Lodge
Macatoo Camp
About the lodge
An overview of Macatoo Camp.
Macatoo Camp is a horseback safari camp set deep in the western Okavango Delta, where guests ride alongside elephant, giraffe and lechwe across seasonal floodplains. Eight raised tents face open water, and the camp welcomes riders of all levels as well as non-riding companions, with mokoro trips, walks and a tree platform for sundowners.
Highlights
- Horseback safaris through the western Okavango Delta, riding among elephant, giraffe and antelope
- Eight raised tents on private platforms with panoramic floodplain views
- Newly-built honeymoon tent with private dining deck and raised double tub bath
- Family and friends suite linking two tents by a raised walkway for easy access between adults and children
- Tree platform a short drive from camp for lunches, sundowners and occasional sleep-outs under the stars
You Should Know
- Riders should be confident in walk, trot and canter to join the main riding programme; full riding policy applies
- Children are welcome, with the family and friends suite designed for parents travelling with younger guests
- Non-riders are accommodated and have access to mokoro trips, walks and game-viewing activities
The Details
Location
Macatoo Camp sits on a private concession in the western Okavango Delta in Botswana, fronting a vast seasonal floodplain that draws elephant, giraffe, lechwe and buffalo close to camp. The setting is remote and water-led, with channels, islands and open plains shaping every ride.
Access is by light aircraft into the Delta, with a short road transfer to camp through the surrounding wilderness.
Accommodation
Guests stay in eight large, airy tents that blend into the bush while remaining comfortable and considered. Each tent sits on its own raised platform with views over the floodplain that can be enjoyed from the bed or the private deck.
Sleeping configurations are flexible, suiting honeymooners, families and solo travellers. The honeymoon tent has an additional deck for private dining and a raised double tub bath looking out across the water. The family and friends suite links two tents by a raised walkway and viewing deck, giving parents, children and single travellers easy access between rooms.
Dining
Meals are taken in the communal mess tent and on the dining deck, with a fire burning year-round as a gathering point for coffee, wine and stories at the end of each ride. A short drive from camp, a tall ladder leads up to a magical tree platform where lunches, drinks and the occasional sleep-out are enjoyed beneath the African sky.
Activities
Riding is the heart of Macatoo, with daily rides across floodplains and through palm islands in the company of resident wildlife. Non-riding activities include mokoro trips, guided walks and game viewing, so mixed groups of riders and non-riders are easily accommodated.
Between activities, the swimming pool deck offers sun beds and sweeping views of the floodplain, where elephant and giraffe regularly approach and baboon families use the pool as a watering hole.
Price Includes
- Full board accommodation
- All meals
- Local beverages
- Riding activities
- Non-riding activities including mokoro trips, walks and game viewing
The same as booking direct
Rates and pricing.
Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.
Valid until 31 Dec 2026
Why book through us
You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup. What you get on top is a specialist who knows Macatoo Camp personally, looks after every detail of the trip, and stays reachable on WhatsApp from the moment you enquire to the day you come home.
By season
Green season
1 Apr 2026 – 14 Jun 2026
Full Board - All meals, local beverages, riding and non-riding activities
$1,155
Peak / migration
15 Jun 2026 – 14 Oct 2026
Full Board - All meals, local beverages, riding and non-riding activities
$1,390
Shoulder
15 Oct 2026 – 30 Nov 2026
Full Board - All meals, local beverages, riding and non-riding activities
$1,155
Festive
1 Dec 2026 – 31 Dec 2026
Full Board - All meals, local beverages, riding and non-riding activities
$880
Rates are per person sharing, per night. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.
Honeymoon offer
For couples celebrating a wedding.
Documented from African Horseback Safaris's 2026 rate sheet. A formal offer you can claim, not marketing language.
Honeymoon Suite
African Horseback Safaris offers a tented Honeymoon Suite at Macatoo Camp, featuring a bath on a raised platform and a larger private deck where newlyweds and celebrating couples can enjoy a private dining experience.
- Valid
- 31 December 2026
Honeymoon Suite
African Horseback Safaris offers a tented Honeymoon Suite at Macatoo Camp, featuring a bath on a raised platform and a larger private deck where newlyweds and celebrating couples can enjoy a private dining experience.
- Valid
- 31 December 2027
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Terms and eligibility may change. Your specialist confirms all offers at the time of booking.
Family policies
Travelling with children.
What our safari specialists know about bringing children to Macatoo Camp: minimum ages, activities, family rooms and child rates, current as of May 2026. They plan family trips here all the time, so anything below that needs arranging, they will sort. For the bigger picture, see our guide to safari with children .
