Kiri Camp

Insider’s Review of Kiri Camp

In Botswana’s bewitching Okavango Delta, water reshapes the map with each passing season. Deep in its midst, Kiri Camp perches atop raised wooden platforms beside the quiet flow of the Kiri River Channel. Land and water hold equal sway over our elevated lair, and sweeping views unfurl onto a world where predators are prime. Perhaps, after our wily Micato Safari Director introduces us to a pair of winsome lionesses and their mischievous cubs, we’ll later ply the canals in a traditional dug-out canoe, the mokoro – surrounded by birdsong and pastel-hued water lilies. The return to the magic of camp – where cool drinks and a glowing fire await – summons the words of Karen Blixen: “Safari life makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne – bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive.”

Accommodation at Kiri Camp

Ten tents – eight doubles and two family suites – accommodate just 24 guests in this deeply reposeful setting. Built on raised wooden decks, the elegant tents are rendered in the classic safari palette: ebony-toned woods, woven reeds, and billowing canvas. A generous king bed is just the start, as each cossetting suite comes with, in effect, not one but two bathrooms – witness the private deck, fitted with an en plein air bath and shower. Kiri’s much-lauded cuisine is enjoyed in stylish indoor and outdoor dining areas, all fine places to convene after the sybaritic pleasures of the pool, an in-suite massage, or simply time well spent in a shaded reading nook with an infinity view. Modern comforts are thoughtfully pared back – expect solar energy and clever cooling fans in lieu of air-conditioning.

Activities at Kiri Camp

Early morning and late afternoon game drives, captained by our well-versed and ever-ready Micato Safari Director, introduce a handsome cast of delta icons – from stately buffalo and frolicking hippos, to prancing lechwe and the yips of wild dogs at play. For a slower, more textural encounter with the land, we may opt for an afternoon’s guided walking safari. And – look up! – feathered friends in this very verdant Okavango are abundant to the tune of more than 300 species; keen photographers and amateur twitchers will find no shortage of exciting exotica. Amidst the unpopulated wilds of this private concession come further privileges: off-road driving, the frisson of a night safari, and the thrill of guided walks in the tracks of elephant, giraffe, zebra and leopard. Whether on foot, in a whizzy motorboat or quiet canoe, or from the quiet comfort of one’s own deck in this traveller-enchanting camp, Kiri offers not just a game-rich experience, but a theatrical conversation with the wild.

A note for families & children

Two spacious family suites are cleverly designed to the benefit of multi-generational safariers. Thoughtfully customised activities, such as guided nature walks, are a hit with kids of all ages.