Abu Camp

Abu Camp is the home of Elephant Back Safaris, offering what is arguably the most unique and exclusive safari experience in Africa. Named after the legendary elephant 'Abu', the star of such films as "White Hunter, Black Heart", and "The Power of One", this camp offers guests the opportunity of close interaction with the world's largest land mammal, in one of Africa's most beautiful and game-rich settings.

Abu Camp is located on a vast 400,000-acre private concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta. All the Delta's habitat types are represented on the concession, from permanent channels to flood plains, savanna bushveld to mopane forest and open grassland. With its prime location, the area is also rich in game  -  from 'dangerous game' like lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant, to giraffe, hippo, and a spectacular array of plains game species.

"Abu" means “everything relating to elephants”and the primary focus at Abu Camp is undoubtedly the elephants! Guests enjoy the unique opportunity of viewing Africa's wildlife from the backs of the giant pachyderms. Not only are elephants the perfect 'vehicles' for the environment, with unmatched off-road capabilities, but they are also a familiar feature to Africa's various wild species, and guests will often enjoy game-viewing from very close quarters.

Guests sit atop the behemoths in large, comfortable, custom-made saddles, each elephant being steered and controlled by a professional handler. Baby elephants accompany the safari, cavorting in the water, wandering off, and charging back while the adults amble quietly along. For an alternative perspective, guests may walk or 'mekoro' along side the elephants, and participate in the animal's care and training  back at camp.

In addition to the elephant back safaris, guests are also encouraged to participate in the plethora of other exciting activities that the Okavango Delta has to offer. Game-drives in specially adapted open 4x4 safari vehicles supplement the game-viewing from elephant back, allowing guests to cover more ground in their pursuit of the Delta's wildlife. Night drives provide insight into some of Africa's nocturnal species, while gliding through the Delta's channels and floodplains in a 'mekoro' or dugout canoe offers yet another perspective on this idyllic environment. Guided walks and bird-watching round off the complete Delta experience.

When guests require a respite, they can simply relax in the luxurious ambiance of Abu Camp. Guests are accommodated in six luxurious custom-designed tented rooms, raised on teak decking and overlooking the lagoon in front of camp. The lofty retreats reflect a contemporary interpretation of the classic safari aesthetic. Each suite is individually decorated in calming colors that mirror the sun-bleached landscape.

Abu Camp also features two unique “star beds,” or sleeping platforms, which accommodate two guests each. Perched over the elephant enclosure, each double story structure has its own bathroom with shower, basin and loo on the lower deck and bed located upstairs under a billowy mosquito net with a viewing deck overlooking the gentle giants below.  

The main camp is set on layered teak decking that winds its way around African ebony and sycamore fig trees. The patented shape of the main camp was inspired by the Sidney Opera House, and includes a living room, dining room, well stocked library and plunge pool. The vast decking provides the perfect relaxation area, whether for sipping cocktails at sunset to celebrate the end of another perfect day, or enjoying a cognac around the fire after dinner, imagining the adventures that tomorrow will bring.

There is no other safari experience in Africa that combines the unique experience of game-viewing from elephant back, with the beauty and majesty of one of the continent's most magical and game-rich environments. Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Abu Camp comes from some of the guests who have stayed there:

"This must be the greatest camp in all of Africa" - Jack Lemmon

"One of the 10 things to do before you die" - Forbes

"If you only do one safari in your entire lifetime, this is the one" - CNN

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