Reviews of Moremi (From 13 Acclaimed Safari Experts)

Expert

Sue Watt –

UK

Visited: Multiple times

Sue is an award-winning writer who specializes in African travel and conservation. She writes for national newspapers, magazines, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet.

3 people found this review helpful.

A hard act to follow…

Overall rating

4/5

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Justifiably Botswana’s premier attraction, the Okavango Delta is a safari experience like no other. In the wet season, the delta stretches out into swampy corridors spreading between small islands and edged by tall reeds and papyrus. A trip along these tranquil waters in a traditional mokoro (a wooden dug-out canoe) is a must. You won’t see much wildlife from this perspective other than hippos and crocs, but you will see myriad birdlife from giant African fish-eagles to brilliantly colourful lilac-breasted rollers.

There is plenty of wildlife here, including the Big Five, but it’s difficult to spot in the wet season unless you go to Moremi. This is where I saw my first lion, lying on a mound yawning and posing for the camera, waiting lazily for his lioness to bring back supper.We then spotted her nearby, with two cubs, happily devouring what was once a warthog. This was our first safari in Africa, everything we saw fascinated us and it became the benchmark for all subsequent safaris – a hard act to follow. Xakanaxa Lediba, in particular, is a beautiful setting for sundowners (an end-of-the-day drink), with almost neon green grasses, bright blue lagoons and skies that look like they’re on fire as the sun sets.

On my most recent trip, I visited Chief’s Island, the largest island in the Delta, to write about a rhino monitoring experience available at Sanctuary Chief’s Camp overlooking the Piajio floodplains. The US$200 fee supports Botswana Rhino Conservation which has brought several rhinos, previously locally extinct, back into the area. We had a fascinating morning, learning about these special newcomers, tracking them and examining droppings, both revealing whether a rhino is black or white, male or female.We also learned how to identify rhinos we saw using charts of ear notches. The exact number of rhinos translocated here is a closely guarded secret but it’s safe to say Chief’s Island is now the best place in Botswana for rhino-spotting.

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Expert

Alan Murphy –

AU

Visited: September

Alan is a travel writer and author of over 20 Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Southern Africa and Zambia & Malawi.

2 people found this review helpful.

A chance to see wild dogs

Overall rating

4/5

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This beautiful park can be quite busy with self-drivers, campers, mobile safaris and a large number of lodges. But it feels like there is room for everyone, and the Big Five can often be seen. My absolute highlight was a wonderful sighting of a pack of wild dogs. About 35 or 40 dogs with their pups. Adorable! They melted into the bush as quickly as they appeared; wild dogs have made a real comeback in this area of the delta. The other memorable moment was two male lions wandering into camp, one up onto the decking where most people were sitting around a fire after dinner. Panic sent people scrambling but the guides handled it very professionally, ‘shooing’ these big, curious cats away! Antelope sightings included red lechwe, waterbuck, kudu, and there were also plenty of wilderbeest, zebra and some beautiful birds including carmine bee-eaters and lilac breasted rollers. And secretary birds could be seen scouring the landscape for snacks. Elephants were common, and leopard sightings not unusual. I stayed at Okuti Lodge with its raised boardwalks. It was very friendly, and had experienced and enthusiastic guides.

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Expert

Harriet Nimmo –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Harriet is a zoologist with more than 20 years’ experience. She has the privilege of working with the world’s top wildlife photographers and photo-guides.

1 person found this review helpful.

Wild Botswana

Overall rating

4/5

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Moremi Game Reserve occupies the eastern side of the Okavango Delta. It is a stunningly beautiful mix of seasonal floodplains, swamps, palm trees, grasslands and open water. Moremi is home to the Big 5 – although you’d be very lucky indeed to see a rhino. However, it is “predator central” – renowned for its lion, leopard and wild dog sightings. I will never forget seeing three male lions walking through the long grass at dawn, their breath condensing in the mist as they roared, rattling my ribs. Moremi is also a great place to see the lechwe antelope, often seen leaping through the marshes – a photographer’s delight.

There are a variety of up market lodges, with great reputations for top notch guides. I also love visiting Moremi on a mobile safari. Here you camp on your own, just with your guide. No fences, no electricity – Botswana at its wildest.

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Expert

Kim Wildman –

AU

Visited: September

Kim is a travel writer who authored and updated over 15 guidebooks, including Lonely Planet's South Africa and Bradt's Tanzania guides.

Small in size, big on heart

Overall rating

4/5

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What it lacks in size, Moremi more than makes up for with its spectacular density and diversity of wildlife. Covering just under 5,000 square kilometres, the park hosts lion, cheetah, rhino, buffalo, elephant, wild dog and all manner of antelope as well as more than 500 bird species. We’d barely begun our first game drive when we were greeted by one of the iconic safari wish-list sights – a leopard lazing languidly in the crook of a tree. Tick. Then after we begrudgingly allowed our driver to draw the vehicle away, we just as quickly stumbled across a pride of lions feasting on a fresh kill. Tick. Tick! Game viewing here is renowned for being excellent year-round, though is at its best in the drier months between June and September. But be warned, the roads in and around the park are sandy and dotted with large potholes, so be prepared for a long, bumpy and dusty ride.

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