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Botswana's Okavango Waterways

Okavango Delta

Explore The Magic Of The World's Largest Inland Delta, Teeming With Wildlife

The reason most people visit Botswana in the first place is to experience all that is the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With her crystal clear waters and spectacular game viewing and birdlife safaris, her range of safari activities and of course, all those stunning safari lodges and camps. Known as the "Jewel of the Kalahari Desert", one of Africa's most sought-after safari destinations, and for a good reason, it is utterly amazing.

The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. The Okavango River flows into the desert and then starts to slow down, creating one of the largest oases in the world. The result is an amazing wetland ecosystem teeming with wildlife.

There are few places on earth where you can see such a concentration of wildlife. The Moremi Game Reserve and Okavango Delta is home to elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, red lechwe, hippos and many more. It is also a birding paradise with over 500 species of bird species.

Activities on the countless islands and lagoons include game drives, mokoro (dugout canoe) trips, walking safaris and boat cruises. You can also combine a safari here with a visit to Chobe National Park, Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Moremi Game Reserve for the ultimate Botswana safari experience.

General Facts And Information

  • Size: 15 000km²
  • When to visit the park: Year-round, most of the lodges and camps offer activities as per water levels
  • Climate: Summers are hot with rainstorms, and winters are mild are dry
  • Rainfall: 525mm per annum varying
  • Altitude: 930m - 1000m above sea level
  • Location: meandering waterways in the Northwestern region of Botswana near Maun
  • Accommodation: Lodges In The Okavango Delta

Where is Okavango Delta located?

The far northwestern region of Botswana is home to the famed Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. The source of the Okavango lies within Angola, and her waters pass through both Angola and Namibia to get into Botswana's Kalahari Desert basin. Moremi Game Reserve is found within the Okavango to the southeast.

To view the Okavango from HERE Maps, click here: HERE Maps

Information On The Okavango Delta

A magical water world set in a lush environment, the Okavango Delta, in the midst of the Kalahari, is Africa's largest and most spectacular inland delta.

Game viewing sightings and safaris are nothing short of fantastic; one has the chance to spot elephant, hippopotamus, red lechwe, Cape buffalo, wildebeest, kudu, sable, roan and impala, to mention but a few. These dense concentrations of game are closely accompanied by lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, and African wild dog.

Bird species are everywhere, from the majestic fish eagles, exotic herons, brightly coloured bee-eaters and even rarities like the slaty egrets and Pel's fishing owl.

Inhabiting the waters of the Delta are an estimated 35 million fish of almost 80 species.

One of the most unique places in the world, and is a popular destination for safari enthusiasts. There are many safari lodges and safari camps located in the delta, each with its own unique character and offerings.

The Okavango Delta is one of the most popular destinations for safari enthusiasts, and there are a number of different activities available in the area. Some of the most popular include game drives, water-based excursions (boat cruises and mokoro trips), and walking safaris.

Game drives allow visitors to get up close and personal with some of Africa's most iconic animals. Water-based excursions are also popular in the area, and there are a number of different ways to explore the waterways. Options include traditional canoe safaris, mokoro rides (a type of dugout canoe), and even fishing trips.

Walking safaris are another great way to explore the Okavango Delta. These guided tours allow visitors to get off the beaten track and really experience the African bush. During a walking safari, you'll have the opportunity to see a variety of different animals up close, as well as stunning views of the Delta itself.

Best Time to Visit The Okavango Delta?

This question is as tricky as it gets, and in our opinion, it will depend on how you react to heat and what your expectations would be when visiting the Okavango. Summer days are hot with rain showers, while winter days are mild to warm with no rainfall.

In the summer months, the waters of the delta are at their lowest, while in the winter months, the waters of the delta are at their highest. So the question one has to ask is what do you, our client want when visiting the Okavango Delta? Is it purely water-based safari activities, is it purely land-based safari activities, or would you prefer a combination of both?

There are a lot of safari lodges and camps in the delta that offer activities based on the levels of the water, while in summer, they can only do game drives, but come winter and the rising waters of the Okavango, game drives fall away, and the only activities available are water-based.

We would suggest that the Delta is a year-round safari destination and leave you to advise us on what you are looking for when in the Okavango region; like we mentioned before, it is a tricky question to answer.

Main Attractions And Activities

  • Poling in a dugout canoe (mokoro) through lagoons crammed with water lilies, hippos and wildlife
  • Fishing safaris for the prized Tigerfish and Bream
  • Game Drives when the water levels are low
  • Exceptional game viewing and birdlife safaris
  • Moremi Game Reserve
  • Being so remote and far away from human settlements
  • The town of Maun is an interesting visit
  • A range of lodges and camps across all budgets
  • And if you have the budget, a few days (or more) on 'Chief's Island'

The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most beautiful and unique areas in Africa, famed for its fantastic game viewing sightings. The best time to visit depends on what you're looking for, but the area is a year-round destination with something to offer everyone.

Whether you're looking for an amazing safari experience or just want to relax in a lush environment, the Okavango Delta is the perfect place for you.

Botswana Attractions
Makgadikgadi Pans
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Moremi Game Reserve
Mashatu Game Reserve
Chobe National Park
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Popular Botswana Lodges
  • Baines Camp
    Sanctuary Baines' Camp
    Baines Camp with five lavish safari suites offers you extensive views across a permanent waterway as well as a lagoon teeming with wildlife, one of the more luxurious Okavango lodges we have on offer and a firm favourite.
    Baines Camp
  • Chitabe Camp
    Chitabe Camp
    Eight luxurious safari tents are found at Chitabe Camp that is located within a private concession of this wildlife reserve, offers day and night game drives as well as guided nature walks.
    Chitabe Camp
  • Zarafa Camp
    Zarafa Camp

    Zarafa Camp, Botswana's first Relais & Châteaux camp has, in all honesty, no equal in our opinion. Located in the far North of Botswana in the 130 000 hectare Selinda Reserve, one of the more isolated areas in Africa.

    Zarafa Camp
  • Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
    Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
    Located on the edge of the Okavango Delta in an 8000-hectare private concession bordering the Moremi Wildlife Reserve, Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp is a unique luxurious offering for guests who demand only the finest.
    Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
  • The Jackal & Hide
    The Jackal & Hide
    The Jackal & Hide offers guests access to over 200 000 ha of pure unadulterated wildlife bliss all within the famed Khwai Private Game Reserve bordering the Okavango Delta. A camp that specialises in photographic safaris and workshops.
    The Jackal & Hide
  • Seba Camp
    Seba Camp
    Seba Camp with eight spacious elevated tents each one with its own private viewing deck & each one overlooking a perennial lagoon that offers prolific wildlife & a resident pod of hippos, one of the more remote Lodges in the Delta.
    Seba Camp

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We at Uyaphi.com are specialists in arranging tailor-made African holidays and safaris and have been doing so since 1999.

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