Atzaro Okavango Reviews: First-Hand Insights from Our Safari Stay (2026)
- Craig Howes
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
By Craig Howes, Editor – African Safari Mag
I’ve stayed at Atzaró Okavango twice now. The first time, we arrived by helicopter over the Delta’s north-western floodplains, water threading through grasslands in every direction. The second visit was quieter, slower, and more revealing.
What Atzaró does best isn’t spectacle. It’s space. Design. Stillness. And a very deliberate way of experiencing the Okavango that won’t suit every safari traveller, but deeply rewards the right one.
On our most recent visit, I shared the experience with actor Luke Evans. We also recorded an on-site podcast with Lasty, one of Atzaró’s senior guides, whose reflections on the land, wildlife, and what it means to guide here added depth that only local knowledge can bring.
In this review, you’ll find my first-hand experiences alongside verified guest testimonials, so you can decide for yourself whether Atzaró Okavango is the right safari lodge for you.
Atzaro At a Glance
Guest Ratings: Consistently high across service, setting, food, and guiding
Best For: Couples, return safari travellers, photographers, wellness-oriented guests
Defining Traits: Design-led luxury, private plunge pools, helicopter access, mokoro safaris
Opened: March 2024
Pricing sits in the upper Delta range. Atzaró is not the most expensive lodge in the Okavango, but it is firmly positioned in the premium category, with helicopter access and privacy baked into the experience.
Atzaró is not designed for guests who want dawn-to-dusk game drives or a traditional, checklist-style safari.
"From the moment our helicopter landed in the heart of the Okavango Delta, I knew this was going to be special. Atzaro Okavango exceeded every expectation. The staff were warm and attentive, the tea room was a tranquil oasis, and the ancestral boma under the stars felt like stepping back in time. This wasn’t just a safari—it was a soul-stirring adventure that I’ll never forget. Craig Howes- Editor African Safari Mag
What Sets Atzaró Okavango Apart
There are many exceptional safari camps in Africa. Atzaró Okavango occupies a narrower, more intentional space.
Rather than competing with high-intensity game-drive lodges, it leans into architectural restraint, privacy, and pace. The safari experience unfolds around that rhythm instead of dominating it.
1. A Large, Private Concession
Atzaró sits within an approximately 1,100 km² private concession between Moremi Game Reserve and the Gomoti Plains.
Year-round water access supports mokoro safaris and strong birdlife
No external vehicle traffic
A sense of remoteness that is increasingly rare in the Delta
2. Helicopter Access and Aerial Perspective
Guests arrive directly by scenic helicopter flight, with an aircraft based at camp.
Transfers bypass long light-aircraft hops
Optional scenic flights offer a revealing view of the Delta’s scale and water systems
Helicopter Flight to Atzaro Okavango. Photo Craig Howes
3. Design-Led Luxury
The aesthetic is calm and deliberate rather than theatrical.
Parquet floors, natural stone, brass tubs, and shaded decks
Every suite includes a private plunge pool with lagoon views
Two exclusive-use villas with private staff and vehicles
This feels closer to a wellness retreat in the wilderness than a traditional bush camp.
4. Cultural and Culinary Layers
Evenings often revolve around the ancestral boma, fireside dinners, storytelling, and informal moments that feel participatory rather than staged.
The Palm Bar acts as a social anchor, serving locally inspired cocktails and offering long views over the Delta as the light fades.
5. Sustainability Without Performance
Atzaró’s sustainability work is integrated rather than advertised.
100% solar-powered
Advanced water systems and zero single-use plastics
Local employment and community partnerships are visible, not symbolic
6. Newly Opened: The Delta’s Most Refined 2024 Lodge
Opened in March 2024, Atzaró Okavango is the newest addition to the Delta’s luxury scene
The Suites: Designed to Slow You Down
Atzaró’s eight suites and two villas are intentionally inward-facing, encouraging time spent at camp rather than constant movement.
