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Wilderness Pelo

  • AN ADVENTUROUS CAMP ON A PRIVATE ISLAND WITHIN THE JAO RESERVE, IN THE WESTERN REGION OF THE OKAVANGO DELTA
  • JUST FIVE GUEST TENTS, EACH WITH A PRIVATE VERANDA
  • COMFORTABLE LOUNGE, DINING AREA, BAR, BOMA, VIEWING DECK, PLUNGE POOL
  • SEASON-DEPENDENT EXPERTLY GUIDED GAME DRIVES, BOAT RIDES, MOKORO EXCURSIONS, CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING, HELICOPTER FLIGHTS
When To Visit Okavango Delta:
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"Wilderness Pelo may well be our most affordable camp in the Okavango, but this is a little property that oozes character and charm. Often referred to as our best value camp, Wilderness Pelo epitomises the very essence of the Okavango. A wonderful little camp that offers truly great value in one of our premium reserves."

OVERVIEW:

Run by Wilderness in their famous Jao Reserve, Wilderness Pelo is the perfect camp for the all-round water experience. It's simple, adventurous, and great value, Wilderness Pelo is very hard to beat. One of the company’s 16 camps in the Delta, the style is rustic yet very comfortable nevertheless. As a seasonal camp, Wilderness Pelo is typically open between March and November each year.  

The price of your stay includes accommodation, all meals, all local drinks, twice-daily scheduled camp activities, park fees, and a laundry service. There’s a minimum age requirement of 13 years, but all ages are welcome when the property is booked for exclusive use. Wilderness Pelo has a minimum age restriction of 13 years due to the key activity being mokoro excursions/mekoro.

WILDERNESS PELO ACCESS & LOCATION:

The camp is accessed via a 45-minute boat transfer from the local airstrip. It’s situated on a heart-shaped island within the West Delta’s wildlife-rich Jao Reserve. The word Pelo actually means ‘heart’ in the local Tswana language!

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT WILDERNESS PELO:

The cosy guest accommodation consists of five tents in the Meru style. These are well spaced out amidst wild date palms, jackalberry, and mahogany trees on the island’s shoreline. All are raised slightly above ground level on wooden decking, and a few steps lead up onto the deck. Here, you’ll find a couple of chairs, a small table, and amazing views over the reserve! The interiors feature a double bed or twin beds, bedside lighting, an overhead fan, a writing desk and chair, a comfy seating area, and a sturdy storage trunk. Additional amenities include a charging station and a tea-and-coffee supply. Behind the bed is a washbasin, while a flush toilet and a shower are positioned at the back of the tent. The camp provides a good assortment of toiletries, and there’s also a wardrobe offering extra storage space, a safe, and a few essential items. Finally, there’s an outdoor shower too, to one side of the main deck. Guests can refresh while looking out for the local wildlife!

Sandy pathways through the trees connect the guest tents to Wilderness Pelo’s communal structures. These include a lounge tent and a dining tent. In common with the guest accommodation, both tents benefit from a shady position and they’re raised above the ground on timber beams. In the lounge tent, there are some very comfortable sofas and armchairs, variously sized explorer’s chests put to use as occasional tables, and a few bookshelves. The camp’s well-stocked bar is set up nearby. The dining tent contains a long table where everyone eats together, as well as a tea-and-coffee station. From both tents, guests can access the main viewing deck, which boasts spectacular views! The camp also has a boma for al fresco dining, and a fire-pit where guests gather to swap safari stories. And a short distance from the main tents, there’s another deck, for the inviting plunge pool. The pool is surrounded by sunloungers and parasols, and it’s the perfect place to cool off in between activities here!

WILDERNESS PELO ACTIVITIES:

Wilderness Pelo offers an exciting variety of activities. Please note, game drives are available from December to February only. Additionally, there’s a minimum age requirement of 12 years for mokoro rides.

  • Expertly guided game drives

    - In full, the Jao Reserve covers 60 square kilometres of seasonal floodplains, permanent wetlands, and dry islands. When available, drives from camp take place during the morning and the afternoon, offering exciting opportunities for safarists to view a wide range of predators and herbivores! Among the highlights here are four of the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo – and smaller species including cheetah, spotted hyena, wild dog, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and all sorts of antelopes.
  •  Boat rides

    - A classic wet-camp activity, boat rides are fantastic for observing the wildlife of the Delta’s waterways. You can look out for hippos, crocs, and a wealth of waterbirds!
  •  Mokoro excursions

    - A mokoro is a dug-out canoe. Aboard this quiet form of transport, you’ll be able to focus on the sounds as well as the sights of the wildlife.
  •  Seasonal catch-and-release fishing

    - Wilderness Pelo has a limited supply of spinner rods and a small range of lures. Fishing on a catch-and-release basis is usually possible from March to December every year.
  •  Helicopter flights

    - These flights incur an additional cost, but the experience of soaring over the Okavango region is well worth it! From the air, you’ll enjoy views of parts of the Delta that are inaccessible via land or water vehicle.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.

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