Abu Camp

Abu Camp offers an African experience – showcasing the magnificent wildlife and landscape of the Okavango Delta – with a difference: you are invited to walk with and ride the Abu elephants and see the wild environs through their eyes. This is a safari that will transform your perceptions of elephants, wilderness and life itself.

You’ll become a member of an African elephant herd – an extraordinary and moving privilege that never fails to profoundly touch our guests.

Pioneered in the early 1990s, and named after a much-mourned bull elephant, Abu Camp has been running for over 20 years, and offers Africa’s premier elephant interaction experience.

The vast, exclusive Abu Concession is set within the unspoilt Okavango Delta. As the largest inland delta on the planet, the Okavango and surrounding areas of northern Botswana hold more elephants than any other area in Africa.

Abu Camp aims to provide the very best in luxury accommodation and impeccable service, whilst always remaining mindful of the environmental impact of our activities. The camp is a haven of peace and tranquillity imbued with the natural rhythms of the bush.

The Abu Philososphy
The whole premise on which Abu Camp is based is that of elephant conservation. These largest of land mammals are a keystone species (in other words, a species that has a large effect on the ecosystem in which it lives) and an integral part of Africa’s web of life.

The great paradox of elephant conservation is that while many African countries are experiencing rapidly declining elephant populations, others – such as Botswana – have to cope with burgeoning numbers. Both declining and growing elephant populations present their own challenges, so applied research and adaptive management are essential in their resolution.

The Abu Camp elephant conservation strategy is based on understanding key issues impacting the conservation of southern Africa’s elephants through partnerships with different research institutions. Chief among these are Elephant Without Borders (whose research station is based on the Abu Concession) and Elephants for Africa, two forward-thinking Botswana-based NGOs that are investigating important aspects of elephant conservation and behaviour.

Abu Camp’s six luxurious, distinctively explorer-styled tents blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings. Each has a tree-shaded deck featuring a secluded outdoor copper bath and a private plunge pool, overlooking endless lagoon views inviting your imagination to wander.

Making use of the unique high-ceiling and airy canvas style throughout the camp, the six en-suite rooms exhibit their own distinctive elegance. Blending in seamlessly with the natural surroundings, each tent is graced with generous decks and an outdoor copper bathtub.

For reflection, relaxation and even meditation, one can rest in the sitting area of the room, ponder or create art at the writing desk, or appreciate the views from the decks sculpted around the lofty fig and jackalberry trees shading the tents. The stylish furnishings and fittings – individually chosen for each room – impart an air of opulence amid the bush setting.

The lounge and dining areas have been designed to complement the easy flow of nature and to accentuate a feeling of lightness during your stay at Abu Camp. The imaginative use of canvas and poles creates a contemporary, unique blend of sweeping lines in complete harmony with the surrounding wilderness. Organic elements and traditional African artifacts reinforce the sense of place and lend the Camp something of the natural flair and exuberance of the Okavango Delta.

The library features a comprehensive collection of African literature, lifestyle books and field guides, and is the perfect setting for quiet reading, a game of chess, or a lesson from your guide or elephant manager. Leading off from the library is a small gallery displaying lovely jewellery, art, curios and apparel available for sale if you wish to bring home a piece of Abu. A swimming pool and gym complete the amenities.

Dining & Cuisine
Internationally-trained chefs provide creative cuisine of the highest standard, and meals – most of which are served al fresco on the deck – are superbly complemented by premier South African wines and French champagnes from our extensive cellar. A wide choice of international spirits and single malt whiskies are also on offer. Long safari days end with a nightcap around the campfire, recalling the day’s experiences.

Elephant Star Beds
For those seeking the ultimate immersion experience into the serene, sensory world of the African elephant, Abu Camp offers you the opportunity to sleep out under the stars, in our Star Bed overlooking the elephant boma.

If you request this amazing experience, you will be escorted up to the large king-size Star Bed after dinner on one night of your stay at Abu Camp. Here, raised high above the ground, you can lie beneath the incredible canopy of southern hemisphere stars and be lulled to sleep by the contented rumbling and low snores of the elephants below – the ultimate lullaby.

The Star Bed offers a unique opportunity to sleep with the elephants, found nowhere else in Africa. To ensure your complete comfort, a bathroom, including a shower, is found on the tier below the top deck.

Abu Camp – Game Drives
Morning and afternoon game drives are offered in open safari vehicles. These drives showcase the abundance of wildlife in the varying habitats which range from open grasslands to secluded island sanctuaries and papyrus-fringed channels.

Abu Camp – Mokoro Excursions
Season-dependent mokoro excursions offer a taste of the more conventional Okavango, however at Abu we offer mokoro with a difference – alongside elephants splashing through the water! The traditional dugout canoes are navigated by a skilled poler and offer guests a tranquil and romantic perspective of the region.

Abu Camp – Nature Walks
Walking in the bush with an experienced guide can be one of the most exciting ways of viewing game, as well as appreciating the smaller critters and plant life in and around the concession.

Abu Camp – Birding
Some 380 birds reside in the area and the diversity of activities offered at Abu can lead to special sightings such as lesser jacana, pygmy goose, wattled crane, slaty egret, coppery-tailed coucal and even rosy-throated longclaw amongst others.