Wild Expeditions Africa, a collective of authentic safari camps and mobile expeditions, has expanded into the remote northern Okavango Delta in Botswana, where it is currently building a new tented camp named Karangoma slated to open on May 1.
The camp, the result of a partnership with local elder Olatotse Sarefo, is rooted in Bukakhwe San and Hambukushu culture and aims to celebrate traditional skills such as wildlife tracking but also those related to the making and playing of traditional instruments that are fast disappearing. Karangoma is a Sembukushu word describing "drum beating, ancestral healing, bringing good future to the tribe, or, when one is ill, cure dancing." This essence of healing and harmony is what the camp seeks to offers its guests in their reconnection with nature and traditional cultures.
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Located in the wildlife-rich NG12 concession area of Northern Okavango, the camp will feature just six tented suites, including a family room. Each suite is roughly 350 square feet and includes a bedroom, lounge and both indoor and outdoor showers. The design of the tents and their strategic orientation are focused on maximizing views of the surrounding flood plains.
The camp's public areas, comprising a lounge and dining space, are also designed to offer expansive views across the flood plain. Additional amenities include a fire pit and a plunge pool.
Karangoma boasts a diverse range of habitats within its nearly 75,000 acres. This area, rich in wildlife, provides access to flood plains, channels, lagoons and islands as well as extensive woodlands dotted with baobabs. The camp's positioning allows for an exceptional wildlife-viewing experience, especially during the dry winter months when large mammals converge at the intersection of woodlands and flood plains. This results in high densities of species like zebras, buffaloes and elephants and frequent sightings of major predators including lions, hyenas, leopards, wild dogs and cheetahs.
The camp offers a variety of activities like day and night game drives, walks, mokoro trips and boating. The camp will be committed to supporting local communities in managing wildlife-livestock interactions. In collaboration with the community of Gudigwa and NGOs, Karangoma is introducing innovative cattle-herding techniques and veterinary care. Guests have the opportunity to witness and understand the challenges and solutions in balancing wildlife conservation and rural livelihoods.