Reviews of Camp Moremi
(100%) From 3 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Very well managed
This camp is very well maintained, everything looks brand new even though it is one of the oldest in the delta. The camp is right on the Xakanaxa lagoon inside the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta, it has a viewing deck with very nice views over the lagoon.
The tents are smallish but comfortable, the cleanest and tidiest of the 5 camps we visited in Botswana, decoration is simple but tasteful. The bed was also the most comfortable: adequate size, perfect mattress consistency, we slept so well here. Even though it is a tent, it has a proper door which makes it more practical to get in and out and allows to lock it and avoid baboons or squirrels getting in (there are many around camp). The tent is underneath a higher canvass roof which gives permanent shade to the tent, making the temperature inside pleasant all day, but there's also a fan inside if it gets warm.
The bathroom is in a separate smaller tent, on the same elevated platform, like 2-3 meters from the main tent. They provide you with a flashlight in case you need to use the bathroom at night, but it is so close it isn't really necessary. Having the bathroom separated from the main room is not ideal, but it wasn't a problem either. The bathroom itself is big, great shower, one side is open (no wall, just mosquito net). The tents are a bit too close to each other, our neighbors could probably see us in the bathroom from their deck if they wanted to.
The food here is very good, and the dining room nicely decorated and, like the whole camp, shiny. The waiters & kitchen staff sing a welcome song every night before dinner, it's entertaining (great voices) but looks too touristy. One night after dinner there was a hippo grazing in the camp grounds, the managers said this happens frequently, they also explained that a week before they had a leopard walking around at night!
Our guide, Mod, was excellent: extremely knowledgeable, great guiding skills, good sense of humor, talks just the right amount. I recommend you ask for him if you come here. His knowledge of Moremi's roads became invaluable, as he took shortcuts and detours when mini-traffic jams formed at key sightings, which allowed us to have a good view of the animals in spite of the congestion.
That is the main downside of this area: Moremi Game Reserve is accessible by road from Maun, so there are many private cars in addition to the ones from the 3 camps here. Also, no nightdriving, no walking and no off-roading. The upside is that this area is clearly the one with the largest concentration of animals of the ones we visited, here you are almost constantly seeing something, good sightings are never too far apart. Also animals are very relaxed around vehicles so you can get close.
We saw 11 lion, a leopard, a pair of honey badgers, many elephants (including herd of 30+), impala fighting, dwarf mongoose, hippos, crocs, giraffe, red lechwe, kudu, zebra, etc
You can also do boat rides around the Xakanaxa lagoon and adjacent channels (it's a motor boat, no mokoro here), I highly recommend it. In addition to great views of the channels and islands around the lagoon, we saw two elephants bathing, many hippo, red lechwe, and immensely enjoyed the visit to the heronry. The place is bustling with birds, there were more than 100 yellow-billed storks (with the pink plumage they have in mating season), dozens of cormorants, several marabu storks, white egrets, grey heron, black capped night heron. There was a lot of noise and activity with birds coming and going, bringing small branches for their nests. We enjoyed a gin & tonic while watching the bird action, and then another spectacular sunset.
Camp Moremi review
Now then. First we were taken by boat from Kwara but landed at the wrong camp. No complaints we found it very amusing and had already helped ourselves to a beer from their fridge. I don't know where we were but it is right next door. We instantly didn't like it and the management didn't deal with the situation very well - not the beer, but they were completely flustered.
We eventually got to Moremi (5 mins). All we can say about this place is that it is absolutely perfect. Too perfect for us. There was a huge manicured lawn which could have been used for cricket. It had sprinklers on it and was mowed every day. The thatch on the lodge I think had been trimmed with nail scissors. Also they have an electric fence to keep the elephants out presumably to stop them damaging their lawn!
Tents, staff, food, management excellent. We can't comment on location or game drives because we never went out. However there were limited activities as it was on a national game reserve. Also they were not allowed to be out from Sunset to Sunrise.
This gave them a problem whilst we were there because the government closed the airstrip the day before with 24 hrs notice. We had to be shipped back to Kwara for our flight - no problem, great fun. However it gave them a huge logistical problem which was very well managed.
The only small criticism is the bar. Cool boxes are put out at 11.00 with beer and soft drinks. The proper bar doesn't open until 18.30 and when we were there was slammed shut at 22.00. No G&T for breakfast and no second brandy after dinner.
Also they were very reluctant to top up wine at dinner. All in all very OK but we wouldn't recommend it. Not rustic enough, for us, anyway. It could have been a lodge on the edge of Jo'berg. Maybe more for the American market.
Camp Moremi first experience of Botswana
Wonderful first camp. Made to feel very welcome - almost like being in someones home. Staff friendly and helpful. Super guides.
Rooms comfortable, showers excellent
Pool very cold
Diverse habitats and great variety of wildlife seen.
Loved the viewing platform. Had good trip on river as well as game drives
Would recommend this to anyones trip to Botswana - no canoe trips but the variety more than compensated
We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.
