At the south eastern extreme of the Delta, NG 32 is a large concession is situated to the south of the Chitabe Concession. This is a community operated concession and home to Sanctuary Safaris’ two land and water Delta camps as well as more recent camps. When water levels allow, NG 32 is the route for one to four day mokoro trips from Maun up the Boro River into the Delta.

NG 32 is 260,000 acres in size.  It shares part of its border with the Moremi Game Reserve and benefits from the movement of the varied and prolific game from the reserve.  It lies to the south of the Chitabe Concession.  It is divided from the Maun area with its significant human population by the veterinary fence.  Because of its southernmost position in the Delta, it is the last area to receive the floods so if it is a year of low water, the area can remain much drier than more central Okavango Delta locations.  The water for the area comes from the Delta via the Boro and Santantadibe rivers.

The concession is controlled by the Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust (“OKMCT”), a trust registered in 1997 as part of the community based natural resources management policy.  The trust serves six villages namely Ditshuping, Boro ,Xharaxao, Xuoxao, Daunara and Xaxaba.  These villages’ inhabitants come from the local tribe called Bayei.  The OKMCT is made up of board-members from these communities.  OKMCT’s aim is to benefit its communities by means of tourism so that the local tribespeople can benefit from the natural resources in their area.

The concession has been divided by leases granted by the OKMCT into areas that are held by several safari companies.  Sanctuary Safaris operates the long-established Baines’ Camp and Stanley’s Camp.  Machaba’s Gomoti Plains is to the north east and near to the Gomoti River.  Qorokwe is a Wilderness camp and Amber River and Maru are two new camps run by Okavango Hidden Gems.

Animals – This concession is home to the Living with Elephants Foundation which was started by Sandi and Doug Groves, who first came to Botswana to return elephants from America to Africa as part of a film project.  Therefore, if you are keen on elephant interaction, visit NG 32 or the Abu Concession NG 26, the only other concession where these sorts of meetings up close with habituated and handled elephants take place.

Currently the Foundation cares for Jabu and Morula, two rescued elephants who were orphaned during an elephant cull.  The elephants are kept in a spacious natural habitat allowing them freedom to explore and forage and to express natural behaviour.  Jabu was injured by a bull elephant in a fight for dominance and the Foundation is trialling regenerative treatments for his injured joint in collaboration with Colorado State University Centre for Immune and Regenerative DVM Medicine with the aim of developing stem cell treatment, which would be a world first in elephants.  They also run an elephant outreach school programme with the aim of addressing and de-fusing human/ elephant conflict by allowing young Batswana to meet, touch and learn about these magnificent animals up close.

Due to the dry nature of the concession this is a good area to see cheetah.  Game viewing is better away from the veterinary fence that divides the south of the concession from the significant human habitation of Maun.  In terms of antelope, Kudu, zebra, impala, tsessebe, warthog, reedbuck and red lechwe are found here.  Giraffe, buffalo and elephant are also in the area, as are lion in good numbers.

Birds – Due to the peripheral nature of the concession, there is a great combination of dry and wetland birds.  Ostriches, sandgrouse, francolin, kgori bustards, yellow and red-billed hornbills are all inhabitants of the drier areas.  There is also a good concentration of birds of prey such as goshawks, bateleur and snake eagles.

Plantlife – Due to the lack of regular inundation, the fragrant wild sage occurs in large swathes and also vachellia hebeclada or candle pod vachellia (acacia) which is a sign of a predominantly dry area.  There are areas of riparian woodland with jackalberry and sausage trees and also areas of mokolwane palms (Hyphaene petersiana).  Around the shallower, more southerly stretches of the Boro and Santantadibe Rivers there is miscanthus and phragmites and as the rivers deepen, the landscape develops more and wider pools and papyrus and palm islands.

Access – By light aircraft

Best Months – The dry season is better for game viewing although bird-watchers will find the rainy season most productive.

Camps: Baines’ Camp, Stanley’s Camp, Gomoti Plains, Qorokwe, Amber River Camp, Camp Maru