Botswana · Safari destination
Okavango Delta
The flood that arrives in the dry.
A wetland the size of a small country in the middle of the Kalahari: the Okavango's flood arrives in the dry season, drawing extraordinary wildlife to its channels and islands. Explore it by mokoro, boat, on foot or by game drive, from small fly-in camps with the delta to themselves.
Okavango Delta
The delta that floods in the dry season
The Okavango runs on a beautiful contradiction. Rain that falls on the Angolan highlands in summer takes months to travel south, so the flood arrives in Botswana's bone-dry winter, spreading across the Kalahari sands exactly when every other water source has failed. Game concentrates onto the islands, and the delta becomes the greatest wildlife stage in Southern Africa.
Explore it by mokoro at water level, on foot from an island camp, or by helicopter over the channels. Read why the delta runs upside down and our pick of the ten best Okavango lodges.
- Water camp or land camp?
- Water camps sit deep in the permanent delta for mokoro trips, boating and that floating-world stillness; land camps on the larger islands and fringes add proper game drives and often stronger predator viewing. The classic answer is one of each: two or three nights apiece, linked by a short flight.
- When is the flood at its best?
- The waters typically peak through the dry winter months, roughly June to August, which is also prime game viewing: dry land shrinking, wildlife concentrating. September and October trade some water for intense predator action around what remains. The green season, November to March, is lush, bird-rich and better value.
- Chobe or the Okavango?
- Chobe is river-front spectacle, vast elephant herds and easy access via Kasane, at gentler prices. The delta is remoter, wilder and more exclusive: fly-in camps, water-based game viewing, fewer people. They pair naturally in one Botswana itinerary, usually with Victoria Falls bolted on.
- What is a mokoro day actually like?
- A poler stands at the stern and pushes you silently through papyrus channels at lily-pad height: elephants crossing ahead, painted reed frogs at eye level, the delta at its own pace. It is the quietest game viewing in Africa, and most camps run it alongside drives and walks rather than instead of them.
- Why does the Okavango cost more than other safaris?
- Botswana runs a deliberate low-volume, high-value tourism model: small camps on private concessions, guest numbers capped, everything flown in by light aircraft. You are paying for exclusivity that is structural, not marketing. The packages on this page show complete per-person from-prices with flights included.
- How do I get into the delta?
- Fly to Maun, the delta's gateway town, then a light aircraft hop of 15 to 30 minutes to your camp's airstrip. Camps handle everything from there; luggage limits are soft-bag and modest, and your safari specialist briefs you on the details.
Tailor-made safaris
Safaris in Okavango Delta.
Most requested · 6 days
6 Day Romantic Chobe & Okavango Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Ngoma Safari Lodge overlooking the Chobe floodplains
- Full-day Chobe safari with river cruise and picnic lunch
- Night drives and walking safaris in the Chobe Forest Reserve
- 3 nights at Little Machaba, a four-tent camp in the Khwai Concession
From
$5,745
per person, complete package
≈ $11,490 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 11 days · Botswana
11 Day Botswana Luxury Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights each at Chobe Game Lodge, Savute Safari Lodge, Camp Moremi, Camp Okavango and Leroo La Tau
- Sundowner cruise on the Chobe River amongst its famous elephant herds
- Game drives in Savute's predator territory and across Moremi Game Reserve
- Boat and mokoro excursions through the Okavango Delta from Camp Okavango
From
$9,985
per person, complete package
≈ $19,970 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 9 days · Botswana
9-Day Classic Botswana Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Ngoma Safari Lodge overlooking the Chobe River
- Game drives in Chobe National Park among vast elephant herds
- 2 nights at Machaba Camp on the Khwai River with mokoro excursions
- 2 nights at Gomoti Plains for wild dog, lion and cheetah sightings
From
$11,635
per person, complete package
≈ $23,275 for two · international flights excluded
9 days · Botswana
9-Day Desert and Delta Ultra-Lux Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights each at Camp Xakanaxa, Camp Okavango, Leroo La Tau and Chobe Game Lodge
- Game drives and boat cruise in Moremi Game Reserve
- Mokoro and motorboat safaris through the Okavango Delta
- Track zebra and wildebeest migrations along the Boteti River
From
$8,385
per person, complete package
≈ $16,770 for two · international flights excluded