Large terraces and plunge pools
Indoor-outdoor bathrooms and soaking tubs
Climate control, strong Wi-Fi, and thoughtful interiors
Villas offer complete privacy with personal guides and chefs
On my second visit, I brought my camera out of habit. By the third day, it stayed behind most mornings. The pace asked for something slower.
Atzaro is Luxury Redefined
"Atzaro Okavango is a masterpiece of luxury in the wild. Waking up to elephants just outside my suite, followed by a delicious breakfast with a view of the delta, felt surreal. The camp blends comfort with nature seamlessly, offering world-class service without losing the essence of the wilderness. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience." Atzaro Guest
Safari Experiences, in Context
I wasn’t there to chase sightings, though we were fortunate with exceptional wildlife.
During our stay, we encountered lions repeatedly, large buffalo herds at golden hour, a relaxed cheetah, and near-constant elephant movement around camp.
We also witnessed three African wild dog kills, an extraordinary rarity anywhere in Africa.
What stood out more than volume was how the safari fitted around the lodge’s slower rhythm, not the other way around.
Activities include:
Private game drives with experienced guides and trackers
Mokoro safaris through lily-lined channels
Walking safaris focused on ecology and tracking
Helicopter Safaris – See the Okavango from the sky, camera ready
Helicopter Safari Excellent birding, with over 400 recorded species
Community visits that feel genuine rather than performative
Wine Tasting: Embark on a journey through a thoughtfully curated selection of wines, enhancing your culinary experience.
A Photographer’s Paradise
"As an wildlife photographer, I couldn’t have asked for a better setting than Atzaro Okavango. The guided safaris were incredible, with close encounters with lions, leopards, and even wild dogs! The lodge itself was picture-perfect, from the design of the suites to the way it harmonizes with the surroundings. Every moment felt like a postcard waiting to be captured."
Dining That Tells a Story
Meals at Atzaró Okavango follow the same philosophy as the lodge itself: unhurried, considered, and quietly confident.
Menus lean on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients with African influences, but presentation is restrained rather than theatrical. Dinners might be served in the main lodge, on your private terrace, or under the stars with timing driven by the day’s rhythm, not a fixed schedule.
The Palm Bar becomes a natural gathering point in the evenings. Cocktails are built around local botanicals, and conversation tends to stretch as the Delta cools and wildlife begins to move.
Food here isn’t designed to impress through excess. It supports the wider experience, and that feels intentional.
Wellness in the Wilderness
Wellness is not an add-on here. It’s central to the experience.
African-inspired spa treatments
A yoga shala suspended above the water
A 20-metre swimming pool framed by wilderness
A compact but well-equipped gym with expansive views
This is a lodge designed for restoration as much as exploration.
Guest Impressions
"One of the most extraordinary places I've ever stayed. Atzaró Okavango is everything you dream a safari could be — and more."— Luke Evans, Actor & Safari Guest, 2024 Trip with African Safari Mag
More Atzaro Okavango Reviews.
“From the moment our helicopter landed, I knew this was going to be special. Atzaró exceeded every expectation.”— Francois Van Schakwyk, FIlm Maker
“As a wildlife photographer, I couldn’t ask for a better setting. I saw lions, wild dogs, leopards, every moment was a postcard.”— Guest, July 2024
“Waking up to elephants just outside my suite, then enjoying breakfast with a view of the Delta… it was like living in a dream.”— Guest, June 2024
Moremi Game Reserve: Legendary Neighbor
Moremi Game Reserve borders Atzaró’s private concession and provides important ecological context for the area. As Botswana’s first community-declared reserve, it protects nearly 4,000 km² of floodplains, islands, and savannah.
While guests don’t move freely between Moremi and Atzaró’s concession, the proximity contributes to strong predator presence and seasonal wildlife movement through the region. The experience at Atzaró remains private and controlled, with less vehicle density than inside the reserve itself.
