Kanana Camp
With just a handful of tents, Kanana feels secluded and personal, guided by a team known for warmth and exceptional field knowledge. It’s a wonderful choice for couples, families and even multigenerational groups – the kind of place where you can comfortably gather your nearest and dearest for a shared adventure.
Location
Seasonally, much of the area floods, creating a paradise to explore by boat or mokoro; at peak water levels, the flood can even rise to the stilts of the camp itself. Yet even in high flood, there is still dry land for walking and four‑wheel‑drive safaris, and the camp remains easily accessible via its private airstrip.
Accommodation
Each tent is raised on teak decking and positioned to overlook the floodplains or seasonal waterways, so mornings begin with soft Delta light filtering through reeds and palms.
At the heart of the camp is a welcoming lounge and dining area set beneath a canopy of trees, opening onto wide decks with sweeping views. Evenings often gather around the firepit, where stories are shared under the stars before dinner is served communally or privately, depending on your preference.
For those seeking something truly memorable, Kanana also offers a sleep‑out deck, allowing guests to spend a night beneath the majesty of the Delta sky – a magical, close‑to‑nature experience.
Experiences
- Glide down the Delta’s crystal‑clear waterways by mokoro or motorboat in the months of the floods, drifting past lilies, reeds and dazzling birdlife.
- Set out on morning, afternoon and evening game drives, enjoying a guaranteed window seat as you track lions, leopards and wild dogs across the private concession.
- Step into the bush on foot, discovering tracks, textures and the quiet details that bring the Okavango to life at ground level.
- Lose yourself in world‑class birding, from the vast seasonal heronry (one of the largest in southern Africa) to the thrill of spotting Pel’s fishing owl in the riverine shade.
- Cast a line for tilapia, African pike or sharptooth catfish, trying your hand at catch‑and‑release fishing when water levels allow.
- Sleep out beneath the stars on Kanana’s elevated platform, wrapped in the sounds of the Delta as the night sky opens above you.
- Soar over the Okavango Delta, watching its mosaic of channels, islands and floodplains unfold beneath you as you fly into Kanana’s private airstrip
Kanana Camp for Families
Guides tailor activities to children’s ages and interests, and youngsters especially love the nocturnal drives, sweeping a spotlight across the darkness in search of shy, night‑active creatures. Safe raised walkways, flexible mealtimes and warm, intuitive hosting make day‑to‑day life easy, while private‑vehicle options allow families to explore entirely at their own pace.
Because the camp is relatively small, it’s also ideal for multigenerational groups or gatherings of friends – an easy, intimate place to host your own tribe.
Why We Include Kanana Camp in Our Journeys
It also pairs beautifully with Dinaka in the Central Kalahari, offering contrast in landscapes, ecosystems and adventure. With the same owner, staying at the two camps guarantees a high quality of experience, good value for money, and a seamless transfer.
Talk to us about designing your journey >
From the Team
“It’s magical visiting the Okavango Delta in the flood season, and Kanana Camp is a prime spot for gliding across the flooded plains in a mokoro. Every bend reveals something new; a heron lifting off, a hidden channel, the hush of reeds brushing the canoe. It’s the Delta at its most alive, and Kanana puts you right at the heart of it.”
Why Plan Your Safari with Journeysmiths
Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to:We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to:
Great Places to Combine with Kanana Camp
Kanana Camp works beautifully as part of a wider journey through Botswana. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.Kanana Camp works beautifully as part of a wider journey through Botswana. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
Dinaka’s private Kalahari concession centres on permanent waterholes that pull wildlife close, while the opportunity to spend time with San Bushmen adds a cultural depth few camps can match.
Perched on the banks of the Selinda Spillway’s watery wilderness, Selinda Camp hides amongst a grove of riverine trees. One of just a handful of Relais & Châteaux member properties in Botswana, the stylish camp was designed to create an indoor/outdoor experience and provides perfect big game viewing all year round.
A far cry from the clutch of tents that it started out as, Tongabezi Lodge has been listed by Conde Nast as one of the top 20 hotels in the world. Within easy reach of Victoria Falls yet far enough away for peaceful seclusion, this place is a luxury gem.
Nunda River Lodge sits at the entrance to Namibia’s beautiful Caprivi Strip just a short distance from the entrance to the Mahango Game Park nestled at the mouth of the Okavango Pan Handle.
