Kanana is a hidden jewel on the Xudum River, which is located in the southwestern region of the Okavango Delta. The area encompasses several islands featuring palms, figs, ebony and knob thorn, and is home to an abundance of birds, plants and animals. This habitat is the perfect destination to experience the diversity that the Delta has to offer.

The accommodation offering at Kanana boasts seven spacious twin and double-bedded safari tents. Each featuring en-suite bathrooms, a large walk-in shower and luxurious facilities. The family tents offer two bedrooms that share an en-suite bathroom as well as an outdoor shower. The tents offer guests ultimate privacy and are well spaced.

Located in the Delta, annual floods transform the concession into a true water paradise. Guests have the best of both worlds with exciting water and land-based activities. Enjoy magnificent game sightings during safari drives and exploring the delta with classic mokoro or motorboat excursions. The lodge is perched over the Xudum River, offering brilliant views the water visibly rising around the camp’s raised teak decks.

The Sleep Out Deck offers guests the opportunity to spend the night out under the magnificent African night sky. The new sleep out deck at Kanana overlooks an expansive water hole and is a mere 20 minutes gentle drive from camp. When filled by the annual rains the water hole is home to hippo, crocodiles and a myriad of birdlife. With the arrival of the dry season and as water recedes, the plains turn into a rich grassland and attract abundant game by day and night!

Kanana’s private concession location allows guided walks, Mokoro excursions and night drives in addition to game drives and motor boating. Wildlife is in abundance with frequent predator sightings such as lions, leopards and wild dog, all making Kanana their hunting grounds. The camp also affords private access to one of the largest heronries not only in the Okavango Delta but Southern Africa and is an excellent area for birding with regular sightings of Pels Fishing Owl.

About the Kanana Private Concession

Located in the southeastern “heart” of the Delta, bounded by the Boro and Xudum rivers, adjoining the southwestern edge of the Xo flats. The concession is 94.8 square kilometres in extent.

A large part of the concession comprises permanent Delta with its typical mosaic of reedbeds, stands
of papyrus, channels and small occluded lagoons, and small islands forested with typical Delta trees and shrubs, often with an open spiky grass area in the centre where the salts pumped out by tree transpiration are accumulated. In the northwestern corner lie two lagoons that contain the largest and most active heronry in Southern Africa. The heronry is approximately 100 hectares in extent and is the most important southern African breeding site for Pink Backed Pelicans. The southeastern part of the concession lies within the northernmost extent of the Khurunaraxa sand tongue. And comprises adjoining islands large enough for game drives and walking safaris. The vegetation is a patchwork of open grassland and pans and riverine forest. Kanana Camp is located in the southeastern part in an Island forest on the edge of a Xudum offshoot waterway that leads to the heronry.

Kudu, Impala, Bushbuck, Sitatunga and Lechwe are year-round residents. In addition, there is an active Leopard territory that borders the camp and Lions are frequent visitors. All the smaller predators are also represented. Hippos and Crocodiles inhabit the river channels and lagoons. Seasonal visitors are Buffalo and small groups of Zebra and Wildebeest. Elephants are in residence for most of the year. All the normal Delta bird species are represented, and, from July through October, the heronry plays host to Pink Backed Pelicans, Reed Cormorants, three types of Herons, Darters, three types of Egrets, Marabout Storks and both Glossy and Sacred Ibis. Pel’s Fishing Owl have breeding sights on Islands accessible by boat or Mokoro.