Description
This spectacular Okavango Delta camp opened in April 2023 and offers camp-based horse safaris, overseen by our well-established partners David and Robyn Foot of Ride Botswana. The Foots are already running our Delta trail and Kalahari rides and are now delighted to offer this permanent delta camp which is owned and run by their friends Clyde and Marieke Niven. Clyde is the grandson of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, author of 'Jock of the Bushveld'. The Foots and the Nivens are well-matched in their philosophy of "touch the earth lightly", all having a commitment to local communities and the environment.
The newly constructed camp overlooks the permanent waters of the stunning Gama Tau Lagoon – the gathering place of the lions – and part of the Santantadibe River. This permanent water is a draw for the wildlife and means you'll always experience the magic of the Delta and are not as reliant on the arrival of the annual floods as in some other camps. The Santantadibe River is a permanently flowing waterway so the camp is surrounded by classic Okavango scenery – lagoons, floodplains and tree lined islands – making for wonderful riding and walking through stunning scenery and an incredible diversity of wildlife and birdlife.
Non-riders are also welcome and can participate in mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) or walking safaris. A 4x4 vehicle is also on hand for viewing big cats or travelling further from camp to search for game.
The camp is situated in the same area as the existing mobile safaris, but 35kms to the east. This location means they can continue working with the same local communities as those they already support. The nearby historic Ditshiping Village, is one of only two Bayei villages remaining in the Okavango Delta and is one of the six villages from where they select and sponsor students annually for a 12 month training course at either the South African College for Tourism or the SA Trackers Academy.
