Elephant Pan: Our View

We arrived at Elephant Pan - tucked deep within the vast Khwai Private Reserve of the iconic Okavango Delta - in the heat of the day. At midday in Africa you can usually count on wildlife taking a break from the sun, even in a game-rich area like Khwai. So it was a wonderful surprise when, climbing the steps to the main deck, we suddenly found ourselves face to face with several enormous, peaceful elephants gathered around the waterhole less than twenty metres away. Lunch was instantly forgotten as cameras came out. That’s Elephant Pan for you: elephants on arrival, elephants when you wake up, and elephants still there as you depart - an encounter that becomes part of the rhythm of your stay.

The camp sits on a newer photographic concession set well away from Khwai Village and the Khwai River - an advantage, in our opinion, as those areas have become increasingly congested. It’s no longer unusual to find multiple vehicles jostling for space around a single leopard sighting.

What stood out immediately at Elephant Pan was the attentive management and the pride they take in the camp’s daily operations. Their passion is reflected in the warm service, excellent food, spotless surroundings, and especially in the guiding. Our guide, who grew up in the Delta within a San community, offered deep insight into the region’s history, wildlife, and ecology - knowledge rooted in lived experience.

As we arrived, guests from New Zealand and Malta were enjoying lunch and enthusiastically declaring Elephant Pan the highlight of their week-long safari. We always pay attention to what fellow travellers say - and that was a definite endorsement.

The camp has eight well-appointed wooden-floor tents set in a Mopane forest overlooking the pan. Arranged in a gentle horseshoe, they feel generous and welcoming. During our winter visit the Mopane trees had shed their leaves, making the layout a little more open, but the tents themselves felt modern, bright, and extremely comfortable.

Elephant Pan offers superb walking with highly trained guides, wonderful game viewing, and their iconic Skybeds - a highlight we found truly memorable.

Elephant Pan: Quick Facts

• 8 modern tents in a Mopane forest overlooking Elephant Pan
• Swimming pool
• Excellent game viewing at the camp and throughout the concession
• Exciting bush walks with highly trained guides
• Passionate on-site management
• Sunken hide for close-up wildlife photography
• Unique Skybed experience
• Access via Banoka Airstrip (approx. 1-hour drive)

Elephant Pan: The Details

During our stay, the pan attracted a steady procession of wildlife: elephants, zebra, hyena, giraffe, and warthog all came to drink. Wanting to experience Elephant Pan’s renowned walking opportunities, we first headed to the new underground hide north of camp. When we arrived, the number of elephants crowding the waterhole made it impossible to enter—the entrance to the hide was effectively blocked by a few enormous feet. After half an hour, with the elephants showing no signs of budging, we continued onward for our walk.

Our plan was to walk across the concession to the Skybeds and arrive in time for sundowners. Our guide - one of the best we’ve had - shared captivating stories of growing up in the Delta, from childhood journeys to Namibia without passports to ingenious traditional ways of catching pheasants. All the while he expertly steered us between grazing elephant herds, scanned for tracks, kept an eye on us, and carried a heavy rifle should it be needed. It was remarkable guiding in every sense.

Arriving at the Skybeds, we enjoyed sundowners and a spectacular sunset from the elevated deck. These impressive wooden structures rise well above the ground, with bathrooms on the lower level and the open-air bedroom on top. A mobile kitchen nearby caters to guests, while armed rangers watch from a respectful distance. For guests who find the experience a little too wild, a vehicle can return them to camp at any time - but for us, spending a night under the African sky, listening to lions and hyena in the distance, was unforgettable.

If there are any drawbacks, they are minor: Elephant Pan does not offer mokoro excursions as it is not close to the permanent Okavango floodwaters, and the one-hour drive from Banoka Airstrip can feel long and dusty after a full day of travel.

Overall, we highly recommend Elephant Pan—particularly for travellers seeking exceptional guiding and walking opportunities. It is a clean, comfortable, unpretentious camp offering outstanding value in a wildlife-rich corner of Botswana.