Okavango Delta

What and Where It Is

The Delta's World Heritage area covers more than 2 million hectares, with around 600,000 hectares of permanent swamp and up to 1.2 million hectares of seasonally flooded grassland. Papyrus channels, lagoons, palm islands and floodplains give way to woodland and dry sandveld at the edges. Chief's Island, the largest island, sits in the middle of the Delta inside Moremi Game Reserve.

The Flood Calendar

Summer rain in the Angolan highlands takes months to work its way down the river, so the Delta runs on its own timetable:

• April–May: floodwater starts arriving in the north and spreads south
• June–September: high water, usually peaking around July and August
• October–November: the water drops to its lowest levels
• December–March: local summer rains turn the land green, while the channels are low

Mokoro trips depend on the water. Most camps can run them from around April to October, with the best access during the June to September peak.

Wildlife and Activities

Red lechwe are the most common large mammal, with an estimated 88,000 in the Delta. Elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, spotted hyena and cheetah are all here, and the Delta holds globally important numbers of African wild dog. Sitatunga, a shy swamp antelope, live in the papyrus. About 480 bird species have been recorded, including Pel's fishing owl and wattled crane.

Camps fall roughly into water camps, focused on mokoro and motorboat trips, and land camps, focused on game drives. Many private concessions also allow walking and night drives.

Best Time to Go

June to October is the peak season, when the flood is in and wildlife gathers around permanent water. It is cold in the early mornings in June and July, and October is the hottest and driest month. December to March is the green season, with lower rates, newborn antelope and summer birds. Our month-by-month safari guide puts the Delta in context with the rest of Africa.

Getting There and How Long to Stay

Camps are reached by light aircraft from Maun or Kasane. Luggage limits are strict, usually about 20 kg in a soft bag, so check our safari packing list. Give each camp three nights if you can, and pair a water camp with a land camp to see both sides of the Delta.

Where to Stay in the Okavango Delta

Wilderness Mombo is Wilderness's flagship, on Chief's Island inside Moremi. It is a land camp first, known for big herds on the floodplains and the predators that follow them.

Xigera Safari Lodge stands on an island in Moremi, with mokoro and motorboat trips when the flood is in, strong birding and a serious art collection.

Duba Plains Camp, run by Great Plains Conservation in the northern Delta, is known for lions that hunt buffalo.

Wilderness Vumbura Plains sits in a private reserve in the far north and offers both land and water activities from one base.

Jao Camp is the flagship of the Jao Reserve in the western Delta, now run independently, with mokoro and boat trips in high water and a spa and gym in camp.

&Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge is a land camp in a private concession bordering Moremi, good for predator sightings on game drives.