Camp Moremi

97% (6 reviews)

Full review Our view Geographics Food & drink Children Wildlife sightings Communications Health & safety Activities Extras

Camp Moremi: Our full report

Camp Moremi is one of three well-established camps on the tip of the Mopane Tongue in Botswana's Moremi Game Reserve.

Shaded by a variety of riverine trees, including leadwood and jackalberry, it lies in pleasant grounds directly overlooking the peaceful Xakanaxa Lagoon.

Following a complete rebuild in 2018 in the same picturesque location, Camp Moremi still has 12 thatched chalets, raised off the ground on wooden decks. Although the chalets have canvas walls and screen windows, they are substantial.

For each chalet, a lockable wooden door opens into an open-plan room with three areas: a central lounge, with the bedroom to one side and an en-suite bathroom to the other. Bi-fold doors from the lounge area open on to a large private deck complete with a couple of sunloungers and views of the surrounding bush. Otherwise, views from the chalet are through screened windows, with canvas flaps that can be zipped closed in cold weather or during a storm.

Furnishing the lounge area, a big sofa chair and a smaller chair share a coffee table and footstool. To the back is a writing desk with a large mirror, a flask of drinking water and a charging point with multi-national sockets, while a separate table houses a tea and coffee station.

In the bedroom, twin beds – or a double – sit beneath a wooden canopy draped with mosquito nets. Switches in the headboard operate reading lamps and a ceiling fan, and at the foot of the bed is a cushioned ottoman. Either side of the bed are wardrobes with one hiding a small digital safe. There's also a small writing desk with a reading light and reading material about the Okavango and the camp, a chair, a pedestal fan and a luggage rack.

Twin basins in the en-suite bathroom (with a selection of Charlotte Rhys toiletries) look out through a large gauze window to the bush beyond. The shower is partially screened from the rest of the room by a canvas wall, but for additional privacy substantial curtains can be drawn to split the room in two. Rest assured that there is a separate toilet.

One of the chalets is a family chalet, made up of two identical tented chalets linked by a short corridor. Both bedrooms have an en-suite bathroom so the chalet could be shared by couples travelling together as well as by families.

The chalets are lined to the expansive main area by a combination of marked pathways and raised walkways. The main area itself is raised on stilts, making the most of the camp’s views over Xakanaxa Lagoon.

There are five main structures here:

A large open-sided dining area with tea and coffee station and breakfast bar
Two large lounge areas with a range of sofas, chairs, coffee tables and books
A bar, which is usually manned, but runs a help-yourself policy should you want a drink and no-one is around
A curio shop selling books, maps, a limited selection of clothing, woven baskets and other souvenirs aplenty

From the bar a walkway winds down to a firepit, where travellers can relax with a drink before or after dinner. Beyond this is the camp’s boma which hosts traditional braai dinners. Further down the walkway is a glistening, secluded swimming pool looking out to the lagoon. Shade is provided for the surrounding sunloungers by big canvas umbrellas.

Activities at Camp Moremi include morning and afternoon game drives in open 4WD safari vehicles and boat cruises on the lagoon. Under national-park rules, night drives, off-road driving and walks are not permitted in the game reserve. Those heading out on boat cruises will depart in canvas-shaded boats, seating between seven and nine guests.

On a game drive during our last visit, in November 2023, we enjoyed spending an hour with a very playful pride of six lions, and were impressed our guide’s knowledge of the park. The vehicles were very comfortable, too – a real bonus in this area due to the rough roads. Each vehicle seats six guests across three rows, so everyone has a “window” seat.

Travellers should be aware that Camp Moremi is very close to Xakanaxa and Okuti, as well as a public campsite. This, and the fact that self-drivers frequent the reserve, can lead to heightened vehicle concentration, especially as guides from the three camps communicate about sightings by radio. However, we feel that the superb game viewing at Camp Moremi outshines the number of vehicles.

On the down side, Camp Moremi is fairly large by Botswana standards, and during a previous visit it was catering to large groups, which we felt detracted from the atmosphere for individual guests. However, on our last visit in November 2023 we had the camp almost to ourselves.

Our view

Camp Moremi is set in one of the best locations in Botswana for game viewing. Although it can be busier here than in many of Botswana’s private concessions, we have found that the lack of exclusivity is more than outweighed by the density of wildlife. However, it is worth noting that the camp often takes group bookings at the same time as hosting individual travellers and these groups can sometimes dominate.

