Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Okavango Delta
The desert that floods, and the wildlife that follows the water.
Getting there
Botswana
Suggested length
3–6 nights, often paired with Chobe and Victoria Falls
From
USD 450
Ideal for
First-time safari with time to slow down
Every year, rain that fell in the Angolan highlands finds its way south and spills across the Kalahari sands, turning dry channels into a maze of waterways. The flood peaks in our winter, July and August, exactly when the surrounding land is at its driest — so the wildlife comes to the water, and so do you.
There is no single Okavango. A water camp on a permanent lagoon gives you silent mokoro mornings and barge sundowners; a land-and-water concession adds big-game drives and walking. We choose the camp to match the water levels of your month, not a brochure photo — that is the difference between a good trip and a forgettable one.
Access is by light aircraft from Maun, which is part of the romance: 20 minutes over a glittering, animal-dotted floodplain before you land on a bush strip and your guide is waiting. Luggage is limited to 20kg in a soft bag, and we brief you on every detail before you fly.
Highlights
- Mokoro (dugout canoe) gliding through reed channels
- Predator concentrations on Chief's Island and private concessions
- Light-aircraft flight over the floodplain
- Water and land safaris in one stay
- Some of the lowest-impact, highest-quality camps in Africa
When to go
Peak water & game
Jul – OctFlood at its highest, skies clear, wildlife concentrated. Cool mornings, warm days. Book 9–12 months ahead.
Shoulder
Apr – Jun & NovRising waters, lush and green, fewer vehicles and 25–35% lower rates.
Green / Emerald
Dec – MarCalving season and superb birding, dramatic skies, the lowest rates of the year.
Getting there
Fly into Maun (MUB) via Johannesburg or Gaborone, then a 15–45 minute light-aircraft transfer to your camp's airstrip. We arrange every leg and the Maun luggage storage for your excess.
Good to know
More in Botswana & the Falls
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