Minimum ages
- Stay
- All ages
- Game drives
- All ages
- Walking safari
- 12+
Programmes & care
No dedicated kids' programme.
Accommodation
Family unit available.
Child rates
50% discount for non-riding children under 12 joining a safari (game drives, boating, mokoro and fishing — water-level dependent).
Notable exceptions
- Macatoo is a specialist horseback-safari camp: the minimum age to ride/join horseback safaris is 12 years, and children must be strong, competent riders. No explicit minimum age to stay is stated by the supplier — non-riding children of all ages are welcomed at camp and may join game drives, boating, mokoro excursions and fishing (all water-based activities subject to water levels). The 'family and friends suite' comprises two tents linked by a raised walkway and viewing deck, giving parents and children direct, easy access between rooms.
Sleep-outs
Under the stars.
Star beds, sleep-out hides, walking sleep-outs and overnight platforms documented at Macatoo Camp.
Star bed
Macatoo Treehouse Sleepout
On Day Five of the 7-night riding itinerary, guests are taken to Macatoo Camp's treehouse after a sunset ride and given the option to spend the night sleeping high up in the tree canopy under the African night sky. Guides stay with guests throughout the night, providing company and reassurance, while the sounds of baboons, lions and the broader bush provide the soundtrack. Guests are collected by vehicle the following morning to return to camp before the day's ride.
Offered on Day 5 of the 7-night itinerary; guides accompany and stay overnight; guests collected by vehicle next morning; open to riding guests (non-riders may also be present at camp). No specific group size, age limit, or pricing stated in the excerpt.
- Availability
- Included as part of the 7-night riding itinerary; subject to availability
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Horseback
Saddle up.
Horseback riding options at Macatoo Camp. Rider experience and age requirements vary; check the details on each ride before booking.
Multi-day riding safari
7-Night Riding Safari at Macatoo Camp
A 7-night horseback safari based at Macatoo Camp in the Okavango Delta, operated by African Horseback Safaris. Guests fly into camp from Maun and ride daily, typically with morning and evening rides (or one longer ride during cooler months). The safari is described as exciting but not strenuous, with rides paced to allow guests to enjoy sunsets, birdlife, and big game. Riders must be at least competent at all paces; novice riders and western-style-only riders are not accepted.
Duration: 7 nights. Daily schedule typically includes morning and evening rides; during cooler months one longer ride may replace these. Riders must be Competent, Intermediate, or Experienced (able to control a horse at all paces including gallop). Novice riders not accepted. Western-style riders not accepted. Guests must be insured for horse riding including Medical Evacuation. Hard hat recommended (guests advised to bring their own). Itinerary subject to change based on season, flood levels, and guide discretion.
- Availability
- Seasonal – dependent on Okavango flood levels; itinerary subject to alteration by guides
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Water safari
Out on the water.
Mokoro, canoe, kayak and boat options at Macatoo Camp. The silent dugout mokoro is a different product to a motorised sundowner cruise — check the category on each.
Mokoro
Mokoro Trips
Guests at Macatoo Camp can explore the flooded plains of the Okavango Delta by mokoro — the traditional dugout canoe used by local Delta fishermen. Gliding silently over seas of grass, travellers enjoy superb birdlife, crocodile sightings, hippo interactions at sunset, and the chance to photograph wildlife up close. Activity is subject to seasonal water levels.
Typically offered as an afternoon activity. Available subject to water levels (seasonal). Open to non-riding partners and children (under 12 at 50% discount, non-riding adults at 10% discount). No specific duration, group size, or guide qualification details stated in the excerpts.
- Availability
- Subject to water levels (seasonal)
Water safari
Boating. Boat Excursions
Depending on the season and water levels, guests explore the Okavango Delta's narrow channels and lily-studded lagoons by motorised boat. The experience includes wildlife viewing — giraffe, reedbuck, kingfishers, African Fish Eagles — and can double as a fishing excursion for bream and catfish. A boat ride from the airstrip to camp may also form part of the arrival experience.
Used as both a game-viewing and fishing activity. Availability strictly subject to seasonal water levels. Open to non-riding partners and children (under 12 at 50% discount, non-riding adults at 10% discount). No specific vessel capacity, duration, or guide qualification details stated.
- Availability
- Subject to water levels (seasonal)
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Imagery
A closer look.
7 photographs · click any image to expand
Speak to a safari specialist
Plan your dream safari at Macatoo Camp.
From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Macatoo Camp: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.
Ready when you are
Let's design your stay.
Your specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours with availability, exact pricing, and suggestions for what to combine it with.