Reviews of Kwara Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
232 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Kwara Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
97% success
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"Friendly Kwara"
Going off road to follow a leopard staking out her prey (abandoned when the impala sensed her presence) was quite an experience, as was seeing a large pack of wild dogs. We caught glimpses of a lion but again they were elusive and we never saw any predators on a chase or feeding.
The camp staff were welcoming and friendly as were the guides although they sometimes needed prompting to share all their knowledge.
When 3 other jeeps arrived within 15 - 20 minutes of the call out to other guides following the wild dogs sighting we realised the concession was not quite as big as we thought.
The boat trip was disappointing, the hippos disappeared as soon as we arrived and we saw no other wildlife except one tiny crocodile. However the ride back in the dark, twisting and turning through the narrow waterways at speed was quite something!
The mokoro ride was uneventful but short and peaceful. The safari walk was a slow informative stroll around the camp." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
"Idyllic setting at Kwara"
The staff again were so friendly and interesting Janet was a delight.
Jacob was an excellent guide and worked hard to find the animals
We did feel that some drives were cut short to enable other guests to catch a transfer
The mokoro ride was disappointing because it was so short
We thought the early morning porridge was brilliant
We preferred this arrangement with the cooked breakfast after the safari, to having lunch as we did at Stanleys" See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 3n in Zambia
"We love Kwara camp!"
Kwara camp's rooms and communal area look out onto water that is both beautiful in itself, and is frequented by hippos, elephants, crocodiles, impala, baboons, storks, pelicans and who knows what else.
The camp is gorgeous. The tents are built around the trees so it really feels like part of the scenery. The rooms are comfortable, spacious, and well maintained. Something about the camp made us feel instantly at home - maybe it was the friendly and very hospitable and accomdating staff, maybe the manager (who is a lovely man we had met previously at Lebala), or maybe just the general atmosphere of the place. We couldn't recommend it highly enough.
The terrain is very varied and interesting - open plains where the cheetahs and lions roam; mopani woodland where we were fortunate to see the rare sable antelope; and areas of acacias and scrub land.
The game viewing was brilliant. We were lucky enough to come across wild dogs resting and then off for the hunt, as well as general game, lions, cheetahs, elephants and some unusual sightings such as a leopard tortoise, an aardwolf, an african wildcat, and a small spotted genet. There is lots of interesting bird life as well, including the endangered Ground Hornbill. The elephants are a bit shy here, so you don't see large herds that are happy to hang around once a vehicle has arrived as you might in Chobe or Lagoon / Lebala, but we did see several bull elephants bathing and wandering about.
The drivers and spotters here are really passionate and committed both to finding and tracking the game and to imparting their impressive knowledge and fascination with the animals. We learned an enormous amount from our driver and guide, General and BJ, and we certainly had the impression that all the drivers and spotters took a simlar approach. They work as a very effective team, planning their routes to maximise the possibility of all the guests getting a chance to see something interesting. We had some great experiences tracking animals off road into the thickets and looking for nocturnal animals in the dark. The emphasis here is very much on the game, and everything else fits in around that.
The food was fabulous - as a vegetarian I was catered for very well, and the staff were very flexible in working around the timings of our extended evening drives.
The camp manager, drivers, spotters and staff work enthusiastically and tirelessly from dawn until the guests go to bed to ensure everyone has a lovely time. Whilst we were there, a honeymooning couple had a few surprise treats unexpectedly organised by the camp manager and staff and they clearly had a great time. They are very good here at working out how to satisfy a range of guests including repeat visitors and safari first-timers, without making it look at all difficult.
We had a very special and wonderful time at this camp and we hope to return soon!" See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana
"Unbelievable KWARA"
This was a very happy, established and well run camp, we just loved it and Tuso and Janet made us feel so welcome.
We shall return!!" See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana
"Kwara camp comments"
Slight reservations include the tent accommodation which was fine but lacked things like a chair inside, and the fact that sometimes all the seats on the jeep were filled giving little room for camera equipment etc.
However a good lodge with excellent staff so a few quibbles should not detract from an overall very good stay." See all these reviews: 12n in Botswana
"Kwara Camp review"
As it was a busier camp and its sister camp Little Kwara is just down the road , four vehicles went out morning and afternoon and they were in communication which made sightings a little bit easier. Even so . Lions , Hyena, Leopard, and a Cheehah mum and 5 cubs in one day !! Guide David and trainee tracker KP were great company and David must be up there as one of the very best.
Food , accommodation were fine . A brilliant 2 days" See all these reviews: 9n in Namibia; 4n in Botswana
"Kwara Camp review"
Leopard tracking, the finest art! The cheetah with five cubs, the fondest of memories and super photos. Seven male lions that dominant this area, three cheetah brothers and once again an abundance of birdlife.