Tom Morris

Botswana expert

Geographics

Location: Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Ideal length of stay: Three nights at Camp Moremi are ideal. A stay here combines well with time at the camps sister properties Chobe Game Lodge, Nxamaseri Lodge and/or Savute Safari Lodge.
Directions: The flight by light aircraft to Xakanaxa Airstrip takes around 25 minutes from Maun or an hour from Kasane, followed by a 40-minute transfer by game vehicle to camp.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board & Activities
Food quality: During our last stay at Camp Moremi, in November 2023, the food was excellent, and we understand that, with sufficient notice, the camp can cater for most dietary requirements. Please note that the mealtimes noted below may vary depending on the time of year.

At 6.00am, before the morning activity, a light breakfast of cereal, yoghurt, fresh fruit, cheese, and sliced meats is served in the dining area. To drink, coffee, tea, juices, and water are available.

Travellers usually return from their morning activities for brunch at around 11.00am. We enjoyed battered hake, vegetable quiche, mushroom and spinach bake, green bean salad, Greek-style salad and fresh focaccia.

High tea is usually laid out at around 3.30pm before the afternoon activity. We enjoyed butternut slice and cinnamon bread. Tea, coffee, water and iced tea were also on offer, but in the heat of a November afternoon the homemade lemonade hit just the right spot.

On returning from the afternoon activity, dinner usually starts at 8.00pm. After homemade chicken liver paté with a fresh bread roll, our main course was served as a buffet. This included a choice of slow-cooked oxtail stew or chicken stew, served with millet, mashed butternut squash, sautéed spinach and Greek-style salad. Dessert was an Amarula pannacotta.
Dining style: Mixture of group dining and individual tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Private dining and meals for special occasions are available on request.
Drinks included: Soft drinks, local-brand spirits, house wines and beer are included at Camp Moremi. Additional premium brands are available at extra charge.

Each room is provided with glasses and a flask of drinking water, which is replenished daily. We don't recommend that travellers drink from the tap.

Children

Attitude towards children: Camp Moremi welcomes families with children of six years and older.
Property’s age restrictions: Minimum age six
Special activities & services: There are board games and books for children available in the family chalet. The camp can also arrange activities for children such as football, pizza making or an interpretive bush walk. It is also possible to arrange for camp staff, often one of the housekeepers, to child sit during meals and siesta. Do note that while these staff usually have children of their own, they don’t tend to be qualified childcare professionals.
Equipment: Camp Moremi has a two-bedroom family chalet, suitable for a family of four.
Generally recommended for children: There are large, open gardens that could make children feel deceptively safe, yet while there is an electric fence around the camp to keep elephants out, most other wildlife including hippo, buffalo and predators can get in. Furthermore, there are raised walkways and an unguarded, unfenced pool, so we would not recommend Camp Moremi for those with younger children.
Notes: Camp Moremi has open access to the Xakanaxa Lagoon and wildlife routinely roams through camp. Parents must take full responsibility and supervise their children at all times.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Camp Moremi

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Camp Moremi have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Buffalo

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Leopard

100% success

Lion

100% success

Wild dog

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Aardvark

0% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Cheetah

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Roan antelope

0% success

Sable antelope

0% success

Spotted Hyena

0% success

White Rhino

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes: There is a back-up generator in case the solar system fails. Each chalet has a charging point with multi-national sockets that should accept most plug types.
Communications: There is no cellphone coverage at Camp Moremi, but there is WiFi in both the main area and the chalets.
TV & radio: None
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: The camp uses a reverse-osmosis machine to filter water. All the bathrooms have plumbed hot and cold running water for showers as well as flush toilets.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: The nearest doctor is in Maun. Management and guides are first-aid trained and medical evacuation is possible in case of emergency. In addition to this, a mobile clinic frequents the area, provided by the government.
Dangerous animals: High Risk
Security measures: Guests are escorted to their chalets after dark as dangerous wildlife is known to wander through the camp. “Fog horns” are provided in the chalets, to summon help in case of emergency.

There is a three-strand electric fence around the camp at a height of about six feet. This is designed to keep elephants out of the camp, as they can be destructive to the trees as well as dangerous.
Fire safety: Each tented chalet has a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector. Hoses are also strategically places around the camp.

Activities

4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: A full laundry service is included, with clothes being machine-washed and air-dried. Typically laundry is returned the same day although this depends on the weather.
Money: No exchange facilities are offered at Camp Moremi. Small safes in the chalets can store travel documents, wallets, and phones, and a small laptop.
Accepted payment on location: There is relatively little to pay for here. However, curio purchases and other payments can be made using Mastercard, AmEx and Visa credit cards (with a surcharge). Cash in the form of South African rand, GB sterling, US dollars, euros and Botswana pula is accepted.