What Desert & Delta Safaris does

Desert & Delta Safaris is a Botswana-headquartered safari operator that owns and manages a portfolio of nine premier luxury lodges and camps across the country's most restricted wildlife destinations, including Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Savute, the Okavango Panhandle, and the Makgadikgadi Pans. Established in 1982 and operated since 1992 as a division of the listed holding company Chobe Holdings Ltd (Botswana Stock Exchange ticker CHOBE), the company is 100% citizen-owned and positions itself around local empowerment and responsible tourism. The brand name was formally registered with the opening of Camp Moremi in 1982 and has subsequently been extended through acquisitions including Savute Safari Lodge, Xugana Island Lodge, Leroo La Tau, Camp Xakanaxa, and Nxamaseri Island Lodge, with Sediba Sa Rona (opened March 2026) and Mapula (opening March 2027) bringing the planned portfolio to eleven properties.

The core product is an all-inclusive luxury safari package of 4 to 10 nights that combines multiple Desert & Delta properties in a single circuit, with bundled game drives, mokoro excursions, walking safaris, boat safaris, fishing, birding, and inter-lodge transfers operated by the group's Safari Air light aircraft fleet. Underlying technical differentiation is concentrated in sustainability infrastructure rather than digital technology: Chobe Game Lodge operates Botswana's first electric game-drive vehicles and all-solar-powered safari boats; Camp Okavango became the first group property converted to 100% solar power in 2016; Savute Safari Lodge operates on 24-hour solar with generator backup; and Sediba Sa Rona is designed for fully off-grid operation with a solar farm plus battery and inverter systems. The group is expanding beyond traditional game-viewing product into a portfolio of Epic Experiences — including the Okavango to Tsodilo Ultra-Trail, the Okavango Awakening Wellness Retreat, the Tsodilo Hills Sleep-Out Camp, and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans sleep-out — and into Specialist Guiding services.

Revenue is generated from three streams: quote-based all-inclusive multi-property safari packages (the primary offer), individual lodge bookings across the nine properties, and a smaller Epic Experiences plus specialist-guiding services line. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by Green/Dry season, property mix, and duration. Distribution combines direct booking through desertdelta.com, a network of regional sales representatives in South Africa, North America, Mexico and Argentina, Brazil, France, the DACH region, and Australia/New Zealand, third-party PR representation (Vineyard Global in North America, Storrington PR in the UK), Safari Air for inter-lodge logistics, an agent portal for the travel trade, and channel partnerships with international luxury travel wholesalers. Target customers are high-net-worth luxury travellers, families with children from age six, honeymooners and couples, adventure and ultra-trail participants, birders and wildlife photographers, and tiger-fishing enthusiasts.

Name

Desert & Delta Safaris

Legal name

Desert & Delta Safaris

Website

https://desertdelta.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Desert & Delta Safaris operates a portfolio of nine (rising to eleven) luxury safari lodges and camps across Botswana's Chobe, Okavango Delta, Moremi, Savute, and Makgadikgadi destinations, sold as all-inclusive multi-property packages with bundled light aircraft transfers to affluent international travellers, families, and couples.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Safari Lodges and Safaris

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Safari & Wilderness Luxury Resorts (THAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari Lodges (Big Five/Game Reserves) (THAGAIAA), River & Wetland Lodges (Delta/Okavango-style) (THAGAIAG), Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies (THAKAFAG), Safari & Overland Wildlife Adventures (4x4/Jeep) (THAJABAD)

Keywords

• Luxury safari lodges
• All-inclusive safari packages
• Wildlife game drives
• Okavango Delta safaris
• Luxury travel Botswana

