andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

These luxury tented units stand elevated above the ground on raised wooden decks, facilitating exceptional views over the surrounding river delta – accommodating up to 2 guests. Interior boasts an organic design, complete with hand-woven exteriors which compliment a cosy and intimate aesthetic. These units are elegantly furnished with a host of modern features such as en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, indoor and outdoor shower facilities, a private plunge pool and many other amenities designed to elevate the guest experience.

Amenities Include:

• En-suite bathroom
• Indoor and outdoor shower facilities
• King size or twin beds
• Balcony/deck
• Veranda
• Private plunge pool
• Air-conditioning
• Fan
• Fireplace
• Mini bar
• Fridge
• Electrical outlets
• Hairdryer
• Safe
• Dressing gowns
• A small kettle with tea and coffee
• Complimentary internet access
• Complimentary laundry service

This luxury family unit is comprised of two conjoined suites, connected via an enclosed walkway and elevated above the ground on raised wooden decks, facilitating exceptional views over the surrounding river delta – accommodating up to 4 guests. Interior boasts an organic design, complete with hand-woven exteriors which compliment a cosy and intimate aesthetic.

These units are elegantly furnished with a host of modern features such as en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, indoor and outdoor shower facilities, a private plunge pool and many other amenities designed to elevate the guest experience.

Amenities Include:

• En-suite Bathrooms
• Indoor and outdoor shower facilities
• King size or twin beds
• Balcony/deck
• Veranda
• Private plunge pool
• Air-conditioning
• Fan
• Fireplace
• Mini bar
• Fridge
• Electronical outlets
• Hairdryer
• Safe
• Dressing gowns
• A small kettle with tea and coffee
• Complimentary internet access
• Complimentary laundry service

Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge offers a truly comprehensive, well rounded dining experience. Prepare for a feast like no other as executive camp chefs prepare freshly made, indulgent banquets inspired of local cuisines and delicacies.

Three set meals are served throughout the day, ranging from lite and healthy to lavish and extravagant, with everything else in-between – including a host of snacks and bites to nibble on throughout the day. An expansive children’s menu provides a sumptuous range of tried-and-true crowd pleasers that is sure to please all visiting youngsters. Feel free to indulge in a range of locally sourced food and beverages at your own discretion. Imported food and beverages are provided at additional fees. Kosher foods are currently unavailable.

Guided game drives provide the opportunity to traverse expansive delta lands in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Thriving game populations within the concession make for ample wildlife viewing potential as you travel across open landscapes and merging eco systems. Picturesque Okavango landscapes have more to offer than just the Big 5, with regular sightings of zebra, kudu, tsessebe, red lechwe, giraffe, and even the rare wild dogs and spotted hyenas that prowl the land in search of prey.

Embark on foot across immersive delta lands in the company of experienced guides and friends alike. Lace-up for an adventure like no other and be sure to bring a camera, as you don’t want to miss the opportunity to photograph the expanse of exotic, meandering animals synonymous with authentic African Style safari game viewing. An area is chosen at the guide’s discretion, in keeping with safe distances from large herds of elephant and buffalo. Prepare for immersion with the scents of wild flora, the sounds of life around you and consistent game sightings.

For a truly unique safari experience, you’re welcome to book a host of private land excursion activities with your own personal guide and tracker. Choose the duration of your activity and plot your own course for adventure as you make for the wild with exclusive companionship. Bespoke safari activities come at additional fees.

Experience the Okavango Delta like never before with this once in a lifetime Sandibe helicopter safari. View the breath-taking expanse of inaccessible lakes and islands – remote and otherwise unseen, as well as the abundance of roaming wildlife that can be seen passing beneath your feet.

This experience will allow you to truly absorb the full magnitude and beauty of Okavango Delta from high above the sky, covering a considerably larger expanse than what is possible with conventional land-based safari. Scenic helicopter safaris are accessible via external location and come at additional fees.

Set sail for the marine safari adventure of a lifetime as your private guide – experienced in the art of mokoro excursion, rows you through tranquil delta channels in search of aquatic game and exotic bird species. There are few things more relaxing than calmly drifting through delta waters in a traditional style dug-out canoe, soaking in the atmosphere at the heart of the Okavango.