My favourite 'tent' of the three camps - the sliding doors make it so much easier. Great food and enjoyable company here.
Thank you to all concerned." See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana
"Kwara Camp review"
We saw a herd of buffalo and then six male lions eating one, later we saw some femal lions with a cub. That afternoon we saw a different group of female lions again witha cub. The following morning we saw three male cheetahs and in the afternoon we saw them again but this time there was a male and female lion nearby! The female started stalking the cheetahs who stood theie ground until she got to about 70 mts whene they made a military retirement to about 100 mts. The lioness then creapt closer to wthing 40 mts when she charged at the cheetahs who ran around her between her and another cheetah thus confusing her. They escaped!.
We a great river cruise to the Heronary and also a great makoro trip, as we were they only gueats with Izzy & Mike we had a makoro each. On our final morning at Kwara we saw a spotted hyena.
This was definitely the best stay, obviously down to the good sightings but also down to Izzy who, I say again, was very good." See all these reviews: 11n in Botswana
"Lovely Kwara!"
Our guide David and tracker (whose name escapes me at the moment, my apologies!) were excellent. David clearly knows his business and we found him to be an excellent guide. Kwara provides a range of opportunites to include game drives, mokoro rides, river cruising in the delta and even the possibility for walking safaris. Perhaps it is because it was the end of the dry season but we found the mokoro ride a bit underwhelming (the weather was also a bit dicey as well that morning) but I suppose it is one of those things you should do at least once.
The river cruise to the Gcodikwe Lagoon is well worth the trip but although Kwara is on the Delta the focus here is still on game drives. Perhaps to have a more "in depth" Delta experience another camp deeper in the Delta might be better but since we did not do that it is hard for us to say. But the quality of game drives here was excellent with lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and various antelope (to include lechwe, waterbuck and sable) all in abundance. Only the elusive leopard evaded us despite our best efforts. One of the many highlights was David's superb work in tracking a lioness with a young cub in tow on the prowl. We were right there for the chase and while the lioness missed her prey we didn't miss any of the heart stopping action!
Kwara Camp is perhaps the oldest of the three we visited and as such has a comfortable lived in feel about the place. The views are lovely and in November the lagoon is smaller leaving more grassy areas where lechwe, hippos, baboons and even elephant wandered by close to camp. The rooms here are tents and they appear to be slightly smaller that the tents at Lagoon Camp.
We stayed in tent 8, the "honeymoon" tent, which appeared to be slightly different and perhaps older than the other tents in camp. It is a little more isolated from the other tents which is nice as the other tents are farily close together and it has a nice view (although I wouldn't have minded a bit of the brush being cleared back to open up the view even more). It is the only tent I saw not on a raised deck and contains a bathtub at the sacrifice of a double vanity and smaller shower area. Personally we did not have much need for a tub and would have preferred the larger vanity and shower area of the other tents.
The main area has a nice view of the lagoon with a nearby elevated observation deck and a plunge pool for hot afternoons. The staff was very attentive and helpful particularly during a brief illness one of us experienced right at the end of our stay. Located near Kwara is the newer Little Kwara camp although you can't see it despite its close proximity. I think we might have enjoyed a visit to see the other camp during one of the mid day breaks. I do not know if this was possible or even allowed but I confess we have only ourselves to blame as we did not think to inquire about doing so until after we had departed." See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana
"Kwara Camp review"
Jacob was an excellent guide whose efforts were badly let down by this bad organisation.
During the 3 days we saw impala, tsetsebe, reedbuck, red lechwe, sable antelope, warthog, jackal, hyena, a lion, hippo, a large 70 strong herd of elephant, buffalo and numerous birds. The highlight was tracking a cheetah searching for and calling for his brothers to his reunion with one.
On our third evening our trip to the heronry was marred by a violent and overhead thunderstorm with heavy hail causing hippos and elephant to be very nervous. We question whether we should have been on the water in those conditions, though Jacob handled the situation very well, reading and responding to the intentions of the animals accurately" See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia; 9n in Botswana
"Manager"
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Other lodges in Okavango Delta Safari Reserves
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Little Vumbura
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Shinde Camp
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Splash Camp
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Sandibe Safari Lodge
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Pom Pom Camp
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Stanley's Camp
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4 Rivers
4 Rivers is a new camp in a previously in accessible area of the excellent Kwara concession.
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Duke’s Camp
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Karangoma
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Atzaro Okavango
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Mokolwane
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Eagle Island Lodge
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Mbamba
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Qorokwe Camp
Luxurious and contemporary, the relatively new Qorokwe Camp is a gem in the Okavango Delta, offering land- and occasionally water-based activities in a prime wildlife area.