Headquarters

HQ city

Maun

HQ country

Botswana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. All-Inclusive Safari Packages: The company sells comprehensive all-inclusive safari packages covering multiple properties connected by light aircraft transfers. Packages range from 4-night to 10-night itineraries spanning Botswana's premier destinations including Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and Makgadikgadi Pans. Pricing is quote-based and varies by season, accommodation type, and package duration.
2. Lodge Accommodations: Individual lodge bookings for the nine premier safari properties, each offering luxury accommodations with activities including game drives, mokoro excursions, walking safaris, boat safaris, and specialized experiences.
3. Epic Experiences: Specialized adventure mini-packages including ultra-trail events (Okavango to Tsodilo Ultra-Trail), wellness retreats (Okavango Awakening), Tsodilo Hills Sleep-Out experiences, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans experiences, and specialist guiding services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Desert & Delta Safaris operates a portfolio of nine premier luxury safari lodges and camps throughout Botswana's prime wildlife destinations, offering all-inclusive safari packages ranging from 4 to 10 nights. The company provides accommodations, meals, beverages, activities (game drives, mokoro excursions, walking safaris, boat safaris, fishing, birding), and inter-lodge light aircraft transfers via Safari Air. Additional offerings include specialized Epic Experiences such as ultra-trail events, wellness retreats, and sleep-out camps.

Product overview

Desert & Delta Safaris operates a portfolio of nine premier luxury safari lodges and camps throughout Botswana's prime wildlife destinations, including the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, Savute Region, and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The portfolio includes Mapula (opening 2027), Xugana Island Lodge, Sediba Sa Rona, Nxamaseri Island Lodge, Savute Safari Lodge, Leroo La Tau, Camp Okavango, Camp Xakanaxa, Camp Moremi, Chobe Game Lodge, and Chobe Savanna Lodge. The company offers all-inclusive safari packages ranging from 4 to 10 nights, connecting lodges via Safari Air light aircraft transfers. Additional offerings include Epic Experiences (specialized mini-packages such as ultra-trails, wellness retreats, and sleep-out camps), Specialist Guiding services, and an Agent Portal for travel partners. Established in 1982, the company is 100% Botswana-owned and listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chobe Game Lodge The only permanent game lodge on the banks of the Chobe River within Chobe National Park. Five-star lodge with full eco-grading by Botswana Tourism Board. Features Africa's first all-women guiding team and an electric fleet of vehicles and boats. Targets luxury travelers seeking premier Chobe Riverfront wildlife experiences.
• Chobe Savanna Lodge Lodge situated in Namibia's Eastern Zambezi Region on the northern bank of the Chobe River, overlooking the floodplains of Chobe National Park's Puku Flats. Accessible only by boat. Targets travelers seeking exclusive Chobe Riverfront experiences.
• Savute Safari Lodge Luxury lodge poised on the edge of the Savute Channel in Chobe National Park. Features 11 luxury chalets and 1 family chalet (maximum 24 guests). Known for intense predator encounters and the second-largest summer zebra migration in Africa. Solar-powered with viewing deck, swimming pool, and photographic hide.
• Camp Okavango Unique and exclusive African safari camp situated on remote Nxaragha Island in the Okavango Delta (World Heritage site). 100% solar powered, built on raised platforms and walkways to minimize environmental impact.
• Camp Moremi Modern luxury safari lodge in Moremi Game Reserve, rebuilt in 2018. Known for delivering the classic African safari experience with game drives and eco tours including Chobe River safaris. Built with raised boardwalks and extensive public areas within ebony trees.
• Camp Xakanaxa Safari camp on the banks of the Khwai River on Xakanaxa Lagoon in the heart of Moremi Game Reserve. One of the few camps offering authentic year-round Okavango Delta land and water safari experiences.
• Xugana Island Lodge Luxury island lodge situated on Xugana Lagoon, widely regarded as the most beautiful permanent water site in the Okavango Delta. Features 12 suites with overwater firepit and private floating dining options. Named one of Travel + Leisure's Top 100 Hotels in the World for 2026.
• Leroo La Tau Spectacular lodge set on cliffs at the western edge of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on the Boteti River. Features 11 luxurious thatched chalets and 1 family suite (maximum 24 guests). Positioned on the route of the annual zebra and wildebeest migration.
• Nxamaseri Island Lodge Small exclusive island lodge in the permanent waters of Okavango Delta's Panhandle. Features 8 chalets beneath forest canopy, with motorised boat safaris, mokoro excursions, guided bush walks, tiger fishing, and Tsodilo Hills cultural tours. Includes Okavango's first wellness spa.
• Sediba Sa Rona Luxury tented camp in the Khwai Concession featuring 15 en-suite luxury tents with outdoor decks overlooking the Khwai River. Operates 100% off-grid via solar farm with battery systems. Architectural redesign by Jack Alexander Architecture Studio, interiors by Dakota Design.
• Mapula Lodge A luxury safari lodge in the Mapula & Sekwana Concession (NG12) in Botswana's Northern Okavango Delta, featuring 12 safari suites with en-suite bathrooms and private viewing decks. Will offer all activities throughout the Desert & Delta Safaris circuit including game drives, motorboat safaris, mokoro excursions, walking safaris, fishing, birding, and cultural excursions.
• 9 Night Traversing The Okavango Delta

