Where to go in Okavango Delta

Just to the north of Moremi, in a palm-filled corner of the north-eastern Delta, lies the Khwai Private Reserve. On the ground, the elite (and excellent) selection safari lodges work in partnership with the local Khwai community and the Khwai Development Trust, and all three promote conservation and eco-tourism. Landscape-wise, swathes of mopane trees characterise the north whilst the south morphs into an iconic Delta scene of open grasslands, waterholes, shiny floodplains and winding waterways that weave across the greenery. Whilst the channels and lagoons are usually full enough for a mokoro safari in the peak season (June to October), it’s the Khwai River – and accompanying game drives – that really steal the show. The lifeblood of the reserve, the river flows along the southern boundary drawing hooves and paws from far and wide, and displaying some serious David Attenborough-worthy action on its banks. And by that we mean, African painted dog chasing impala, lion and leopard skulking in the shade, buffalo, zebra, elephant, sable and roan antelope. Need we say more?

Smack bang in the heart of the iconic Okavango is Moremi Game Reserve. Proclaimed in 1963, a project spearheaded by the local Bat’wana people, it incorporates 5,000 square-kilometres of prime Delta real estate: floodplains, pans and lagoons, sprawling grasslands and thick forests of acacia trees, and tiny palm islands encircled by myriad waterways that shimmer in the sunlight. Over the years, the area has been well-protected and the wildlife is an ever-present reminder of how a wilderness area could (and should) be. With no walking safaris or night drives available (aside from at the lodges along the Khwai River), game drives are the name of the game, and they’ll reveal ever-present herds of impala and tsessebe, as well as buffalo, zebra and elephant. On the watery banks of the river live sitatunga and lechwe, whilst fish flitter below the surface and over 400 species of birds above it. Then there are the big cats. Lion and leopard are both frequent sightings, and no area is better for it than Moremi’s two landmasses: the ultra-exclusive Chief’s Island and the Mopane Tongue, a peninsula that merges into a glorious wetland network. But really, there are no ‘stars’ here – this is Moremi, one of the finest wilderness areas in the world.

Africa’s original ‘safari town’, mention the name Maun to just about anyone in Botswana and they’ll certainly have a few stories to tell… Legendary it may be, but the town’s position in the south-eastern corner of the Okavango Delta is incredibly practical and almost everyone who visits Botswana will more than likely pass through. Tiny planes flutter in and out of the airport every hour, depositing visitors in the remotest corners of the Delta or returning them to civilisation, and dusty 4x4s eject a steady stream of tired-out travellers . On the ground, there’s not much you can’t buy, fix, see or sell when it comes to safari, whether that’s stocking up on your khakis or patching up a spare wheel – and there’s an eclectic selection of hotels and restaurants to explore too. Activities-wise, heli flights over the Delta are easily organised from the operators in town, as well as mokoro trips and a small selection of wildlife-watching opportunities on the Thamalakane River.

Soaring overhead in a helicopter, you’ll see the remnants of a vast lake that once occupied the landscape, fed by multiple river systems, until tectonic shifts had other ideas. This is the Mababe Depression, a unique and remote corner of northern Botswana that changes profoundly with the seasons; summer rains replenish its wetlands and leave behind a blanket of green, while the dry season brings dusty savannah and shrinking pans. Mababe is a critical funnel for wildlife moving through Botswana’s diverse habitats, from thousand-strong herds of buffalo to great elephant families that travel ancient pathways through the Depression. It also plays host to incredible numbers of predators, including prides of lions (some of the largest in Botswana) who rule the banks of the Khwai River, packs of African wild dogs and cheetahs on the hunt. This extraordinary enclave is quite unlike anything you’ve ever seen and you’ll take it all in without another soul in sight.