Read 11 traveller reviews of Sandibe Safari Lodge

Adjacent to Moremi, Sandibe's environment features towering stands of palm trees, thick riverine vegetation and several huge old baobabs. It's a lovely mix of forested areas interspersed with floodplains and permanent deep-water channels.

Sandibe Safari Lodge has a rustic feel and a relaxed atmosphere – it has been built within a magical forested area of the Okavango, next to a permanent waterway. You are acutely aware that there is wildlife all around and it is quite likely that you will be awoken by the sounds of the bush at day break – franklin, hippo and sometimes elephant (one charged past the bathroom window whilst cleaning my teeth one morning!). Baboons and squirrels entertain you while you enjoy your breakfast; there is also a large colony of resident epauletted fruit bats which hang from the rafters. Sandibe stands beside the Santantadibe River (from where the lodge gets its name) - a deep, wide channel leading to several beautiful lagoons.

Sandibe's main lounge/dining area is a soaring, open structure with a plunge-pool nearby. On our last visit dinners were served outside next to the open fire – very romantic. If it rains, dinner is served individually in the rooms, as the restaurant is very open to the elements.

All of the lodge's eight spacious, airy terracotta rooms face the river; each has en-suite facilities, and a refreshing open-air shower. As the cottages are built under a canopy of trees, they can seem rather dark and views are obscured by the surrounding bush and reed beds, although this is well compensated for, as each cottage has a raised private deck which allows broad vistas of the surrounding area.

Activities at Sandibe include 4WD game drives (day and night), mokoro excursions and bush walks, as well as boating trips in a specially-designed 'silent' electric boat along the permanent waterways. The lodge is refreshingly flexible about the timing of these activities.

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Cottage Room at Sandibe Safari Lodge

Lodge overview

Lodge type: Safari

No. of bedrooms: 8 solid rooms

Season: Open Year Round

Ideal length of stay: 3 nights is perfect!

Central facilities: Sandibe's towering main lodge is a superb structure, somewhat reminiscent of a traditional tithe-barn. It is double storey – on one side on the ground floor there is an appealing lounge area and a well-stocked fridge for helping yourself to drinks. On the other side you will find a covered dining area. The whole lodge is dotted with beautiful pieces of African art, and traditional reed baskets, some of which were made by the lodge's staff. Climb the stairs to the first floor and you will encounter more comfy chairs and sofas, as well as a traditional African “death bed”! From up here you get a better view of the colony of epauletted fruit bats that have made the rafters of the lodge their home. A stone's throw from the lodge is the small splash pool which has been built into a raised deck. There are sunny and shaded areas on the deck and sun-loungers for relaxing on in the afternoons if you feel like it. There is also a well-stocked curio shop selling a range of items including traditional baskets, jewellery, African carvings, hats, t-shirts and toiletries.

Geographics

Location: Okavango Delta Safari Reserves, Botswana

Directions: Fly-in to Chitabe Airstrip. Transfers to Sandibe are by road and take approximately half an hour. You can transfer by road if you are staying in one of the lodges nearby (for example Chitabe Trails or Chitabe Main Camp).

Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Key personnel

Owner: Conservation Corporation Africa.

Staff: We found the staff at Sandibe to be friendly and helpful, and our safari guide, Tschabo, was very knowledgeable and positioned us well when photo opportunities arose on the game drives. Guides are accompanied by scouts which improves the chances of spotting those more elusive creatures. We were also treated to some lovely singing in the evenings before dinner.

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board

Food quality: The food served during our latest stay at this camp was generally fairly good. A light breakfast of toast, freshly-cooked muffins, fruit and cereal, along with tea and coffee is served prior to your early morning game activity. Brunch is then offered at around 11 o'clock and is quite a substantial meal. A hot option is served at this time – on our latest visit, one of the brunches we were served was beef stew and vegetables, along with a selection of cold salad dishes, cheeses and bread. Tea is then served at around 4 o'clock, and you can expect a savoury snack, refreshing iced tea, and a freshly baked cake or pie. A lamp-lit dinner is served under the stars in the boma if weather permits – the setting is magical. The dishes served at dinner during our most recent stay were variable in their quality – although you do have a choice of main courses each night and we enjoyed the grilled fish and chicken dishes. Less enticing were the rather watery tomato soup and over-cooked lamb served on the first evening we stayed there. We have since been in contact with Sandibe about the quality of meals served at the camp during our last visit. For their response, please see below: "We have recently lost our head chef who had been working at Sandibe for years and have now sent a training chef to the Lodge to get the kitchen team back on its feet. Whilst I know that there is no excuse for anything substandard, I did want to set your mind at ease and let you know that we promise to make it right."

Dining style: Group Meals

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Room service: No - this is a safari camp.

Cost of meal e.g. lunch: Included

Drinks included: Bottled water, soft drinks, local beers and spirits and a limited selection of (usually) South African red and white wines are included. Champagne and imported wines and spirits will cost extra and may need to be requested in advance. There is a “help-yourself” drinks fridge in the lounge area of Sandibe's main lodge.

Children

Attitude towards children: Generally children are welcome but please take into account the restrictions below.

Age restrictions: Children of 12 years of age and over are accepted. Children under this age may be accepted by prior arrangement, but generally children under 12 will not be able to participate in any of the game activities.

Activities: None.

Equipment: No special equipment is available.

Generally recommended for children: Recommended for children of 12 years and over.

Notes: Sandibe is very open with dangerous wildlife in the area (elephants regularly wander through the camp). It is also open to the water.

Central communications

Power supply: Generator

Communications: For all intents and purposes you should consider yourself out of contact. There is no mobile reception, no direct phone or fax and no email – this is the bush! In an emergency radio contact can be made with the main office in Maun.

TV & radio: There is no TV or radio - this is the bush!

Health & safety

Malarial area: Yes

Medical care: All camp managers are first-aid trained and a comprehensive first-aid kit is kept at camp. In an emergency, the camp can arrange for clients to be flown out.

Dangerous animals: High Risk

Security measures: Because of the Okavango's large population of dangerous game, and the fact that Sandibe Safari Lodge is unfenced, guests are escorted to their rooms after dark. Alarms, sirens or whistles are provided in the rooms in case of an emergency.

Fire safety: There are extinguishers on the balconies of all rooms.

Extras

Disabled access: On Request

Laundry facilities: A full laundry service is included, save for the washing of underwear. Washing powder is provided in the bathrooms for this purpose.

Money: No exchange facilities are offered. There are safe deposit boxes in the rooms.

Accepted payment: Mastercard and Visa credit cards are accepted. Diners and Amex are not, and nor are debit cards. No commission is charged on credit card transactions. Rand, £, $, Euros and Botswana Pula are accepted.

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