Okuti

Okuti Camp lies beside Xakanaxa Lagoon, in a prime area for wildlife in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve. Although it’s on a relatively small site, set between Xakanaxa Camp and a public campsite, Okuti is smart and highly innovative in design, very different from the more traditional camps found across the Delta.

A raised wooden walkway runs from Okuti’s entrance arch to the main area and on across the camp to all the chalets: a useful safety feature given the high game densities in this location. The main reception, lounge and dining area sit under the beehive-style thatched roofs of five huge rondavels (also referred to as ‘masasas’). Inside, these are furnished in a contemporary style, with smooth wooden floors, comfortable woven seating and various ethnic carvings. Adobe walls beneath a high, tunnel-like roof define the large lounge, which culminates in a partly open area with great views across the lagoon and floodplain. There are plenty of chairs and tables, and guests are welcome to help themselves to drinks from the bar. Similar in construction is the long dining room, where brunch and dinner are usually served. Meals at Okuti are quite sociable occasions. Both the guides and camp staff join guests during the meals and typically end up engaging the guests in lively conversation and laughter, which contributes to a fun atmosphere around the table.

On the large deck in front of the main area is a fireplace, a popular spot for pre- and post-dinner drinks. Slightly lower down, the decked veranda extends towards Xakanaxa Lagoon and incorporates a plunge pool, with sunloungers overlooking the waterway running past camp.

Okuti Camp’s seven chalets are certainly innovative, designed to make the most of the camp’s frontage onto the Xakanaxa Lagoon. From the outside, the brown, semi-circular tunnels covered in plastic aren’t particularly attractive, though they’re not unsightly. Inside, though, they feel spacious and quite lovely, their walls lined with natural reeds, and with a superb view of the lagoon from each private balcony. Overall, the designers should be praised for thinking “outside the box” and implementing a unique camp.

*For a full list of available activities, the best time of the year to visit, and any other relevant enquiries, please contact a Sister Hippo Travel Consultant!