THE PERFECT SAFARI OASIS IN THE HEART OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

Did you know that “Safari” is a Swahili word that means “journey”? In the last 2 decades, the word “Safari” has been repurposed in the tourism industry in Africa. It is now used to refer to wildlife-related trips where you get the opportunity to see some of the world’s most incredible animals roam unencumbered in their natural habitat. If you have never been on one of these excursions, I’m here to tell you that your first time will change your life forever. You will experience a peace you didn’t even know was possible. And at the end of the trip, you’ll conclude that you need to do this again and again and again.

In my 35 plus years on this planet, I’ve probably visited more than 50 lodges. I’ve visited all types- budget, luxury, ultra luxury – and in different parks around Africa. And yet, even with this extensive experience, up until February 2026, I had never visited the Okavango Delta! It had been a dream of mine since I was 8 years old. And y’all, what a place!! Even during the wet season, the Delta is a magical place and I’m so glad I got to see it with my own eyes. If you’ve not seen my Instagram content from my trip, you can check it out on my page here.

So, let’s talk about where I stayed. For the first leg of our trip, we had the honor of staying at Kiri Camp by Machaba Safaris. If there’s one thing they do right at the Delta, it’s luxury! Kiri Camp is a stunning unfenced property that overlooks the plains and a massive waterhole that is frequented by the Delta’s unique wildlife. At all times of the day, you can expect to find animals around (usually harmless grazers), but at night, expect to hear some predators. It’s a fascinating experience.

Lodge Aesthetics. People don’t talk enough about how safari luxury is truly the epitome of luxe experiences. Kiri Camp is no exception; in fact, it’s the rule. The common areas are so well put together, integrating stunning African decor, colors, and themes to perfection. At the peak of the beauty at the lodge is the tented accommodations. The rooms are spacious and have so much offer. The tents have a King Bed, work area, indoors and outdoor shower, double vanity, a freestanding tub on the deck, day beds, and an outdoor dining space overlooking the waterhole. My expectations were high, and this tent exceeded my expectations in every meaningful way. Just take a look at this shots.

Service at the Lodge. If you’ve never experienced service in Africa, then you’re in for a treat. There really is no just comparison. First, get ready to EAT!! At Kiri Camp, they will feed you exquisite meals basically every time you’re not on a drive or experience. Morning breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, sundowners, and dinner! The absolute works. And everything is delicious. The staff were personable and friendly and made the experience just that much more memorable! Special shoutout to our driver guide, David, who was charming, knowledgeable, and found some of the most amazing wildlife sightings.

Experiences. So obviously the primary reason we all go on a safari vacation is to go on game drives. Most lodges offer 2-3 a day. At the Delta, you do two long drives. One from 6:30a to 10:30a, and the second from 3:30p to 7:30p. The drives are amazing because of the unique Delta terrain; in particular, the numerous water bodies around the park. During the wet season, wildlife is spread out because the land is so lush and abundant. It takes a skilled driver to get incredible sightings, and that we had. Another amazing experience we had was the Mokoro Tour. A Mokoro is essentially a dugout canoe that represents the traditional way folks traveled around the Delta. The tour consists of a peaceful cruise up and down stream at one of the nearby rivers. Check it out here. The tour ends with a wonderful champagne breakfast in the middle of the park by the river. It was truly magical. My goal is to visit in the summer and go on the speedboat tour on the river. Each experience was a 5* experience.

Sightings. The Delta has a vast array of animals. The sightings we had on the drives were incredible. We saw lions, elephants(tons), buffaloes, giraffes, jackals, eagle owls, impala, zebra, lechwe, hippos, waterbuck… the list goes on and on and on! What a time it was! By far my favorite sighting was the lion family – 4 cubs and a lioness. They were gorgeous.