Explore Destination · Botswana
Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta safari: the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is a river that never reaches the sea.
- CountryBotswana
- Best timeJune to October is peak season: floodwater is high, the weather is dry...
- TripsTailor-made for you
- Destinations nearby—
Okavango Delta safari: what to know
The Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is a river that never reaches the sea. Water that falls as rain in the Angolan highlands flows south for months and then fans out across the Kalahari sands, creating a wetland of channels, lagoons and islands that covers up to about 15,000 km² at its peak. UNESCO listed it as its 1,000th World Heritage Site in 2014.
What to know before you go
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A flood in the dry season
The unusual thing about the delta is its timing. The floodwater arrives between about May and August, in the middle of Botswana's dry winter, when the surrounding country has no surface water. Wildlife pours in from all sides.
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Water and land safaris
The traditional way to travel is by mokoro, a dugout canoe (now usually fibreglass) poled through the reeds by a local guide. It is slow and silent, and is the best way to see birds, frogs, lilies and the sitatunga and red lechwe that live in the shallows. Motorboats cover the deeper channels, and game drives and guided walks take place on the larger islands. Which activities a camp offers depends on its location and on water levels.
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Moremi and the private concessions
Moremi Game Reserve, which includes Chief's Island, protects the eastern and central delta and has outstanding predator viewing, including African wild dog. Around it are private concessions with a handful of small camps each, where off-road driving and night drives are allowed.
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Getting there
Most visitors fly into Maun and continue by light aircraft to a camp airstrip. Botswana deliberately keeps visitor numbers low and prices high.
When to visit Okavango Delta
June to October is peak season: floodwater is high, the weather is dry and mild, and game is concentrated. November to March is the green season, hot with afternoon storms, excellent for birds and much cheaper, though some water activities stop when levels fall.
Where It Is
Okavango Delta and the other places we travel to nearby.
Okavango Delta
Trips to combine with Okavango Delta
We do not have a ready-made itinerary in this style yet. These trips are a good starting point, and we adapt any of them for you.
Plan Your Safari to Okavango Delta
Our team in Arusha answers in English, French, German and Spanish.
Questions about Okavango Delta
What is a mokoro safari?
A trip in a narrow canoe poled by a guide standing at the back. It is quiet and close to the water, and is used for exploring the shallow channels of the delta.
When does the Okavango Delta flood?
Water from Angola reaches the top of the delta around March or April and spreads through it over the following months, peaking between June and August.
Why is the Okavango Delta so expensive?
Botswana follows a low-volume tourism policy, camps are small and remote, and nearly everything, including guests, arrives by light aircraft.
Shall we plan your trip?
Tell us your dates and what you would like to see. A specialist in Arusha sends a route and a clear proposal within 24 hours.
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