The Okavango's flood arrives from Angola months after the rain that made it, so the Delta is fullest around June to August, in the middle of the dry season. That means mokoro and boat safaris are best in winter, and a camp advertised as 'water-based' may be dry in November.
The Delta is divided into private concessions, each with one or two camps and exclusive traverse rights. Vehicle density is close to zero. That exclusivity, plus fly-in logistics, is why the Delta costs what it costs.
Price a Botswana trip by month and style with the estimator, or see how Botswana compares with the other seven.
Wildlife in Okavango Delta
- Elephant
- Herds swim between islands and feed on palm; the Delta and Chobe hold Africa's largest population.
- African wild dog
- One of the continent's strongholds; denning season around June to August.
- Red lechwe and sitatunga
- Water antelope you will see almost nowhere else.
- Lion and leopard
- Chief's Island and Moremi carry strong predator populations.
Three ways to base yourself.
Water camp
Permanent water year-round; mokoro and boat safaris; fewer game drives.
Mixed camp
Both water and land activities in season — the most versatile choice for a first Delta trip.
Land camp
Moremi and drier concessions; game drives and predators; less water.
Where you sleep decides what you wake to.
Frequently asked questions
Will my camp have water?
Depends on the camp's location and the season's flood, which varies year to year. Ask specifically, and if water activities matter, choose a permanent-water camp or a mixed camp for June to September.
Why is the Delta so expensive?
Private concessions with one or two camps each, fly-in access, and Botswana's deliberate low-volume policy. You are paying for the absence of other people.
How many nights?
Two camps over five to seven nights: one water or mixed, one land. Three camps if you have nine or more nights and want Chobe or the Kalahari as well.
Official planning sources
Baseline facts come from park authorities and destination bodies. Fees, access and operating schedules change; verify before payment.
The other regions.
Moremi Game Reserve
Protecting the central and eastern Delta, Moremi merges mopane woodland, acacia forests, and open floodplains famous for…
Massive elephant herds & river safarisChobe & Linyanti Concessions
The Chobe Riverfront provides some of the densest elephant and buffalo concentrations in southern Africa, while the priv…
Desert adaptation, meerkats & star-gazingMakgadikgadi & Kalahari
Vast white salt crusts and golden grasslands featuring habituated meerkat colonies, seasonal zebra migrations, and rare …
Go deeper
Tell us the trip, not the region.
Month, budget, who is traveling. We will tell you whether Okavango Delta belongs in it — and where else in Botswana does.