Singita Elela: A New Kind of Luxury Safari Coming in 2026
Elela, the newest addition to the renowned Singita portfolio, is set to open in 2026. Tucked away in the 175,000 hectare NG26 concession of the Okavango Delta, where Wilderness’ Abu Camp used to be located. This lodge offers guests a rare opportunity to step into an unspoiled wilderness. This is a landscape shaped by seasonal waterways, where mopane woodlands meet expansive floodplains, and wildlife moves freely across the terrain.
At Africa Odyssey, our safari experts are able to combine first-hand knowledge of the Okavango Delta with deep experience of the renowned Singita portfolio. With privileged early insight into Singita Elela’s design, location, and guest experience, we are uniquely placed to guide travellers who want to be among the first to discover this extraordinary new camp. Our expertise means we can offer not only accurate, up-to-date information, but also personal recommendations shaped by years of exploring Botswana’s wilderness and Singita’s world-class lodges.
What makes Elela special?
A rare, remote delta location
Situated within the Abu Private Concession, Elela benefits from remote, undisturbed landscapes and opportunities for close encounters with wildlife. Its surroundings vary from seasonal waterways and floodplains to mopane woodland and scattered islands, creating a dynamic backdrop for safaris and wildlife observation.
Inspired by the Delta’s rhythm
The name “Elela”, meaning “to flow” in Setswana, reflects the lodge’s ethos: a harmonious connection to the rhythms of the Delta. Elela’s design takes inspiration from this, and every element mirrors the cycles of flooding and drying that define the region. The lodge is intended to provide a space for guests to unwind, reconnect with nature, and fully immerse themselves in the wild.
Exclusivity redefined
Elela will consist of eight excusive-use camps, offering complete seclusion and intimate experiences with the Delta. This level of exclusivity ensures that guests enjoy both luxurious comfort and unbroken immersion in nature.
Inside Elela: Accommodation and Amenities
Where you’ll stay
While still in development at time of writing, with opening scheduled for 2026, we can expect 8 exclusive-use camps. Each is designed to bring guests close to nature, with intuitive architecture that honours the rhythm of the Delta:
- One-Bedroom Camps: Five camps for up to two guests. Each features a private pool, outdoor lounge spaces, a kitchenette, and dedicated safari vehicle and guide.
- Two-Bedroom Camps: Two camps accommodating up to four guests. Each camp offers expansive outdoor decks and shared amenities for an enhanced sense of space.
- Four-Bedroom Camp: One camp for up to eight guests. The camp provides two private safari vehicles, dedicated guides, and a personal chef for a bespoke luxury experience.
Seasons at Elela
Elela operates throughout the year. Wildlife patterns and activities shift with the seasons: dry-season game drives and night safaris contrast with flood-season boat and mokoro excursions, creating a unique adventure at any time of year.
Wildlife at Elela
The lodge’s location attracts a wealth of wildlife. Guests can expect to see:
- elephants, lions, buffalo, wildebeest, tsessebe, and red lechwe across the floodplains
- rich avian diversity, from saddle-billed storks gliding through papyrus to kestrels circling overhead.
Elela offers opportunities for guided tracking and photography, ensuring unforgettable encounters with the Delta’s natural inhabitants.
© Singita
Planning your stay
- Length of stay: our experts recommend three or more nights as an ideal, to fully appreciate the lodge and the seasonal rhythms of wildlife.
- Getting there: guests can fly into Maun or Kasane, then take a short light aircraft transfer to Elela’s airstrip, followed by a 20-minute 4WD drive to the camps.
- When to visit: as Elela honours the season flow of the Delta, different seasons will provide different highlights:
- as the water floods in, and the waterways open, enjoy blossoming landscapes and opportunities for mokoro and boat excursions
- when the waters recede, and the dryland wildlife densifies, enjoy the excellent big-game viewing
Ready for something extraordinary?
Singita Elela represents the perfect combination of high-end design, seclusion, and immersion in one of Africa’s most remarkable wilderness areas. For travellers seeking a safari that goes beyond the ordinary – where every sunrise, wildlife encounter, and evening under the stars feels part of something bigger – Elela promises an unforgettable adventure.
At Africa Odyssey, we will be among the first to explore Elela in person, providing our clients with firsthand expertise on the lodge’s offerings. With its exclusivity and expected demand, early planning is essential. Contact us today to begin crafting your journey and secure a front-row experience at this extraordinary new safari destination.