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.
Travel To Botswana Now
Map of Lodges in and around Botswana
Botswana Travel Topics
10 Reasons To Visit Botswana
Ten reasons, from the Okavango's flood and Chobe's elephant herds to the Makgadikgadi salt pans, Kalahari lions and San trackers, wild dogs in the Linyanti, mokoro trips, and a low-volume tourism policy that keeps vehicle numbers down.
Best Botswana Safari Lodges
Our pick of Botswana's safari lodges, region by region: Mombo and Xigera in the Delta, Chobe Game Lodge on the river, Jack's Camp on the pans and Savute Elephant Lodge, plus how to choose between them.
Botswana Chobe National Park
A practical guide to Chobe: getting there from Kasane, river cruises versus game drives, where the elephants come down to drink, the lodges we use, and how to add Victoria Falls on the way in or out.
The Perfect Okavango Delta Honeymoon Safari
Planning a honeymoon in the Okavango Delta: the camps that suit couples, from Camp Okavango to Mombo, with sunrise boat cruises, mokoro trips, and private dinners and helicopter flights where the camp offers them.
10 Reasons To Visit The Savuti
Ten reasons to put Savuti on your route: bull elephants, big lion prides, wild dogs, the Savuti Marsh, San rock art in the Gubatsa Hills, and a channel with a habit of drying up for years at a time.
5 Best Lodges In The Chobe National Park
Five lodges in and around Chobe National Park that we would happily send you to: Chobe Game Lodge with its all-female guiding team, Ngoma, Muchenje, Chobe Chilwero, and &Beyond Chobe Under Canvas, which moves camp to follow the game.
How Much Does It Cost to Go on a Safari in Botswana?
What a Botswana safari actually costs, and why: camping versus mobile versus lodge, the season you travel, flights between camps, park fees and tips, and where a few honest savings can be made.
10 Best Lodges In Okavango Delta
Ten Okavango Delta camps we rate, from Eagle Island and Xigera to Jao, Jacana and Duba Plains, with what each does best, from mokoro trips on the water to family suites and walking safaris.