Camp Moremi

The lodge sits at the tip of the Mopane Tongue, overlooking Xakanaxa Lagoon, close to the Xakanaxa and Okuti camps. Raised guest units of canvas and thatch include a two-bedroom family unit, and the main area has a pool. Guests fly to Xakanaxa airstrip, about 25 minutes from Maun, then take a 40-minute transfer by game vehicle. The lodge is open almost all year.

Morning and afternoon game drives cover the Xakanaxa area, good for leopard, lion and elephant, along with impala, kudu and waterbuck. Motorboat trips go out through the deeper channels and lagoons, and birding is strong, especially in spring and summer when migrants breed. Night drives, off-road driving and walks are not allowed in the reserve. In a Botswana trip, Camp Moremi gives you Moremi itself, with game drives and boating from the same lodge.

Camp Moremi suits first-time visitors and families, with children accepted from age six. The trade-off for being inside the reserve is company: there is a public campsite and other lodges nearby, and vehicle numbers at sightings can be higher than in a private concession. The pool is unfenced and animals walk through camp, so younger children need close supervision at all times. For more privacy, a private concession camp is the better fit.