Sable Alley sits on the banks of a lily-covered lagoon in the Khwai Private Reserve, on the north-eastern edge of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. This is permanent water, and that is the point. While other pans fail through the dry months, this lagoon holds, and the wildlife stays close. A resident pod of around thirty hippos holds the water in front of camp, audible from the deck long before it comes into view.
This is permanent water, and that is the point
Elephants and buffalo work the lagoon edges, and lechwe and impala graze the fringes, so a good deal of the wildlife viewing happens without ever leaving the deck. To the south lies Moremi Game Reserve, its grasslands visible across the water. The effect is two views of game at once: the lagoon in the foreground, the distant floodplains beyond, and the deck as the seat for both.
The Khwai Private Reserve covers around 200,000 hectares, and Sable Alley is one of only a handful of camps within it. That low density is what makes the difference. Private-concession status permits night drives, walking safaris and off-road driving, none of it allowed in neighbouring Moremi. It means finding leopard, serval and honey badger after dark, or following a sighting rather than watching it disappear down a fixed track.
That low density is what makes the difference
Water levels dictate the rest of the programme. When the Delta fills, mokoro excursions and boating open up the channels around camp, and the birdlife along the riparian fringe runs to Okavango wetland and woodland species. The reserve holds lion, leopard and African wild dog, alongside giraffe, zebra, and the sable and roan antelope that gave the camp its name.
Colin Bell began guiding in Botswana in 1977. Six years later he co-founded the first of two defining safari companies, and later the second, giving him a hand in three of the names that shaped modern safari. He was an early architect of revenue-sharing partnerships between operators and rural communities, the model on which concessions like Khwai now run, and he played a part in returning black and white rhino to the Okavango. Bell is one of four founders behind the company that owns and runs Sable Alley today, each bringing decades of guiding and concession management to the venture.
That heritage shows in where the camp stands. The Khwai Private Reserve was a hunting concession until 2009. Management then passed to the current operators, working in partnership with the local community, and the land was rebuilt as a photographic reserve. Wildlife has recovered across the woodland, floodplain and mopane habitats in the years since, so that guests now arrive on land that was, within living memory, given over to something else entirely.
Little separates the room from the lagoon but a wall of mesh and a few feet of deck
Twelve tented suites stand on raised timber decks, canvas-walled and open to the lagoon through floor-to-ceiling mesh. The look is light and contemporary: pale woods, soft neutral tones, and an open-fronted thatched main area built high to catch the air. A 2026 refurbishment brought private plunge pools to the extended decks, so that guests can return from a morning drive and cool off while the hippos work the water just below. Little separates the room from the lagoon but a wall of mesh and a few feet of deck.
Days settle into an easy pattern. Coffee arrives at the tent before dawn, breakfast is taken around the fire pit ahead of the drive, and lunch moves with the shade of the trees. Dinner is served under open sky. The main lounge, bar and pool all face the lagoon, so the game viewing continues through the hours between activities: a gin and tonic on the deck as elephants come down to drink. Access is by light aircraft to the Khwai airstrip, roughly twenty minutes from Maun, then a short drive in.
accommodation
Twelve canvas-and-timber suites on raised decks: nine twin or double tents, two interconnecting family tents with separate bedrooms, and one honeymoon suite set apart for privacy. Each has an en-suite bathroom with double basins, indoor and outdoor showers, and a private veranda. A 2026 refurbishment added plunge pools, minibars and coffee stations. Solar-powered throughout.
activities
Within the Khwai Private Reserve, Sable Alley offers day and night game drives, off-road driving, and guided walks with an armed guide, none of which are permitted in neighbouring Moremi. When water levels allow, mokoro excursions and boating open the channels. Birdwatching, scenic helicopter flights and private vehicle hire are also available, along with sundowners across the reserve.
conservation
Sable Alley operates as a joint venture with the Khwai Community Trust, directing tourism revenue to Khwai Village. It supports the Khwai pre-school, for children aged four to six, and an anti-poaching and anti-snaring programme within the reserve. The Wild Shots initiative teaches conservation photography to young people from disadvantaged communities, and the Pack for a Purpose scheme channels guest donations to the school.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
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By light aircraft. A charter from Maun reaches the Khwai Private Reserve airstrip in around half an hour, and a short game drive delivers you to camp on its lagoon. We arrange the flight as part of your trip and match it to your Maun connection.
These are shared charters, timed the day before once routing is set, and they can touch down at another airstrip or two on the way. If you would rather fly direct on your own schedule, we can arrange a private charter, typically a Cessna Caravan or Pilatus PC-12, timed to your international arrival. Pack into soft bags of about 20kg, which we confirm with you beforehand.
The northern Okavango is a malaria area, so we would not call it malaria-free. Risk follows the water: low through the dry winter months from June to October, higher once the summer rains arrive and standing water spreads.
We do not make medical recommendations. That is a conversation between you and your own doctor or a travel clinic, who know your history and can weigh it properly. We are travel planners, not medical professionals, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise.
June to October is the classic window, when the drying Kalahari pushes game onto the Delta's permanent water and July to September gives the best balance of high water and strong sightings. October is hotter and more concentrated, and the green summer from November brings the migrant birds.
The Delta's flood is a winter event, fed by Angolan rain rather than local storms, so boating and mokoro trips around Sable Alley's lagoon are usually at their fullest from around June to September. The lagoon here holds water year-round, which keeps a resident hippo pod and plenty of game close even as other channels drop, but if boat-based days are a priority we will check levels before you commit.
Expect warm, dry winter days in the mid-twenties from June to September, with cold starts to the morning drives that can feel close to freezing in the open vehicle. Bring a fleece, a windproof layer, a hat and gloves for dawn, then lighter clothing for the day as it warms. October turns hot, sometimes above 40 degrees.
Choose neutral colours, pack sun protection year-round, and add a light rain jacket for the green summer months when short, heavy storms roll through.
Yes. The camp takes children from age six and has two interconnecting family tents, so a family can settle together. A 2026 refurbishment added plunge pools to the suites, which younger guests tend to appreciate in the heat of the day.
Let us know the children's ages when you plan the trip, as walking safaris and mokoro outings have their own age limits that we will confirm for you.
There is wifi in camp, delivered over satellite, so it handles messages and email rather than heavy browsing or streaming. There is no mobile phone signal out here.
It is enough to stay in touch with home or work if you need to, while still leaving room for the disconnection most people come for.
rated five stars by our clients
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our approach
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
