Sundowner Safaris | September 2025

North Island Okavango in Botswana was my first Natural Selection camp and my first solo safari trip. I had heard wonderful things about the company — founded by ex-Wilderness leadership who know what they are doing — and was excited to experience one of their premier properties. The camp delivered extraordinary wildlife sightings, including some of the rarest animals in Africa, in a beautiful water-rich setting. It is not quite at the level of Wilderness Premier or Great Plains Reserve camps yet, but it is getting there.

Getting There

I flew from Maun on a bush plane that made two stops — one on the Jao concession and one at Duba Plains — before reaching North Island. There were 8 people on the plane and I was the only one getting off at North Island. Total flight time including stops was about 80 minutes. Because of the multiple stops, we flew low, and I had spectacular views of all the water in the Delta. It was a beautiful introduction.

When I landed, a guide met me at the airstrip — not my assigned guide, who was out with another group, but someone to get me to camp and oriented. The drive to camp was about 20 minutes, and it was nice to see how North Island is set up: literally on an island, with bridges needed to cross the water to reach it. At camp, the manager and assistant manager welcomed me, gave me a tour of the main area, and let me drop my bags before heading out to meet the rest of the group on a game drive. It was a bit rushed, to be honest.

Setting & Location

North Island sits in the NG23A concession in the northern Okavango Delta. The landscape is beautiful — the camp is on an island surrounded by water, and in September 2025, the floods were still high. You drive over several bridges to reach the island, and the whole setting feels quintessentially Okavango: shimmering channels, floodplains, hippo-filled lagoons.

The concession is semi-private, shared with Kadizora Camp and nearby Duba Explorers (Great Plains). We saw quite a few Kadizora vehicles on game drives. It felt private compared to public parks, but not as exclusive as a fully private concession. This is worth knowing if complete exclusivity matters to you.

The wildlife was extraordinary. I saw some incredibly rare animals: a pangolin (my wife Samar told me before I left, 'If you see a pangolin, don't come back'), a honey badger (also high on her list), an aardwolf, wild dogs, lions, and leopards. Plenty of general game too, including lots of lechwe — a semi-aquatic antelope you will not see in the drier parts of the Delta. The diversity of animals here, especially the water-adapted species, is a real draw.

Weather in September was beautiful — pleasant temperatures and lots of water still in the system. One note: at peak flood times, the water can make getting around difficult, so timing matters.

Facilities

The main lodge is beautiful. There is an open kitchen in the dining area, a cool bar, a small library, and two decks — one with a boma fire and another for relaxing. There is also a gym and massage rooms available. The camp has 7 rooms total: 6 identical tents and 1 family unit, which I toured and found very nice.

The design aesthetic is modern and comparable to a Wilderness Premier camp — large contemporary tents with African-inspired touches. All rooms have a full bar setup, which is a nice touch. It does not have the old-world safari charm of a Great Plains camp, but it is stylish and comfortable. The main area overlooks the lagoon and is shaded by beautiful trees.

I spent most of my time between activities in my room, coming to the main area for meals.

Photo by Natural Selection, North Island Okavango

Room

The rooms are large and beautifully designed. Mine had a seating area, a bedroom area, and probably the largest shower I have ever seen in a safari camp — it was enormous. Unusually, the room also had a half bath in addition to the main bathroom, which was practical and something I have not seen elsewhere.

There is a private plunge pool on the deck, though it was too cold for me to use since the pools are not heated. The view from my room was of the water, with hippos right outside — absolutely beautiful.

The room had great airflow and no air conditioning, but it was plenty cool in the evenings for comfortable sleep. No issues with the room whatsoever — it was very nice overall.

Food

Food was good overall — I would rate it 7.5 out of 10.

Breakfast was standard safari lodge fare. I tend to skip the early morning setup in favor of a bush coffee stop. On my second day, when the other guests skipped the morning drive, I had a bush breakfast with just me and my guide Costa — a nice treat.

I only had one lunch since I arrived at tea time on day one and left before lunch on day three. That lunch was a pizza bar with toppings I could choose — light, delicious, and a nice touch.

Dinner was a three-course affair each night. Since I was traveling solo, the staff were attentive and checked on me regularly. The soups and appetizers were excellent, as were the main dishes. Drinks were all included, and some of the wines were really good.

