstrip, it would have been a 45-minute boat ride from the airstrip.
The boat transfers are part of the safari experience – ellies and hippos were sighted along the way, as were plenty of birds, lechwe, and even a couple of crocodiles. Of course, the gorgeous scenery of the Okavango Delta was on full display.
Kala Camp is a bit smaller than Setari (7 tents versus 11), but Setari is a bit more luxurious overall, and it was my personal favorite of the two. Both offer a great spot to relax – perhaps in the middle of a jam-packed safari itinerary, or maybe at the end so that you can have some downtime before heading home.
I did thoroughly enjoy our stop at Treehouse, although we didn’t spend the night. This is an exclusive-use property, perfect for a family or group of friends and sleeps up to 6 guests. The Treehouse is, as you might expect from the name, elevated into the trees, and it offers three suites at varying heights – the largest suite is highest up in the treetops with the best views, and the other two suites are the same size, staggered below the main suite.
Guests here helicopter in from the airstrip, meaning no long boat ride! They also have private guides and boats, and all of the camp staff is exclusive to guests staying at Treehouse.
In all of these camps, the focus is more on the experience and the landscape, the beautiful sunsets over the water, than it is on wildlife sightings. While you will certainly see a variety of animals, especially those who love the water, make sure you slow down a bit and enjoy the beauty and stillness of the one-of-a-kind Okavango Delta.