Best of Botswana’s Okavango Delta Safari Tours & Travel Holidays

The Okavango Delta Safari Tours present a journey into the heart of one of Africa’s most magnificent wildernesses. Recognized as a World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta is a sprawling, nearly untouched freshwater wetland nestled within the arid expanse of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. It boasts a stunning array of wildlife, thriving amidst the breathtaking natural splendour.

Under the protection of the Moremi Game Reserve and various private concessions, the Delta is a sanctuary for vast herds of plains game and unique species of antelope such as the puku, sitatunga, and red lechwe. Renowned as a bastion for predators and a haven for coveted bird species including Pel’s fishing owl, bee-eaters, and kingfishers, the Okavango Delta stands as a premier wildlife haven.

As one of the world’s most sought-after wilderness locales, the Okavango Delta offers an unmatched experience. Set against the dramatic backdrop of wild Africa, this UNESCO World Heritage Site delivers extraordinary encounters in a tranquil inland delta, unparalleled anywhere on the globe. Exploring the Okavango Delta means delving deep into Africa’s untouched core, navigating through its winding waterways, around islands edged with palms and papyrus, and through dense woodlands lush with vegetation, all brimming with an abundance of vibrant wildlife.

Nestled within the Kalahari Basin, the Okavango Delta stands as the world’s largest intact inland delta. Originating from the Angolan Highlands, the life-giving Okavango River flows into this ‘jewel’ of the Kalahari, creating three distinct regions: The Panhandle, The Delta, and the Drylands.

Botswana: Explore the Magical Okavango Delta in a Traditional Mokoro Boat

The journey begins at Mohembo, where the river enters Botswana from Namibia, stretching southeast for about 80 kilometers. Flanked by two parallel faults, the river’s course is deep and broad, annually flooding the adjacent swamps. The Panhandle beckons tourists with its exceptional fishing, birdwatching, and vibrant villages nestled among papyrus and phoenix palms.

At Seronga, the river fans out, breathing life into the Delta, forming an intricate tapestry of waterways, lagoons, pools, lush grasslands, and myriad islands.

The size of the Okavango Delta fluctuates dramatically, spanning from 15,000 to an expansive 22,000 square kilometers, depending on the season. It’s a botanical wonderland, dominated by reeds, fan palms, acacias, figs, sausage trees, rain trees, and African mangosteens.

The perennial swamps transition to seasonal marshes and grasslands in the Delta’s lower expanses. Further southeast, the drylands reveal themselves, marked by the Matsebi Ridge, Chief’s Island, and the Moremi Tongue. This region is a mosaic of Mophane woodlands, acacia, and scrub, peppered with salt pans, providing refuge for a multitude of mammals during the winter retreat.

The Delta and dryland areas offer major tourist attractions such as game viewing, birdwatching, and boating through numerous waterways, often aboard the traditional mokoro dug-out canoe.

The variety and abundance of wildlife are remarkable.

122 mammal species
71 fish species
444 bird species
64 reptile species
1,300 flowering plant species
The Okavango’s rhino reintroduction program has been successful, with the White Rhino population now at about 35 and the Black Rhino at 4.

Key species observed include elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, rhinos, red lechwes, waterbucks, reedbucks, duikers, impalas, kudus, steenboks, wildebeests, hartebeests, sables, roans, tsessebes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, genets, servals, and caracals. This is in addition to a vast array of land and water birds, both resident and migratory, with some species being rare and endangered. However, game viewing is seasonal and varies with the time of year, affecting water and food sources.