When a safari to Botswana to visit the Ker & Downey lodges was offered, my safari hat and Karen Blixen scarf were packed in a hurry. I was off on a bush plane to the Okavango Delta.
Something of a well-kept secret, the Ker & Downey Botswana lodges are a find for those wanting luxury, a family atmosphere and superb game viewing in the Okavango Delta. All of this, without breaking the bank.
Kanana and Shinde are on private concessions in the Okavango Delta, while Okuti is in the Moremi Reserve proper. We are talking 5 star camps here, no scratching around in the dirt for me!
What sets all three of these camps apart is their family atmosphere. Staff are encouraged to engage with guests. Mealtimes, around a huge table, are filled with laughter, safari stories and the odd outrageous fib …! Staff sing beautiful African songs around the campfire and guests belt out the chorus, with the accompaniment of the cicadas and the odd grunt of a hippo.
Family atmosphere also means no devices, so you will find no wifi here. If you are desperate check your emails, there is an ancient computer for guests use. If you have the patience. The point is, forget technology and connect with your travel companions and the bush.
All the camps offer game drives and boating safaris. For families and the more active among us, Kanana and Shinde offer a plethora of activities. I felt it only right to partake of as many as I could fit in. Game drives and bush walks are always fun, but you can do those anywhere. So off I went on a boat to try my hand at fishing. Turns out I am not a born fisherman and I needed help to land the smallest fish known to man. I was better at sitting back on the mokoro canoe, being leisurely poled down a papyrus lined Okavango channel… G&T in hand, obviously!
If you have even a passing interest in birds, you can’t miss the famous Heronry at Kanana. Birds, bigger than my dogs, filled the trees and banks, pelicans, herons, storks, and others which I forget, squawking and nesting. It is quite a sight to behold (and smell!).
Ker & Downey also offers a fantastic family option. Based at the Footsteps Camp, a rustic, 3 tented camp, this is an option for those who don’t mind a bucket shower and getting sand between their toes. For those that prefer a little more luxury, the family offering can be moved to the Shinde Enclave too. I tried my hand at shooting a pellet gun (there was definitely something wrong with the gun and not my aim!), learned to pole a mokoro canoe and got to drive the 4×4 vehicle. So much fun and the best way for kids to experience the bush.
Honeymooners will enjoy the sleep-out deck at Kanana, set up with white linen and mosquito nets, this is the ultimate place to enjoy the sounds of the wild and wake up to a spectacular sunrise. A basket of snacks keeps you fortified and the downstairs toilet makes for a very civilized experience. Don’t worry, your ranger will sleep nearby, so if the lions roar too loudly, your escape route is only a radio call away.
Now that I am back in the office, I dream of sundowners in the Okavango Delta and surprise picnics in the bush. I can’t wait to be back!