One of just three camps sat within a one million acre private reserve, the remote and understated Camp Kalahari is the epitome of seclusion. The quality of the experience here will ensure that even the finest tastes are well catered for, but it is also a place for those with an adventurous nature. Forget the rush of the modern world and become an explorer, scouring the flats for the wildlife that’s adapted to survive the arid conditions.
One of the most authentic ways to visit Chobe National Park without compromising on luxury, Chobe Under Canvas offers excellent service, delicious ‘bush’ cuisine and an unmatched atmosphere. The camp is repositioned regularly to give you exceptional game viewing of the rich wildlife inhabiting the Chobe Riverfront.
Combining an intimate scale with a wonderfully secluded location, this remote camp suits travellers who want the feel of true wilderness alongside the comfort, care and refinement of a high‑end safari experience.
First Class in Botswana. Photos Phenomenal
Ideal combination of camps in Botswana, and saw just about everything. Lion and Rhino in the same photo!
From the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, to the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this Botswana safari will leave you with incredible memories from beginning to end. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this epic journey from plains, to delta to desert.
This memorable safari combines a journey through one of Africa’s most game rich areas, with a visit to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Experience Botswana’s abundant wildlife in the spectacular Okavango Delta and Linyanti, before heading to the winding Zambezi River to see the astonishing Victoria Falls.
Travel across Southern Africa in complete luxury, staying at some of the most exclusive properties on the continent. With every single detail taken care of by exceptional guides and staff at each location, you can concentrate on what really matters - immersing yourself in an exclusive African safari experience.
From the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, to the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this family friendly safari will leave you all with lifelong memories. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this spectacular journey from Delta to Desert.
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
Imagine gliding silently along an Okavango waterway in a mokoro canoe as zebra and impala graze the grasslands. Or cantering on horseback with your guide alongside giraffe. In the Kalahari, take an early morning walk with a San Bushman as he explains the ancestral secrets of survival.
Here’s something you might not expect. The people looking after you on safari might create some of your happiest safari memories. You’ll remember laughter and those after dinner stories and jokes around the campfire. During a three-night stay in a luxury camp, you’ll get to make friends with your guide, the chef, the vegetable gardener and the other people who love their work.
Botswana is a great choice for an exclusive family safari. Roaming the spectacular deserts, deltas and savannahs are literally millions of animals. The fertility and abundant water of the Okavango and Linyanti Deltas supports an incredible 200 different mammal species. The Government’s high value, low volume tourism policy helps conservation and enables you to enjoy a top quality private safari.
Between safaris there is plenty for children to do in camp while the adults relax. Safari lodges may be small and in remote locations, but they have excellent facilities and your hosts’ purpose is to give you the best possible time. In this section we also suggest a couple of places that combine easily to complement your Botswana safari.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
The best way to give your family the facilities it seeks may be to book out an entire camp or lodge. Perhaps you are planning a multi-generation safari. Or you may want to fulfil a dream of walking, mokoroing and camping out in the Okavango. You may simply crave an extra degree of privacy. Most lodges we use take fewer than 16 guests, some take only eight, so booking a whole lodge is a viable option.
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
Escape into the wilds of Botswana, where the pristine landscape and varied wildlife abound. On a luxury safari in Botswana, you can expect to share your safari with only a handful of other guests, as our travel insider Philippa Page discovered.
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
The Kalahari is a fascinating place for a family safari. The children can sit by a meerkat den watching these curious little creatures foraging and playing as one stands guard on its hind legs looking out for eagles. They can watch enthralled as a San Bushman reveals hidden secrets that have enabled them to survive here for thousands of years.
Botswana, a land of contrasts, captivates travelers with its seasonal transformations. The Okavango Delta floods draw abundant wildlife, while rains blanket the Makgadikgadi and Nxai salt pans in green. Chobe National Park hosts vast elephant herds, and the north's lush landscapes contrast with the Kalahari's stark beauty in the south. This unforgettable journey offers Africa’s most exclusive safari in complete luxury.
When seeking advice, we all agree that we should trust someone with first-hand experience. A frequent visitor to Botswana, Laura knows the luxury lodges and camps that reveal Botswana’s remarkable wildlife and the distinct landscapes that shape each safari experience.