The Okavango is the world’s biggest inland delta system. A river delta usually leads to the sea, but the Okavango River flows from the Angolan Highlands into the Kalahari Desert, flooding the savannah with around 11 cubic kilometres every year. Mokoro (traditional canoe) trips are the best way to explore this patchwork of islands and narrow channels – it’s an experience unlike anywhere else in Africa. Traditional game drives are possible, too. The Moremi Game Reserve, which covers around a third of the Delta, is home to the Big Five as well as Africa's largest population of red lechwe antelope and one of the largest populations of endangered wild dog.
The Okavango experience is all the more exclusive thanks to its remote fly-in lodges. These intimate and luxurious bases are split between the Moremi Game Reserve (in the central and eastern Delta) and privately run concessions (in the west and south). &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge has just 12 air-conditioned suites in a forest canopy bordering Moremi Game Reserve, an hour’s drive from Chitabe airstrip, while by a seasonal lagoon in a private 270,000-hectare concession, &Beyond Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge has just nine safari suites, each with their own rooftop viewing perch. For a stylish island sanctuary, Belmond Eagle Island Lodge has 12 thatched tents with private plunge pools on a private island in the heart of the Delta.
The Okavango Delta is a year-round destination, although it’s most popular during Botswana’s dry season from June to September when the floods peak and the Delta swells to three times its normal size, attracting wildlife from miles around. For birders, the wet season from December to March offers the best bird viewing.
The Okavango Delta can easily be combined with Botswana's other wildlife hotspots such as Chobe National Park for a more extensive safari holiday. To reach the Okavango Delta we recommend flying into Maun, the gateway town at the edge of the delta. Simply contact our team and we’ll arrange everything you need to charter a private jet to the Okavango Delta.