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $20,000 raised for Elephants Without Borders through CARES Movement
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Savanna ExpeditionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Pioneering partnership for Sediba Sa Rona lodge in Khwai Concession. Savanna Expeditions (100% citizen-owned) brings local insight and vision together with Desert & Delta Safaris' 40+ years of management expertise. The result is a lodge symbolizing the future of tourism where people, planet, and purpose are prioritized.
• Jack Alexander Architecture StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2025Award-winning architectural firm led the adaptive reuse and redesign of Sediba Sa Rona lodge, known for award-winning work across Africa. Led the architectural transformation preserving historic elements while implementing sustainable 100% off-grid operations.
• Dakota DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2025Interior design firm led décor and furnishings for Sediba Sa Rona, previously awarded 'Best Leisure Interior in Africa' by International Property Awards for work at Savute Safari Lodge. Follows philosophy of deep respect for location, community, functionality, and continuity.
• Safari AircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLight aircraft operator connecting all nine Desert & Delta Safaris properties throughout Botswana's wildlife destinations, enabling comprehensive all-inclusive safari packages and multi-destination itineraries.
• Elephants Without BordersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable conservation partner. Desert & Delta Safaris raised $20,000 for Elephants Without Borders through the CARES Movement initiative, more than doubling their initial $10,000 target.
• Salt Pans UltraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partnership for Makgadikgadi marathon. Desert & Delta Safaris serves as Official Safari Host Sponsor, offering exclusive post-race safari experiences to participants.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Singita: Singita is a leading ultra-luxury African safari brand operating within Botswana concessions and across Southern Africa. It competes head-to-head for the highest-end HNW traveler with similar conservation, community, and sustainability narratives.
• Asilia Africa: Asilia Africa runs luxury safari camps across East and Southern Africa, including Botswana, with comparable community-empowerment messaging. It is a meaningful emerging competitor in the same mid-to-upper tier.
• andBeyond: andBeyond operates luxury safari lodges across multiple African countries including Botswana properties, with shared all-inclusive, conservation-led positioning. Both target the same HNW luxury traveler with similar premium pricing tiers and experiential itineraries.
• Great Plains Conservation: Great Plains operates luxury safari camps in Botswana and Kenya with an explicit conservation-and-rhino focus, overlapping directly with Desert & Delta's premium Botswana circuit. Its ownership tie to safari influencers also creates shared competition for media attention and HNW bookings.
• Wilderness Safaris: Wilderness Safaris is the largest Botswana-based luxury safari operator with a comparable multi-property circuit in the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and surrounding concessions. It directly competes with Desert & Delta for HNW guests, travel-trade partners, and concession land in the same ecosystem.
• Sabi Sabi: Sabi Sabi is a flagship luxury private game reserve in South Africa's Sabi Sand, frequently appearing on Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast lists alongside Desert & Delta properties. It competes for HNW multi-country Southern Africa itineraries.

Broad incumbents

• Belmond: Belmond (LVMH) is a broader luxury hospitality group operating select safari properties as part of a global portfolio. It competes for HNW safari bookings through travel-trade channels and brand prestige rather than wildlife-empowerment differentiation.
• Sanctuary Retreats: Sanctuary Retreats is a broader African luxury lodge and camp portfolio with overlapping Botswana products. As a multi-country brand it offers wider itinerary options but lower specialization in Botswana than Desert & Delta.

Regional players

• Robin Pope Safaris: Robin Pope Safaris is a long-established owner-operator focused on Zambia's South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi, plus Botswana walking safari components. It is a regional competitor for HNW walking-safari and multi-country itineraries.
• Ultimate Safaris: Ultimate Safaris is a Botswana- and Namibia-focused owner-operator with shared small-camp, high-touch positioning. It is a regional alternative for luxury travelers weighing Botswana itineraries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/desertdelta
• Xx.com/desertdelta

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Desert & Delta Safaris