Okavango Delta
A water wilderness of channels and islands, explored by mokoro, boat and on foot. Activities depend on the camp’s location and the season’s water levels.
Botswana
Water in the desert, and enormous skies
- Okavango Delta
- Moremi and Khwai wildlife country
- Chobe River and Savuti
- Makgadikgadi and Kalahari contrasts
- Best time
- Jul–Oct
- Flight time
- 10–11 hrs via Johannesburg
- Currency
- Pula
- Entry
- Visa-free for many
Botswana is about being immersed in the landscape. Discover the Okavango Delta, explore Moremi and Khwai, watch the Chobe River or travel into the contrasting worlds of the salt pans and Kalahari.
A Delta safari can be water-focused, wildlife-drive focused, or both. We’ll explain the difference, including seasonal water levels, transfer options and the experience each area offers.
Distances and routing
The Okavango, Moremi, Chobe and the pans sit in the country’s north and are usually linked by light aircraft. The Central Kalahari is further south and adds distance. Flying between camps is normal here.
Timing
When to travel to Botswana
Months are a guide, not a guarantee. This is how the year usually behaves, and what it means for your dates.
Jan
Green season, newborn game
Feb
Predator action, big skies
Mar
Water spreads through delta
Apr
Flood peaks, shoulder season
May
Dry bush, rising water
Jun
Peak game viewing begins
Jul
Flood and dry plains together
Aug
Peak season, book far ahead
Sep
Wildlife concentrated
Oct
Hot, water receding
Nov
First rains, dramatic light
Dec
Green, quiet, lower rates
Peak season Good Green / quiet
Dry season (Jun–Oct)
Warm days, cold dawns and no rain. The Delta flood arrives now, so water and land activities can both be excellent.
Green season (Nov–Apr)
Hot, humid and green, with short afternoon storms, newborn animals and excellent predator viewing.
The flood is not the rain
Water levels peak months after local rainfall. Activity availability depends on the camp's location, not the calendar.
Dry months (roughly June–October)
Wildlife concentrates around water and the Delta’s channels are high with the seasonal flood. Excellent game viewing and the busiest period.
Green season (roughly November–April)
Dramatic skies, newborn animals and predator action, with lower rates in some camps. Some water activities depend on local conditions.
Water levels
The Delta’s flood arrives in the dry months, not during local rainfall. Do not assume every camp offers the same activities in every month.
Seasonal patterns shift year to year and differ within a country. We will tell you honestly what to expect for your dates rather than promise sightings.
Where to go
The regions worth knowing
You rarely need all of them. Two or three regions, connected sensibly, make a better journey than a long list.
Moremi & Khwai
Game-drive country with reliable predator viewing. Khwai’s community concession allows night drives and walking.
Chobe & Savuti
Chobe is famous for elephants along the river and boat safaris; Savuti’s marsh and woodland offer a wilder contrast.
Makgadikgadi & Kalahari
Salt pans and fossil riverbeds where the experience is about space, silence and desert-adapted wildlife rather than volume of game.
What you might see
Wildlife in Botswana
No guide can promise a sighting. What we can do is put you in the right area, in the right month, with a guide who reads it daily.
Elephants of Chobe
The largest concentration in Africa in the dry months, drinking in family herds along the river.
Wild dog and cheetah
Moremi, Khwai and Linyanti hold strong populations, tracked daily by guides on the concession.
Delta birdlife
African fish eagle, wattled crane and Pel's fishing owl in the channels and riverine forest.
Desert species
Brown hyena, bat-eared fox and meerkat in the Makgadikgadi and Central Kalahari.
Practicalities
What to pack
Baggage is limited on light aircraft, and laundry is usually included on safari. Pack lighter than you think.
- Soft bag only, strictly weighed on light aircraft
- Neutral colours; avoid blue and black for tsetse areas
- Warm fleece for open-vehicle mornings
- Sun hat, factor-50 cream, quality sunglasses
- Binoculars and a long lens with dust protection
- Swimwear for camp pools in the Delta heat
- Insect repellent and long sleeves at dusk
- Small torch and a power bank for off-grid camps
Safaris we plan
Botswana journeys
These are the shapes we work from. Take one as it stands, or tell us what to change — most travellers do.
Botswana · Private safari
Botswana Wildlife & Photography
Moremi → Khwai → Savuti
Proposed level: Luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Delta & Salt Pan Contrasts
Okavango Delta → Makgadikgadi
Proposed level: Luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Linyanti & Okavango Wilderness
Linyanti → Okavango Delta
Proposed level: Ultra-luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Kalahari to the Delta
Central Kalahari → Okavango Delta
Proposed level: Luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Botswana Mobile Safari
Moremi → Savuti → Chobe
Proposed level: Midrange to luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Botswana Wilderness Collection
Okavango Delta → Moremi → Savuti → Chobe
Proposed level: Ultra-luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Northern Tuli Walking Safari
Northern Tuli
Proposed level: Midrange to luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Nxai Pan & Makgadikgadi Explorer
Nxai Pan → Makgadikgadi
Proposed level: Midrange to luxury
Botswana · Private safari
Khutse & Central Kalahari Expedition
Central Kalahari → Khutse
Proposed level: Budget to midrange
Botswana · Private safari
Okavango Mokoro & Island Camping Journey
Okavango Mokoro
Proposed level: Midrange
Routes are proposed for your dates rather than fixed departures. Accommodation is described by level, not by property, and no rates are published.
Travel your way
Styles that suit this country
- Fly-in luxury Delta safaris
- Photography journeys in Moremi and Savuti
- Family safaris at camps that welcome children
- Desert and Delta combinations with the Kalahari and pans
Before you book
Botswana questions
Where do journeys start?
Maun for the Delta, or Kasane for Chobe. Light aircraft link the camps, with strict luggage limits that we will confirm.
How many nights do I need?
Five nights across two areas is a good first visit. Eight to ten nights allows the Delta, Chobe and the pans.
Are the flights included?
Internal light-aircraft transfers are usually included in a Botswana proposal; the itinerary will state which flights are included.
Can we self-drive?
Some travellers do, but the Delta’s camps are reached by air and the wildlife areas need experience. We plan guided journeys.
What about entry and health requirements?
Check your government’s travel advice and Botswana’s official immigration and health guidance before booking.
Will I see elephants?
Chobe and the surrounding areas hold large numbers in the dry months, but wildlife moves freely and sightings cannot be guaranteed.
How does the flying work?
Small aircraft on short hops with soft bags and a luggage limit. We will explain the limits before you book international flights.
Is the Delta good for families?
Some camps welcome children and some have minimum ages, particularly for mokoro and walking activities. Share your children’s ages and we will check.