7 days
7-Day Fly-In Chobe and Okavango Delta Luxury Safari
All meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at Muchenje Safari Lodge on the Chobe waterfront
- Full-day Chobe River boat cruise, night drives and seasonal walking safaris
- Light-aircraft flight from Kasane to Jedibe Airstrip in the Okavango Delta
- 3 nights at Setari Camp, a water-only camp reached by boat
Special offer available
From
$3,365 normally $4,430
per person, complete package
≈ $6,735 for two · international flights excluded
11 days · Botswana · Zimbabwe
11-Day Victoria Falls to Okavango: A Luxurious Safari Odyssey
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at 528 Victoria Falls Guest House in Zimbabwe
- Zambezi sunset cruise and helicopter flight over the Falls
- 3 nights at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge with boat safaris and fishing
- 4 nights at Camp Okavango deep in the Delta
From
$7,735
per person, complete package
≈ $15,470 for two · international flights excluded
5 days · Botswana
5 Day Magical Moremi & Okavango Delta
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Moremi Crossing on a palm-fringed island bordering Moremi Game Reserve
- 2 nights at Rra Dinare Camp deep in the Okavango Delta
- Mokoro excursions, guided game walks and sunset cruises on the Delta
- Surprise brunch served on a Delta island during the mokoro trip
From
$5,015
per person, complete package
≈ $10,035 for two · international flights excluded
15 days · Botswana · Zimbabwe · Zanzibar
15-Day Safari Adventure: Botswana, Victoria Falls & Zanzibar
Most meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 4 nights at Belmond Mount Nelson with Table Mountain and Cape Peninsula sightseeing
- 2 nights at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge tracking large elephant herds and predators
- 2 nights at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge with mokoro and boat safaris in the Okavango
- 3 nights at Victoria Falls River Lodge with guided tour of the Falls and Zambezi cruises
Special offer available
From
$13,490 normally $13,945
per person, complete package
≈ $26,985 for two · international flights excluded
10 days
10-Day Romantic Safari Across Southern Africa: Victoria Falls, Delta & Kalahari
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Mbano Manor with a guided tour of Victoria Falls
- 4 nights at Feline Fields Vintage Camp in the Khwai region
- Game drives, mokoro rides and walking safaris in the Okavango Delta
- One-hour private helicopter flight over the Delta to the Kalahari
From
$12,500
per person, complete package
≈ $25,000 for two · international flights excluded
10 days · Botswana
10-Day Scenic Botswana Photo Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights aboard the Pangolin Voyager houseboat on the Chobe River
- 4 nights at Pangolin Photo Camp in the Okavango Delta
- 2 nights at Dinaka in the Central Kalahari
- 30-minute doors-off helicopter flight over the Delta
From
$13,950
per person, complete package
≈ $27,900 for two · international flights excluded
4 days
4-Day All Inclusive Okavango Delta Horseback Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at Macatoo Camp, a luxury tented camp in the Okavango Delta
- Horseback rides across 450,000 acres alongside giraffe, zebra and elephant
- Mokoro canoe trips through flooded grasslands with prolific birdlife
- Boat cruises and game drives spotting buffalo, antelope and crocodile
From
$4,530
per person, complete package
≈ $9,065 for two · international flights excluded
7 days · Botswana
7-Day Ultra-lux fly-In safari Okavango Delta to Vic Falls
All meals · All activities · Most transfers
- 3 nights at Karangoma Lodge in the Okavango Delta
- Helicopter transfer from Vumbura Airstrip to the lodge
- Mokoro safari through the Delta's waterways with a bush breakfast
- 3 nights at Camp Hwange with twice-daily game drives and walking safaris
From
$6,425
per person, complete package
≈ $12,850 for two · international flights excluded
9 days · Botswana
9-Day Luxury Botswana Wetlands to Wilderness Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 5 nights at Mopiri Camp in the Okavango Delta, then 3 at Mankwe Tented Retreat
- Water-based safari by boat and mokoro through papyrus-lined channels
- Spot hippos, crocodiles, sitatunga and the rare Pel's fishing owl
- Twice-daily game drives in Moremi tracking lion, leopard and buffalo
Special offer available
From
$5,430 normally $6,000
per person, complete package
≈ $10,865 for two · international flights excluded
No safaris matching these criteria.
Try adjusting the filters above to see more safaris.
Brochure
Botswana Guide
Botswana's signature regions and what to expect in each: the Okavango Delta, Chobe, the Makgadikgadi salt pans and the Central Kalahari.
Where to stay
Lodges in Okavango Delta.