Set sale for a fishing excursion like no other. The Okavango Delta and its surrounding lakes and lagoons provide the quintessential arena to unwind while you cast a line. Little compares to the sensation of calmly drifting through delta waters, soaking in the atmosphere of the surrounding bushland. Delta’s channels provide an abundance of seasonal fish such as tilapia and spotted silver catfish.

For a more intense fishing experience, test your hand against African pike – infamous fighters. Basic equipment is supplied, though avid fly-fishers are advised to bring their own equipment. Please note, catch and release fishing only.

Set sail for the river delta in this once in a lifetime marine safari adventure. Traverse open waters in hard bottom aluminium boats as professionally licensed guides take you on a journey through the deeper channels of the Okavango Delta. Sightings are consistent throughout the delta channels as predator and prey alike converge on river waters to drink and feast on the reeds, ensuring a truly remarkable maritime safari experience. Boats are equipped with comfortable seats, a foldaway canvas roof and life jackets as standard.

Moremi Game Reserve is home to over 450 species of indigenous birds that thrive in these natural habitats of the Okavango. Birding here is spectacular and attracts wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike from every corner of the globe, especially during the spring and summer seasons when migrating birds flock forth to breed in remarkable fashion. Some of the rarer avian species include the elusive Pel’s fishing owl, endangered wattled crane and the majestic African fish eagle.

andBeyond offers a host of entertaining activities for children aged 3–12 years old. Whilst on a family safari, you can rest assured knowing that your children will always be safe and well cared for (both during activities and back at the lodge).

Children visiting the lodge can take advantage of the fun-filled and engaging WILDchild programme where children may participate in a range of activities such as baking in the kitchen with lodge chefs, identifying tracks with camp rangers, bug-finding missions, fishing, lily-necklace making and educational star gazing excursions.

Set forth for Sexaxa Village, just outside Maun for an enriching insight into the community support initiatives and infrastructural projects spearheaded by the andBeyond Africa Foundation, with guided tours around places such as Sexaxa Primary School.

A trip to Sexaxa Village will better help illustrate the positive impact that you have on disadvantaged communities by seeing first-hand how the proceeds from your stay are utilised to enhance the quality of life for countless individuals. Village excursions are carried out on the day of departure and vary based on departure times.

For those seeking exclusive insight into the sustainability practices at Sandibe lodge, guided, behind the scenes tours will illustrate the environmentally friendly measures that facilitate camp operations. Take a tour around the first solar power plant ever to be built in the Okavango Delta back in 2014 and view the wealth of cutting-edge green technologies that comprise the modern ecolodges of Southern Africa.

Since 1991, andBeyond’s company ethos has been “Care of the Land, Wildlife & People.” Always looking for ways to contribute to wildlife spaces and local communities and reducing their environmental impact, without compromising the guest experience.

Each of their lodges have a “sustainability champion” who looks for ideas “to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, recycling initiatives, conservation awareness drives, water efficiency, addressing erosion and re-greening.” Exclusive experiences are created for guests whilst showing lasting benefits which are meaningful for the communities around their camps and the natural environment. Currently andBeyond have 59 awards recognising their sustainability impact.

andBeyond protects endangered land and marine species in the areas they operate, focusing on a minimum of at least 3 endangered species in each area. In Botswana they support the Rhinos Without Borders initiative which so far has translocated 87 rhinos from South Africa to Botswana to keep them safe from poachers. They also help maintain biodiversity by actively managing the wildlife populations in the areas they operate. To help care for the wildlife andBeyond educate local communities in conservation, over 18,000 lessons on conservation have been taught.

andBeyond understands that to protect the land they operate on they need to implement ecologically friendly and sustainable initiatives. One of the aims is to reduce their direct carbon footprint by 8%. Thus far, all andBeyond lodges have been audited with an average sustainability score of 88%.

Another way they are caring for the land is by resourcing and using their water sustainably, 96% of lodges use water sourced from water bottling plants and they are currently 85 litres per head better than their target of 500 litres per head. A target for andBeyond is zero plastic water bottles through their camps and so far, 740,000 plastic water bottles have been eliminated per year.

andBeyond “Maximise our localised shared value opportunities through economic benefit, capacity building and social service infrastructure.” They have created 101 jobs in the communities they operate within, offering life changing opportunities to local people.

