Okavango Delta Safari Guide
Botswana's Last Eden
Every year the Okavango River drains into the Kalahari and never reaches the sea. What it leaves behind is 6,000 square miles of channel, island and floodplain — and the only place in Africa where you track lion by mokoro at dawn and by 4×4 the same afternoon.
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Quinton & Abby plan and
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One of the biggest advantages of booking with a SATSA member is the financial protection provided by the SATSA Bonding Scheme.
The flood arrives in winter, which is why Botswana safari tours peak in June
Rain that falls on the Angolan highlands in January takes four to five months to reach Botswana. It arrives in the middle of the dry season, when the rest of the Kalahari has nothing left to drink — so the game walks to the water rather than the other way around. That single quirk of hydrology is the reason a Delta safari in June or July is one of the highest-density wildlife experiences on earth.
Botswana also caps the number of beds. Most of the Delta is divided into private concessions, each leased to a single camp of eight to twelve tents. You do not queue at a sighting here, because there is no one else to queue behind.
We build Delta itineraries as three- or four-night blocks and pair them with Chobe, the Victoria Falls or the Sabi Sands. Below: exactly when to come, what water and land camps each do best, and what a realistic budget looks like.
Jun–Jul is peak flood. Camps in the private concessions sell out 9–12 months ahead — we hold provisional space while you decide.
Best time to visit the Okavango Delta
Highest water. Mokoro and boat safaris at their best, game concentrated on the islands, cold clear mornings. Book 9–12 months out.
Water receding, superb predator viewing on the drying floodplains. Pairs perfectly with Chobe and the Falls.
Water rising or falling, fewer guests, better rates. October is very hot but delivers dramatic waterhole sightings.
Rain, newborn game, extraordinary birding and the lowest rates of the year. Some camps close; we will tell you which.
Water camp or land camp? Most guests should do both.
Mokoro, motorboat, walking islands
Deep permanent channels in the Delta’s heart. Silent poling past reed frogs and sitatunga, fishing, night sounds you will not forget. Big cats are a bonus, not the promise.
- Best Jun–Aug at peak flood
- Excellent for birders and repeat visitors
- Light aircraft transfer, 15–40 min
Game drives, night drives, big cats
Drier concessions on the Delta’s fringe — Khwai, Moremi, the Linyanti. Lion, leopard, wild dog and Botswana’s enormous elephant herds, with off-road access in the private areas.
- Strong year-round, peaks Aug–Oct
- First safari? Start here
- Night drives permitted in private concessions
Our standard recommendation: three nights water, three nights land, then three nights at the Victoria Falls or in the Sabi Sands. Nine nights, one light-aircraft circuit, no backtracking.
Safari lodges in Botswana, by concession
Permanent channel camps
8–12 tents, mokoro from the deck, boat access year-round.
Khwai & Xakanaxa
Classic Botswana game viewing, strong leopard and wild dog record.
Exclusive-use areas
Off-road, night drives, walking. One camp per 200,000 acres.
Selinda & Linyanti reserves
Wide-open plains bordering the panhandle, superb elephant and predator density in the dry months.
Botswana Exclusive Safari
Relais & Châteaux and National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World camps — Zarafa Camp and Duba Plains Camp — reached by charter flight from Maun, with air-side meet & greet on arrival in Johannesburg and a private DSLR + 600mm lens kit for the stay.
- All regional & charter flights, meals, drinks, laundry & gratuities
- Canon DSLR + 600mm lens, memory card to keep
- International flights, travel & medical insurance
- Optional: +2 nights Vic Falls, +3 nights Cape Town
Rates fluctuate with season and exchange rate. A firm quotation follows every enquiry.
“Superb trip with outstanding selection of places, restaurants, lodging, and experiences. Quinton and Abby are terrific guides, and SA, Zambia, and Botswana were stunning. Full praise!”
“Abby & Quinton are excellent to deal with. Created an excellent bucket list holiday. Any query and Abby was only a phone call away. Can’t thank them enough.”
“We still count ourselves extremely fortunate to have travelled to the wilderness areas and remote game parks of Namibia and Botswana and Zambia with Quinton Conroy and his lovely wife.”
Botswana safari questions we are asked most
Is Botswana safe for a safari?
Yes. Botswana is one of Africa’s most politically stable countries with a long-standing multi-party democracy, low violent crime and a tourism industry built on small, well-run camps. Camps are unfenced, so you are escorted between your tent and the main area after dark — that is standard practice, not a warning sign. All road and air transfers on our itineraries are private and pre-arranged.
How much does an Okavango Delta safari cost?
Botswana is a low-volume, high-value destination — its concession model means fewer beds and higher nightly rates than South Africa or Kenya. Light-aircraft transfers between camps are a real cost, not an add-on. Exact from-pricing for this page is pending sign-off; the commercial block above shows what we need from AES before the page goes live.
Do I need a malaria prophylactic?
The Delta is a malaria area, with risk highest in the wet months of November to April. Speak to a travel clinic about prophylactics before you fly. If you would rather avoid them entirely — travelling with young children, for instance — we will steer you to a malaria-free reserve in South Africa instead.
How far ahead should I book?
For June and July travel, nine to twelve months. The best water camps hold eight to twelve tents in total, so a single family booking can close out a week. We will hold provisional space at no cost while you finalise flights.
Tell us when you want to be standing in the Delta
Abby designs the itinerary, Quinton pressure-tests the logistics. You get a costed day-by-day plan, not a brochure — usually within two working days.
- No obligation, no deposit to see a plan
- Provisional camp space held while you decide
- US & UK references available on request