Service

Service was very good overall, but the camp is still new and working out some operational details. A few things stood out as areas for improvement.

First, the guiding assignments felt a bit odd. I shared a vehicle with a group of 4 other guests on my first day. On day two, that group left and a new couple was added to my vehicle. Normally, camps avoid introducing new people mid-trip because it disrupts continuity — you lose the shared context of what you have seen together, the rapport with fellow guests, and the guide has to reset expectations. Most premier camps are careful about this.

Second, vehicles hold 6 guests, compared to the 4-seat maximum at Wilderness Premier and Great Plains Reserve level camps. This affects the intimacy of the experience.

That said, my guide Costa was excellent. He was knowledgeable about the bush and the conservancy, and I really enjoyed him. The guiding assignment issues were not his fault — he did the best he could with the situation. Management was present and available, having welcomed me on arrival and being responsive throughout my stay.

Activities & Guiding

My activities over two nights: afternoon game drive with a boat sundowner on arrival day; early morning game drive with bush breakfast (just me and Costa, since the other guests skipped); afternoon game drive with the new couple (this is when we saw the pangolin); and a final morning game drive with a great lion sighting before being picked up from the sighting and driven to the airstrip for my flight.

The vehicles were comfortable and good for photography, though they did not have bean bags for camera stabilization. The boat sundowner was a simple but beautiful experience — cruising a channel to see hippos and birds while watching the sunset with drinks.

We saw some cool owls on the island when returning to camp after dark, which was a nice touch. Helicopter flights are available for scenic tours or trips to Tsodilo Hills. I skipped this since I had a helicopter flight planned later in my trip. I am not certain whether walking safaris or mokoro excursions are offered.

The Good

Exceptional wildlife — pangolin, honey badger, aardwolf, wild dogs, lions, leopards
Beautiful water-rich setting with hippos outside your room
Diversity of water-adapted species like lechwe
Stunning modern rooms with massive showers
Private plunge pools in each room
Full bar setup in each room
Costa — excellent guide
Boat sundowner experience
Natural Selection — a company with strong values, founded by ex-Wilderness leadership
Long stay discounts available when combining Natural Selection properties
Year-round water activities due to upstream Delta location

The Bad

Semi-private concession — saw Kadizora vehicles on game drives
Shared guiding with 6 guests per vehicle (vs. 4 at Wilderness Premier and Great Plains Reserve camps)
New guests added to vehicle mid-trip, disrupting continuity
Arrival felt rushed
No bean bags for photography
Plunge pools not heated
Camp still finding its footing on operational details

Conclusion

North Island Okavango is a beautiful water camp with genuinely exceptional wildlife viewing. The diversity of animals — including rare sightings like pangolin, honey badger, and aardwolf — and the water-adapted species like lechwe make this a special destination. The rooms are stunning, the setting is classic Okavango, and Natural Selection is a company I believe in.

That said, the camp is not yet at the level of Wilderness Premier or Great Plains Reserve properties. The shared concession, 6-guest vehicles, and operational details like mid-trip guest changes affect the exclusivity and polish. These are things that can and likely will be refined as the camp matures.

Who is this for? Anyone who wants a wonderful diversity of Okavango wildlife, including water-adapted species you will not see in drier areas. Those who appreciate a beautiful modern camp with excellent rooms. Guests who value the Natural Selection ethos and want to support a company doing things right.

Who should look elsewhere? If you are a stickler for perfect service, multi-course menus you can choose in advance, or complete exclusivity with no vehicles from other camps, this is not the right fit. Those expecting Wilderness Premier or Great Plains Reserve level polish may find small gaps.

Would I return? Yes — because of the wildlife and because I really like Natural Selection as a company. There are small improvements to be made, but overall the camp is great and the concession delivers in the right time of year. Just note that peak floods can make getting around difficult.

Sundowner Safaris Rating

4.1 / 5

Beautiful water camp with great game.

Curious what North Island Okavango really looks like? We filmed a full tour showing the accommodations, amenities, and safari experience!

Visited: September 2025 | Reviewed by Reza, Sundowner Safaris

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Review: North Island Okavango, Botswana