Okavango Delta

Delta on the Maun side was very dry!

It is very good but if I am evaluating it right after Chobe I have to give 5 stars to Chobe and 4 to okavango.

Mokoro ride was beautiful. We saw elephants, zebra, and giraffes on the bush walk. I felt camping there was unnecessary.

It is a great place for Birding. I should’ve stayed at a better reserve.

A unique habitat

Really good boat trips, and meeting a bull Elephant in must, while in Mokoro dugout canoe was very exciting. Ranger guides on land less interesting. Excellent accommodation at Nguma lodge, in perfect setting. However a torrential downpour cancelled a boat trip and dampened our enthusiasm.

Mokoro Trip

I did a 3 days/2 nights self-catered mokoro trip to the delta. It is a completely different experience to other Safari destinations. Do not expect to see as much wildlife as on a game drive or a boat safari, but the bush vibe is fantastic an the hikes on the islands are very nice walking safaris. The delta is also a great destination for bird watching.

A unique and unforgettable experience.

We were on a camping safari organised by On The Go Tours in conjunction with Africa Tour Company. We thoroughly enjoyed the Mokoro ride through the blue water of the Delta...it is so relaxing with only the sound of the Mokoro slicing through the water accompanied by the sound of the reeds in the breeze. We saw some grazing zebras far away, beautiful water lilies and lily pads, local wild flowers and some birds. It was sunny and warm and most of us were completely relaxed.
Our campsite was in a remote area with fixed tents and attached open air "en-suite". At night we have a fantastic view of the Milky Way and stars. After dinner, the polos and campsite personnels gave an impromptu concert singing and dancing...the atmosphere is simply wonderful and you feel you are really experiencing the real Africa.
We had a guided walk in the evening through the Delta and were given a first hand education on the local flora and their medicinal benefits...the climax that evening is to view the sunset out in the water in the mokoro and the next morning to see the sunrise.

The Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta
Henk Reitsma
Some years ago my wife and I made a roundtrip through a number of countries in Southern Africa. We travelled with a group from Cape Town to the Victoria Falls. The absolute highlight was our visit to the Okavango Delta in Botswana. It was March, so in the wet season with the Delta completely filled.
We slept two nights on a houseboat placed on the edge of the Delta area.
We departed in the morning to the Delta and first had to drive a few kilometers with a truck (Photo 1), passing a small village with rondavel huts (photo 2). Along the road laid the carcass of an elephant (Photo 3), probably shot by the village people to protect their crops.
There were 10 boats (mokoro’s ) and 10 guides (Photo 4) waiting for our group with 20 participants and subsequently we started our tour over the Delta through high grasses and reed. In each mokoro two persons were sitting. The guides were very careful to avoid the hyppo’s and asked us not to make noise. We heard elephants in the distances and saw a glimp of the herd when standing in the mokoro. However I almost lost my equilibrium and almost fell in the water.
After two hours we entered a small island to have lunch (Photo 5) and subsequently made a walk (Photo 6) over this island guided by two guides. We found the remains of a buffalo, probably killed by a lion (according to our guide), which reminded us again that we walked through a terrain with wild animals.
On our way back we saw some deer in the distance. After 1 ½ hour we arrived at our point of departure. It was a splendid tour through a wonderful water world. Even after a couple of years I still have vivid memory of our visit to the Okavango Delta.

Amazing scenery

Both from the water (kokomo) and from the air (helicopter) the Okavango is an amazing landscape. We weren't lucky with the weather during our bush camp but it was still a good experience to see the canals an islands.

Magic surroundings, unique scenery,

The Okavango Delta scenery is quite unique and as you have to fly a small plane to get to one of the lodges, you can realize it as soon as you board. It is very remote and with the water reflection the light is a wonder and you ear the bush noises so clearly day or night (you can ear hyenas grunting , lions roaring, bell frogs croaking etc.). For wildlife, scarce elephants and hippos are guaranteed. But you may not see cats if you don't book in a lodge offering game drives. Most of the lodges have boat activities and bush walks (a great experience indeed), but few have game drives. If you think you will be frustrated not to see lions, choose lodges with gale drives. If you can afford to stay in two places (one in the north, one in the south), it might be advisable as you'll probably see different things. Quality wise, the accommodation we booked was not a bargain. Lodges are very expensive and the service is not quite as good as we might expect for what we paid (I know, it is the bush but...) The thing is if you are used to other safari accommodations (I live in South Africa and have tried quite a few..) you can have real value for money (even if it is not as spectacular as the Okavango)...