Pelo Camp

The guest tents are raised and nestled within the trees, placing you in the centre of the wildlife. The rooms are softly lit, with a ceiling fan to help keep you cool and large windows enabling natural light to flood the room. All include armchairs and a large bed overlooking your own private veranda. All tents have en-suite bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers. The private verandas, complete with deck chairs, offer unique and unparalleled views over the delta.

The main area of Pelo Camp includes the dining tent, where brunch and dinner is eaten in the open air or inside at a communal table, both offer an exclusive and sensational view over the water. Also found in the dining tent is a tea and coffee station.

On the connecting deck between the lounge and dining tent is a breakfast bar, thoughtfully facing the east so sunrise can be enjoyed whilst eating breakfast. There is also a small bar next to the lounge where there is a water cooler allowing guests to fill their water bottles before heading out for the day.

Explore the channels of the Okavango Delta and see areas only accessible by boat. Boat excursions allow for excellent wildlife and birdlife viewing, species including wattled crane, Pel’s fishing-owl and the slaty egret to name a few.

Glide across the delta in a traditional mokoro canoe. This method of viewing the magnificent surroundings allows for a way to feel at one with nature, with spotting of Nile crocodiles and hippos a possibility.

Relax, and try your hand at fishing the local species of catfish and tigerfish on the calm waters surrounding the island. A supply of basic equipment is on offer seasonally.

Guided walks to explore the picturesque islands and the vast amount of wildlife and birds present, are available to guests.

Gain a birds-eye view of the heart shaped island and the surrounding Okavango Delta in a breathtaking helicopter ride.

Pelo Camp is a ‘light-footprint’ camp which operates on 100% solar power and is completely built using natural materials. The activities offered whilst staying at the camp are low-impact and carbon-neutral, to help protect the local wildlife and the planet.

Wilderness Safaris created their own Trust in 2003, this is an independent entity which fund-raises for money to be put into various conservation projects. This engages with projects which can be beyond the scope of the areas in which Wilderness Safaris operate, ensuring that “conservation is a driving force in reaching more people, wildlife and places.”

The Jao Concession, where Pelo Camp is located, and the University of Botswana have created a committee hoping to “encourage better engagement between local communities and the Jao Concession, specifically regarding curbing poaching and over-fishing.” 25 different projects are funded by the Trust annually, the past 10 years seeing the Trust fund more than 100 different projects that were in 8 different countries in Africa. Whilst Wilderness Safaris contributes to these projects logistically, the Trust “is involved financially in the projects, supporting research, habitat management and community upliftment.”

Wilderness Safaris works in partnership with Save the Rhino Trust and three separate Namibian conservancies to help conserve and protect the rare species of the desert-adapted black rhino. These rhinos play a vital role in shaping the landscape of Africa, by grazing lawns and vegetation they help protect plant biodiversity and keep the plains hospitable to other herbivore species. Without them, whole ecosystems would begin to die out.

Wilderness Safaris Desert Rhino Camp works specifically in partnership with Save the Rhino Trust and acts as rhino monitoring post, as well as a camp, to help increase rhino security in an otherwise unmonitored area. Due to an increase in recruitment, Wilderness Safaris and their partners have “dramatically and sustainably increased the range of desert-adapted black rhino in the north-west.”

This is an educational programme created by Wilderness Safaris which aims to educate and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders by teaching them life skills and environmental issues. This programme aims to “create a network of learning sanctuaries that uplifts and cares for our children and conserves the planet.” Great numbers of children are involved in these programmes, 2,500 children attend rural, school-based clubs per year; more than 300 children per year are granted a scholarship which pays for their education and Wilderness Safaris and their partner destination host annual camps, which more than 500 children attend.

Wilderness Safaris partner properties all work under the sustainability ethos of conservation, culture, commerce and community. Pack for a Purpose is one of the community projects that Wilderness Safaris has partnered with, it is “a non-profit organisation that provides travellers with up-to-date information about required supplies for community-based projects.” With no one inhabiting these rural areas of Africa accurate recordings of species could not be undertaken.

Wilderness Safaris are present throughout the whole year which allows them to provide not just financial support but also logistical support to anti-poaching initiatives. Due to their presence wildlife numbers have increased dramatically with elephant, lechwe and puku growing markedly. The emphasis on ecotourism is changing lives “camps and lodges bring employment and training, opportunities for growth and travel, and exposure to another world.”

Wilderness Safaris serves to protect and conserve the land in which they operate. The continent of Africa is unique, with over 1000 different mammal species and fauna and humans living side by side. With a commitment to ecotourism, they are helping to conserve biodiversity. Currently, Wilderness Safaris helps to protect over 2.5million hectares of African wilderness and in 2015 they were awarded a medal by the government of Botswana for Meritorious Service to the country. One of the ways they try to protect the environment is by making sure their camps have a light footprint.

Trying to achieve “purposeful luxury” their camps are all built with environmentally-sensitive architecture. Understanding the fragility of the wilderness they operate in, they make sure they minimise any negative impact they might have on the environment and the camps are thoughtfully placed in locations where they don’t take away from the wilderness of the area.

Wilderness Safaris have a commitment to community engagement in the areas surrounding their camps. Through community employment, Wilderness Safaris currently have more than 100 staff members from local communities throughout their camps, and with the average staff member supporting 7 other dependents each, 700 further people benefit. Community partnerships can also help to protect and conserve the land. Wilderness Safaris Damaraland Camp is located in the Torra Conservancy, and through community work and ecotourism they protect around 350 hectares of land within the Torra Conservancy. As a result of this protected land, the wildlife is prospering and “‘problem animals’ are now seen as a resource that can bring money into the community via ecotourism.”

With animals and humans living side by side there is a risk of human-wildlife conflict, and Wilderness Safaris seek to address this issue. The Skeleton Coast has seen its desert-adapted lion population grow considerably in the past 15 years. Lion mortalities are declining as attitudes in the community are changing due in part to Wilderness Safaris’ help. A research centre was built at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp for their Desert Lion Project, and the attention gained from an acclaimed documentary have helped local communities and guests understand the importance of the desert-adapted lions and a greater understanding has allowed rural communities to live peacefully with the lions.

Trying to reduce the use of plastic, especially bottled water, Pelo Camp use reusable bottles for guests. This initiative has reduced “plastic water bottle usage by 75%.”