39 lodges
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Affordable Live availabilityCamp Moremi
Camp Moremi brings true meaning to the word safari in the Xakanaxa area of the Moremi Game Reserve. Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, both in the morning and late afternoons, offer frequent sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah as well as wild dog. Guest can explore the Xakanaxa Lagoon and surrounding Okavango channels by motorboat.
From $1,290 per person · night
-
Affordable Live availabilityCamp Okavango
Camp Okavango, a unique and exclusive African safari camp is situated on the remote Nxaragha Island. This hidden treasure, in the heart of the permanent Okavango Delta, assures its guests of an unparalleled year-round water wilderness experience.
From $1,290 per person · night
-
Premium Live availabilityKhwai Leadwood
Set within the Okavango Delta’s community-run Khwai Concession, this beautiful camp is tucked under the trees on the edge of the Khwai River.
From $1,390 per person · night
-
Camp Xakanaxa
Pronounced as Camp Ka-ka-na-ka, this authentic safari camp is positioned on the banks of the Khwai River in the prime game viewing reserve of Moremi. With year-round land and water activities, Camp Xakanaxa offers a well-rounded classic safari experience in the heart of the Okavango Delta.
From $1,290 per person · night
-
Affordable Live availabilityMachaba Camp
Machaba Camp is a traditional style camp nestling in the game-rich Khwai area.
From $1,315 per person · night
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Affordable Live availabilityNxamaseri Island Lodge
Nxamaseri Island Lodge is a unique African experience on a private island in the permanent waters of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. A small, exclusive lodge, it is one of the oldest in the Okavango Delta.
From $1,290 per person · night
-
Affordable Live availabilityLeroo La Tau
Leroo La Tau is a luxurious lodge nestled on the western bank of the Boteti River which derives flow from the world-renowned Okavango Delta. The eastern bank of the Boteti River forms the boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park - one of the largest salt flats in the world. The lodge's river setting affords guests an incredible safari experience with an abundance of wildlife frequently visiting the river for a drink.
From $1,290 per person · night
-
Affordable Live availabilityMoremi Crossing Camp
Moremi Crossing sits on palm-fringed Ntswi Island, opposite Chief's Island in the heart of the Okavango Delta. This traditional water and walking camp now offers game drives too, combining mokoro trips and boating in flood season with off-road tracking in Gunn's Private Concession. A sociable, well-priced base for families and groups.
From $925 per person · night
Rates per person sharing, per night.
January
Rain here, flood still far north
Best time to visit
The upside-down year.
Angola's rain arrives months late, so the flood peaks in the dry: the delta's calendar runs upside down on purpose.
Okavango Delta
Your guide to Okavango Delta.
When
The cooler, drier winter months from May to October are excellent for game viewing, as herds of animals converge on dwindling water sources and vegetation thins. Days are warm; nights can be cold, especially in the Kalahari. This is also the period when floodwaters reach the Delta, making for excellent water-based activities such as boating and mokoro rides.
The hot, wet summer months from November to March are good for bird watching when migrants abound. Although game viewing is more challenging, these months draw fewer crowds and have plenty to offer. Many reserves are at their most beautiful, as the vegetation is lush and green, providing an ideal background for wildlife photography. This is also the animals’ calving season, so it’s the perfect time to see gambolling babies.
Photos from our guests
A traveller's view.
Every photo below was taken by a guest of ours on a recent trip to Okavango Delta. No stock imagery, no marketing shots. What they saw, on their cameras.
Imagery
Okavango Delta, in pictures.
Recent travellers
Word from people who have just been to Okavango Delta.
Quotes pulled directly from Trustpilot. Where we have specific reviews mentioning Okavango Delta, those come up first. Otherwise these are recent five-star notes from across the trips we have planned.
"Booked an 11-day tour starting and finishing in Johannesburg and including Victoria Falls, Chobe and the Okavango Delta. The service from Cearl was very professional with numerous options discussed before settling on the final version. Prices seemed to be very reasonable."
"Just booked a trip to South Africa (Cape Town, Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls, and Okavango Delta) via Safari.com for Sept 2027 including all accommodations, transportation and safaris. Booking process very smooth. Lana was very professional & responsive! Soooo excited to experience Africa!"
"Booked our trip for Capetown, Okavango delta and Victoria falls with Leigh-Ann was seamless. We’ve already had our amazing time in Capetown and now enjoying the beautiful camp Moremi very much even in the rain, we look forward to what Victoria falls has to offer later."
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