The lodge

Inspired by one of the Okavango Delta’s most secretive inhabitants, the guest areas of Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge rise out of the trees clad in a wooden skin of shingles and timber that mirrors the pangolin’s body armour of overlapping scales. Organic and handmade, the lodge blends perfectly with its surroundings, becoming one with the Delta itself.

Stairs rising out of bower of trees lead into cool and spacious interior, ending on a terrace set just above ground level. A curved wooden roof soars high overhead, creating a grand and immense sense of scale. High interiors let in the clear African light and the endless Delta horizons, while an interactive kitchen tantalises guests with the fragrant aroma of spices at each mealtime. Warm and inviting, the vast expanse of the bar invites guests to linger over a sundowner drink or a morning cappuccino, enjoying spectacular views over a sea of papyrus from the elevated viewing deck. Descending to the shaded forest floor, a series of decks open out onto a lantern-lit boma formed from huge logs of descending size that mimic the tail bones of the pangolin.

Decorated in shades of copper and wood, intricately woven baskets abound throughout the guest areas, celebrating the arts and crafts of the Delta. The vast dining room is dominated by an immense table roughly carved from the root of an ironwood tree. Two large woven carpets duplicate the intricate patterns on the underneath of the area’s beautiful water lilies.

Grand interiors open out onto even grander vistas and every nook and cranny opens out onto unparalleled Delta views, even the cosy and intimate massage sala.

While the main guest areas embrace the shelter of the Delta forest, the twelve elegant guest suites peep out from beneath its canopy, raised above the fringes of papyrus that line the Delta channels.