Okavango Delta

An Authentic Trip Through the African Bush

This trip was the highlight of my month of traveling through Africa. We were taken up the delta on traditional mokoro boats, and set up to camp in the middle of the wilderness. Our guides (members of the local village) took great care of us, and took us on multiple safari walks. these walks allowed us to see the animals up close and in their natural, undisturbed habitat. With such little alterations to the landscape, the Okavango Delta is truly a magical place. 100% would go back, and would definitely recommend it to a friend!

This is really Paradise!

I guess I don't normally go in for writing reviews... but circumstances gave me the chance to visit the Okavango Delta recently... and boy, ... awesome..!!

This is picture postcard stuff... teaming with wildlife in private concessions where you wont see anyone for days.

Just go to the Okavango Delta once in your life.... its expensive but better than East Africa.

Great scenic Flights over the Okavango Delta, Maun, Botswana.

The wildlife is in abundance below,as you fly over the delta at 3600 feet above sea level,which is only actually 500 feet above the ground,due the the height of the Okavango,The Delta does not flow into any river or ocean,but simply evaporates when it hits the barren Kalahari desert nearby.There are many operators of small aircraft,that will arrange a sightseeing flight above the Delta,and most of their business comes from flying guests that arrive at Maun International airport,to the many bush and game lodges with an hour flying from Maun,where Elephants,giraffes and Water buffalo alongside many spieces of bird life others,will come right up to your game lodge.Small boats also cruise though the delta,but its from the air you see the Delta at its best, Game lodge tends to be at the higher end of the market but are worth that once in a life time experience!Highlights will be seeing elephants drinking water right from your lodge,and the changing weather,which can produce massive lighting storms within minutes,it all adds up to a unforgettable adventure in Africa.

Peaceful and thrilling in equal measure

The wildlife varies greatly between concessions - bearing in mind we travelled in low season when the water levels were extremely low. In the Abu concession we caught sight of plenty of leopard and wild dog, while the Jao concession proved more successful for water activities, including boating and mokoros. Scenery was varied throughout, from dense reeds to open savannah. Accommodation standards were very high, as was the food and guiding. Transportation less so - we were forced to fly between concessions which added unnecessary travel time. Guiding on the other hand was exceptional.

One day and night in the Okavango Delta.

As part of a southern Africa tour, we spent one day and night in the Okavango Delta.
In the early morning they took us to a local village. From there we were transported by mokoro to a nice camping place where we would spend the night. After lunch and a swim, we went on a walk on one of the delta's many islands. We only saw some wildlife from far away, but on the way back a Hippo showed itself while we were in the mokoro's. Afterwards at camp we had dinner and spent hours watching the stars.

A birder's paradise

An experience of a lifetime

Oh where to start - abundant wildlife, the most variety of birds that we've ever seen,... The lodges and huts that I stayed at were comfortable and the food served was delicious. The staff were absolutely amazing, friendly and accommodating. Last but not least, the tour guides were welcoming, knowledgeable and ensured our safety throughout the trip.

My trip to the Okavango Delta, Botswana was the best trip I've ever been on, it was an experience of a lifetime.

Once in a lifetime experience

The Okavango Delta is unlike anywhere else on earth. I did the camping experience, which was very back to nature - toilets were a hole dug in the ground, and there were no showers or ways of getting properly clean. However, it was made worth it by the early morning bush walks, where we got extremely close to a variety of animals including elephants, birds and zebra, and the beautiful scenery where there wasn't a building or road in sight. Another highlight was the boat trips, especially at sunset, where we explored the delta in small boats with very knowledgeable guides and got very close to wild hippos. The weather was beautiful - sunny all day, and the food was also amazing, and there was plenty of it. Our guides also made lovely bracelets and gifts which you could buy for a small price and which served as a lovely keepsake or present.

Wild Africa at its best

We visited Xigera Camp (pronounced Key-jeer-a) in August 2015. We flew into the airstrip from where we were welcomed and driven to the boat landing by our guide, Rueben. We then took a boat ride to the camp built on poles and under thatch on a remote island in the Delta. The rustic but very comfortable tent cabins are connected to the main buildings by an elevated boardwalk.

The game viewing can be done by boat, by mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) or by land rover. Rueben was a great guide being very knowledgeable, very well spoken with excellent English and a deep understanding of the animals and the eco-system. His professionalism made us feel safe when we had several very close encounters with elephant and hippo, an unforgettable experience.

The staff were very friendly and extremely helpful. Food was always very good, well introduced and matched with good quality wines.

Our tent/cabin had its own private veranda overlooking a hippo pool. Each morning, before sunrise, we watched the hippos come out to graze as the sun rose with the incredible colors of an African sunrise.

An unforgettable experience we look forward to doing again.

For my part it wasn't just a Safari because I also do ecovoluntering.

The weather in Botswana is very sunny and sometimes very hot. My wildlife guide was the director of the ecovoluntering project, it was a bushman so he had a lot experience with the wildlife, we saw beautiful animal like elephant and hippo.
Concerning the transportation we was in a land rover defender or a land cruiser this vehicules was great to move into the bush.