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Okavango Delta From Maun - Compare 178 Tours

Welcome to one of the best places to see wildlife on the planet. The Okavango Delta, with Maun as its gateway town, is an incredible place, both in terms of its natural beauty and the wildlife that inhabits it. This is where so many makers of wildlife documentaries come to find animal encounters that happen with great regularity against a backdrop of considerable and ever-changing beauty. Maun is a small town that sits southwest of the main Delta, but its role as a gateway is far more significant than its size. This is thanks to both its geographical location and the number of flights passing through. Almost everyone who visits the Delta passes through Maun at some stage.

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6 Questions About Okavango Delta Safaris From Maun

 
 

6 Questions About Okavango Delta Safaris From Maun

Answered by Anthony Ham

Is Maun the main gateway to the Okavango Delta?

“There are two main gateways to the Okavango Delta, but Maun is definitely the best and most important of the two. Maun has a steady timetable of arrivals at its small but busy international airport, with planes arriving here from all across southern Africa. Most people stay in Maun for a night or two, but there’s not a lot to see in the town itself and quite a few travelers just get on another plane to fly to the camp where they’ll be staying. As you land in Maun, you’ll see dozens of small planes ready and waiting. If you’re driving out into the Delta, which is usually the case with more cheap and affordable trips, you’ll probably leave early the next morning. The other gateway town for the Okavango Delta is Kasane, which lies in Botswana’s far northeastern corner. Kasane does have some flights into the Delta, but it’s better for traveling into Chobe National Park. Its airport also has fewer planes arriving from around southern Africa.”

1

How do I get to the Okavango Delta from Maun?

“Flying is the most popular choice for most Okavango Delta tours from Maun, because it brings within range almost everywhere in the Delta. Apart from Moremi Game Reserve, most of the Delta is not part of a protected park or reserve. Instead, it’s a patchwork of private concessions, each with one or just a handful of tented camps. If you fly, you’ll be able to reach any of these on a Maun safari tour of the Delta. You’ll also get to enjoy some incredible views on the way in and out, which turns any air transfer into a scenic flight. The downside of flying is that it can be expensive and it may not be affordable for some travelers. A significant area of the Okavango Delta (including much of Moremi Game Reserve) can be reached by ‘road’, either as part of a group safari with a guide, driver and safari vehicle, or on a self-drive safari.”

2

What animals can I see on an Okavango Delta safari?

“The Okavango Delta is filled with animals. Commonly sighted wildlife includes lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, spotted hyena, hippo, Nile crocodile, zebra, giraffe, waterbuck and many more antelope species. Cheetahs are less likely to be seen, but still possible. It also depends a little on where you go: in some areas of the Delta, you may get to see African wild dog, an aquatic antelope known as the red lechwe, and, if you’re very lucky, you may spot one of the black rhinos that wanders Moremi Game Reserve. The latter is hard to find but makes it possible that you’ll see the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) on your safari. The Delta is also a fabulous habitat for birds, with more than 400 species recorded across its watery channels and floodplains. Some tours specialize in birding, and most Delta guides have some birding expertise. Remember, however, that the best birding is during the Wet season (November to March), when migratory species spend time here.”

3

What types of safaris are available on an Okavango Delta tour from Maun – mokoro (dugout canoe), boa

“All four of these safari types are possible, and there are even some safari packages where you could combine some or all of these activities. All tour companies offer lists of inclusions for their Delta safaris. If there is an activity that you would like to add, ask your safari operator. If you are going on a multiday safari in the Okavango Delta, most tours will include at least some time spent in a mokoro and some time on guided game drives. Doing both is a highlight of being in the Delta. Both mokoro trips and game drives usually happen in the early morning and late afternoon. On a mokoro trip, you will be taken out into the waterways of the Delta in a traditional wooden pirogue or canoe with a guide and poler to help you move quietly through the area. It’s a wonderful way to experience this special place, and is especially good for birding. On a game drive, you will be driven in an open-sided safari vehicle as you go looking for animals. Boat tours are also offered at many safari lodges and camps. Most of these involve a motorized boat with a viewing deck. You’re taken on the boat to a scenic location for snacks and sundowners (drinks, usually alcoholic, taken as the sun sets). Walking safaris, where you walk through the wilderness accompanied by an armed ranger, are another superb way to get close to nature.”

4

Are scenic flights or helicopter tours over the Delta available from Maun?

“Yes, both helicopter and airplane scenic flights are possible from Maun, and they can be a really special experience. You’ll get to see the Delta from above, and almost as soon as you take off from Maun, this magical world of islands, rivers and even animals comes into view to the far horizon. The more you pay, the farther (and longer) you’ll fly. On some Okavango safaris, a scenic flight might be included in the cost of your tour. More often it is considered an extra that you would need to pay for separately. If it isn’t included, your tour company should be able to make the arrangements on your behalf. When this is not possible, numerous scenic flight operators have offices across the road from Maun’s small airport.”

5

Can I combine an Okavango Delta safari with other destinations?

“Yes, many travelers combine an Okavango safari with other Botswana destinations as part of the same tour. With 10 days to 2 weeks at your disposal, you could easily spend 5 days to a week in the Delta, 3 to 5 days around Chobe, and a couple of days in and around Makgadikgadi Pans. Regardless of how many days you spend in each place, if you combine all three, you really do have the most wonderful safari to look forward to. Remember that while it is possible to move between the three areas by road and 4WD trail, it’s also possible to fly, which makes the large distances more manageable. For example, many of the Delta camps can only be reached by small plane, and you could easily continue on to Chobe by flying into one of the airstrips there, or via Kasane, the main gateway town for Chobe.”

6

Okavango Delta Safari Reviews

4.8/5 173 Reviews
Expert
Stuart Butler  –  
United Kingdom UK

Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including 'Kenya', 'Rwanda' and 'Tanzania'.

The Most Beautiful Place in Africa
5/5

The Okavango Delta, a huge water world of marshes, shifting channels, shape-changing islands and reed-shrouded natural canals is, in my opinion, quite simply the most beautiful corner of Africa. To see it from the air, as you fly into a...

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Expert
Gemma Pitcher  –  
Australia AU

Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

One for the Bucket List
5/5

The Okavango Delta thoroughly deserves its legendary status amongst safari destinations. The Okavango River, flowing in from Namibia, spreads out once across the border into Botswana into a labyrinth of channels, floodplains and islands....

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Rachel Hannan  –  
United Kingdom UK
Reviewed: Dec 6, 2024
5/5

Due to the wetland nature of this area, there were different bird species. It was magical to travel by Makoro through narrow channels and to camp on an island. It was the only place on our travels where we were allowed to do a walking...

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Angels  –  
Spain ES
Reviewed: Aug 31, 2023
5/5

You feel closer to nature than anywhere else by doing a walking safari. We felt very secure at all times with our guide, even when seeing animals very close, like giraffes, elephants, crocodiles and even lions (we saw two males eating a...

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Alina & Andrzej  –  
Poland PL
Reviewed: Aug 21, 2023
5/5

We have seen lions, buffaloes, lots (!) of elephants, warthogs, herds of antelopes (different species), hippos in the water and grazing, crocodiles, w wild nature. Mokoro trips and walking safari was exciting.

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Vidyasagar Premkumar  –  
United States US
Reviewed: Aug 31, 2019
5/5

Great wildlife sightings (both predators and plains animals) and birdlife. Delta from the air is magical for photography, with sitatungas in the channel and same as kwando - focus of guiding on what we are there for - wildlife

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