Atzaró Okavango sits within the upper tier of Okavango Delta luxury lodges, though it is priced below the very top-end flagship camps. Rates vary by season and reflect the lodge’s private concession, design-led approach, and highly personalised safari experience.
Season | Dates | Rate per Person per Night (USD) |
Emerald Season | January - March | $740 |
Mid Season | April - May | $1,310 |
Peak Season | June - October | $1,980 |
Shoulder Season | November | $1,310 |
EmeraldSeason | December | $740 |
Rates are per person per night and subject to change. They typically include accommodation, all meals, drinks, daily safari activities, and transfers within the concession. Helicopter transfers to and from the lodge are required and charged separately, and a community and conservation levy applies.
Details should always be confirmed directly with Atzaró Okavango or through a trusted safari planner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Atzaró Okavango different from other Delta lodges?
Atzaró Okavango is designed around space, architectural restraint, and pace, rather than constant game-drive intensity. Set within a large private concession, it prioritises privacy, design-led luxury, and a slower, more restorative way of experiencing the Delta. It suits travellers who value stillness and intention as much as wildlife.
June to October offers the most consistent game viewing during the dry season, but the green season brings lower rates, dramatic floodplains, and excellent birdlife, with fewer vehicles and a softer, greener landscape. The experience differs by season rather than improving or declining.
How do guests get to Atzaró Okavango?
Atzaró Okavango is accessed by scenic helicopter transfer, typically from Maun or a nearby regional hub. The lodge does not have a conventional airstrip, which contributes to its isolation and privacy. Helicopter transfers are required and arranged separately from the nightly rate.
Is Atzaró Okavango suitable for first-time safari travellers?
It can be, but it is best suited to travellers who are comfortable with a slower, design-forward safari experience. First-time guests focused primarily on maximising sightings may prefer a more traditional, drive-led Delta camp.
What is typically included in the nightly rate?
Rates generally include accommodation, all meals, drinks, daily safari activities, and internal transfers within the concession. Helicopter transfers to reach the lodge, conservation levies, and premium extras are charged separately and should be confirmed in advance with Atzaró Okavango or a safari planner.
Final Verdict: Is Atzaró Okavango Worth It?
If your idea of luxury includes architectural restraint, privacy, and a sense of stillness, and you’re less concerned with maximising sightings, then Atzaró Okavango is one of the most distinctive new lodges in the Okavango Delta.
If, however, your priority is constant movement, traditional bush camps, or ticking off species lists, other Delta lodges may suit you better.
Atzaró doesn’t try to be everything. For the right traveller, that focus is exactly what makes it work.
Not sure whether Atzaró Okavango, or another Delta lodge, is the right fit? We can help you compare options.
About African Safari Mag
African Safari Mag is an independent editorial platform focused on helping travellers make informed safari decisions.
We combine first-hand experience, expert insight, and on-the-ground perspective to guide readers through the complexity of African safari travel, from choosing destinations and seasons to understanding lodge styles, costs, and trade-offs.
Whether you’re planning your first safari or refining your tenth, our role is not to sell you a specific lodge, but to help you understand why a place does, or does not, suit your priorities.
Explore destination guides, lodge reviews, conservation stories, and safari planning resources at www.africansafarimag.com.
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About the Author
Craig Howes is the editor of African Safari Mag and a long-time safari photographer and writer focused on Southern and East Africa.
He has spent extensive time in the Okavango Delta and across Botswana, documenting wildlife, landscapes, and lodge experiences through repeat visits rather than single-stay reviews. His work centres on helping travellers understand not just what a safari offers, but who it is actually right for.
Craig’s approach prioritises first-hand experience, honest trade-offs, and long-term perspective over hype or rankings. His writing is informed by time in the field with guides, conservationists, and lodge teams, and shaped by the belief that the best safaris are chosen with clarity, not pressure.
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