Through social service infrastructure initiatives, over 56,000 people from local communities now have access to clean water through water access sites and 4724 Hippo Water Rollers, which assist in water transportation. A total of 532 school students have been provided with an opportunity for higher education in 285 new or renovated classrooms.

andBeyond has 23763 hectares of conservation land under their care, meaning that all this land, and the nature that inhabits it, is protected. andBeyond is also working with Great Plains Conservation for their collaborative project, Rhinos Without Borders. On average, one rhino is killed every eight hours by poachers who are seeking rhino horns.

To help combat this, Rhinos Without Borders relocate rhinos from high-risk poaching areas in South Africa to Botswana’s wilderness areas. At present, Rhinos Without Borders has been able to translocate 93 rhinos, who as a result will be far safer from poachers.

andBeyond recognises the threat posed to the world’s oceans and marine resources. Efforts to combat the peril of ocean degradation have inspired a partnership with fellow bastion of ecological awareness, Africa Foundation. In addition to the over 3.6 million hectares (9 million acres) of protected wildlife sustained through the Care of the Wild initiative, andBeyond’s footprint now covers an additional 2000 km (1242 mi.) of African coastline, striving to conserve and enlarge Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

andBeyond seek to apply their trilogy philosophy to their marine operations in order to better care for/impart a positive ecological effect on the areas of ocean under their jurisdiction. This philosophy is comprised of Protecting Reefs, Protecting Marine Species and Community Empowerment, which have thus far, through the facilitation of partnerships with likeminded institutions, proven initial levels of success and sets optimistic targets for future projects.

In line with andBeyond’s stance on ecological sustainability and streamlined efficiency mandate, there currently exists a wealth of initiatives and protocols designed to mediate the ecological impact on areas built upon and utilised for means of ecotourism. For instance, careful site selection ensures that the areas chosen for the construction of all andBeyond properties are compatible with the surrounding landscapes, ecosystems and wildlife.

The implementation of repurposed and recycled construction materials greatly benefits the ecology of the land, negating the need to source and haul industrial quantities of lumber and other construction materials vast distances through otherwise undisturbed ecosystems. Minimal foundations and excavations are achieved using steel frame structures atop the designated areas of construction, minimalising the imprint on the immediate environment.

Energy efficiency is maintained through the architectural use of very wide eaves, covered external terraces, cross ventilation and maximised insulation. Heat pumps have been used to heat the pools, with gas used for water heating, greatly reducing the carbon footprint of these operations. State-of-the-art wastewater and sewer treatment systems enable all wastewater to be effectively recycled for irrigation.

Above-ground wastewater treatment plants work on an environmentally friendly accelerated aerobic and anaerobic digestion process. Up to 57% of all andBeyond lodges now contain water treatment plants. Additionally, an ever-increasing number of andBeyond lodges have seen the installation of Hydraloop grey-water treatment systems, used to purify wastewater for gardens, irrigation and cleaning solar panel banks.

At andBeyond Phinda Mountain Lodge, more accurate water measurement systems have been implemented to trial more efficient water management practices that hold the potential for wide-scale implementation across all andBeyond ecotourism destinations.

Innovative water management initiatives are being rolled out across a variety of andBeyond properties. This is achieved through identifying the locations that would best benefit from these cutting-edge installations and trailing solutions to assess viability for future rollouts in equally afflicted areas. andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is currently testing an above-ground wastewater treatment system which will utilise laundry water to wash safari vehicles and flush staff toilets, saving 160 000 l (42 267 gallons) of water monthly.

Recognising the profoundly negative ecological effects that plastics pose to the environmental welfare of the sensitive ecosystems of Southern Africa, andBeyond have implemented ambitious measures prohibiting the use and importation of plastic bottles to all its properties – derived from the original target of installing water bottling plants at 100% of their lodges.

A target of reducing plastic water bottle usage by 90% was set for 2020, yet this figure was surpassed the year prior with a collective reduction of up to 99% spanning all andBeyond properties. In Southern Africa, all lodges utilise glass water bottles as opposed to plastic, reaping the many ecological and environmental benefits inherent to the change. Glass is 100% recyclable and has an unlimited recyclable life span, making it the most sustainable, if not conscious alternative, posing an inherently smaller carbon footprint and environmental impact.