September 30, 2025by mvhuyssteen

From delta to desert: Botswana’s contrasting escapes

Step into movie history

I had a farm in Africa ~ Karen Blixen – Out of Africa

The 1985 classic, ‘Out of Africa’, winner of seven Oscars and starring Meryl Streep and the late Robert Redford, inspired the del Sarte family to buy and develop two remarkable properties in Botswana. Feline Fields Vintage Camp by Mantis (Khwai Conservancy) and Feline Fields Lodge by Mantis (Kalahari) offer very different experiences, showcasing the extraordinary landscapes and wildlife of Botswana, with a touch of cinematic nostalgia.

Feline Fields is family-owned and run. The del Sarte children grew up on this land and the small, close-knit team – all locals – consider it home. They proudly introduce guests to their homeland, culture, traditions, wildlife and landscapes. Many have worked alongside the family for more than a decade, being given opportunities to grow and thrive along the way.

Feline Fields Vintage Camp by Mantis is a step back in time, a return to the purest form of safari. From the drive to the remote camp in a lovingly restored vintage 4 x 4, to the setting on the Kwai River and Mbundi Channel, the landscape and wildlife are the true stars of the show.

The area teems with animal life, with water in abundance and year-round mokoro excursions giving you a front-row seat to nature. Guided by locals who grew up in the area, you’ll glide silently through the reed-lined channels, spotting hippo, birds and even tiny reed frogs along the way.

Your days include game drives, walking safaris and catch and release fishing. Evenings end under star-studded skies. But nothing in the wild is scripted, so expect surprises! These could be anything from:

Swimming in the clear, tea-coloured warm waters of the Okavango Delta in a quiet pool off the Mbudi Channel
A full-day safari to the Moremi Game Reserve and boat cruise on the Xakanaxa Lagoon
A hot bucket shower with a view
A full-body massage in the wild, while listening to the distant call of the fish eagle
Soaking in a hot tub while watching wildlife wander past
Dining under the stars or picnicking at the ‘water’s edge’

Accommodation is in eight spacious vintage tents with king-sized beds, lounges and private patios. Nostalgic touches – like vintage travel trunks and gramophones – blend with luxurious modern-day comforts. Families are welcome (children from aged six) with two dedicated family tents.

Here is a ‘trailer’ of the main event.

From the Vintage Camp take to the skies with a helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta, to get a bird’s eye view of the vast tapestry of this African wilderness. You will fly low enough to spot game and take photographs before landing at the Feline Fields Lodge by Mantis.

When you have caught the rhythm of Africa, you find out that it is the same in all her music ~ Karen Blixen, Out of Africa

The silence of the desert

After the thrill of safari, the Lodge offers a slower rhythm: A place to relax, recovery and retreat in a beautiful, remote part of the Kalahari. Accommodation includes pool and bush suites and a family villa, all designed to capture the first golden rays at sunrise.

The calm, communal spaces include a 25m lap pool, boma, viewing deck, library, dining room and bar. There are also tennis courts and even a quirky golf course.

At first glance, the Kalahari may seem barren with endless open spaces and the apparent lack of human presence. But, on closer inspection (and with the insights of the Feline Fields team) you’ll discover a thriving ecosystem and the surprising diversity of this arid landscape.

Although slower-paced, the Lodge offers myriad of adventures including horse-riding and walking safaris. A fun activity is ‘fat-biking’, with super-wide tyres, through the soft Kalahari sand, as you navigate and explore the game paths and roads around the lodge. Or visit the Gewihaba caves for a day. Gewihaba – a San word for ‘hyena’s lair’- is a Botswana National Monument. [Take a look at what’s on offer]

Wildlife here may not include the Big 5 but the encounters are unforgettable and include unusual and rare species as well as ‘cats’. After all, it was the love of big cats that inspired the Feline Fields name! You will spot elephants at the waterhole and drinking from your private pools – their trunks snaking over the edge, wild dogs, honey badgers, brown hyenas, bat-eared foxes, aardvarks, ostriches, gemsbok and leopards – the silent, elusive predators of the Kalahari. And, if you’re lucky, you may even glimpse an African wild cat.

Camera traps around the lodge reveal just how much escapes the human eye and goes unheard, such as the recent viewing of painted wolves and their pups.

The smallest feline is a masterpiece ~ Leonardo di Vinci

In Botswana the stars shine brighter in the night sky

With no light pollution, the Kalahari offers the chance to sleep under the stars. After sundowners and a bush dinner, retire to your outdoor bed set under sheer mosquito nets. Marvel at the Milky Way and fall asleep to the sounds of the wilderness and the twinkling lights of an African night sky. Wake to coffee and pastries, by the fire, before returning to the lodge for breakfast.

The land speaks and the people listen

Far from being a modern dance form, the trance dance is the world’s oldest known religious ritual, depicted in many of southern Africa’s over 30 000 rock art sites. At Feline Fields you can spend time with the Ju-Huansi (Bushmen) communities, getting a glimpse of the lives of Africa’s original occupants.

Learn about natural foods of the wild and nature’s medicinal plants, culture, folklore and witness the trance dance. You can also share stories around the firepit, working through an interpreter, you’ll hear fascinating facts about their ancient way of life as hunter gatherers. Charming, engaging and wonderfully welcoming, they are completely at home in the Kalahari and will share some of their knowledge of life in this challenging environment that’s been passed down over the generations.

The Feline Fields Trust – giving back

Through the Trust, the Feline Fields team demonstrate that it’s not just about the safari and hospitality – they consider themselves partners in safeguarding Botswana’s future, Responsible tourism, community engagement and conservation is at the heart of everything. The properties run off-grid, support local artisans, plant their own vegetable and herb gardens, champion animal welfare and continually upskill the employee ‘family’.

Learn more about the community initiatives by visiting the nearby village of Kaure and see one of six playgroups that provide a foundation for local pre-school children. Other projects include transport for scholars, wildlife talks at primary schools, wildlife graduations and sustainable food gardens.

Do not look where the harvest is plentiful
but where the people are kind (Botswana proverb)