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Okavango Delta Budget Safari Tours

4.8/5  –  174 Okavango Delta Reviews

There is nowhere I’d rather go on safari than in the Okavango Delta. It doesn’t matter how many times I visit this remarkable place, I still feel like it’s my first time. That’s because every time here is different and you never quite know what animals you’re going to see; all you can be quite sure of is that you’re going to see lots of them. Parts of the Delta will be off limits to you if you’re on a budget safari: you can only reach some places by plane and flights are probably too expensive to be included in a budget safari. But there are plenty of places where you can go on a cheap or affordable safari and still enjoy the full Okavango Delta experience.

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5 Questions About Okavango Delta Budget Safaris

1. Are there cheap day trips available to the Okavango Delta?
2. What type of accommodations can I expect on cheap Okavango Delta packages?
3. What are the pros and cons of a self-drive Okavango Delta budget safari?
4. What are the pros and cons of a budget group trip to the Okavango Delta?
5. How much does a budget Okavango Delta safari cost?
 
 

5 Questions About Okavango Delta Budget Safaris

Answered by Anthony Ham

Are there cheap day trips available to the Okavango Delta?

“Maun has lots of safari operators offering day tours and packages to the Delta. If you only have 1 day to visit the Okavango Delta, you won’t get the best of it on a day trip. That’s because whether you fly or drive, you can’t begin traveling before dawn or finish after sunset. This means that you will end up traveling in the first and last couple of hours of daylight (it can take a couple of hours of driving to reach the southern areas of the Delta, and flying is not really possible on a budget safari). You will, therefore, miss the best times to go looking for wildlife; these are the times when animals are most active and easiest to see. Despite it not being ideal, you can still have a great trip: even a few hours in the Delta are better than none at all!”

1

What type of accommodations can I expect on cheap Okavango Delta packages?

“For most budget tours and packages to the Okavango Delta, you will be camping. This comes in many forms. At its most basic, you may sleep in a small tent on a ground mattress. Some campgrounds already have these set up on little wooden platforms, while others will require that you set up your tent on the ground. Another possibility is that the campground may have simple safari tents. These will be a far cry from the luxury safari tents in other tented camps, but they should have real beds, canvas floors, and (possibly) en suite bathrooms. These safari tents will usually be pricier than the simple camping tents. Most campgrounds will have shared facilities, such as a building with separate showers and toilets for men and women, as well as fire pits, and possibly communal cooking and dining areas. None of the camping areas in the Delta have fences, so take care when moving around and follow the advice of your guide at all times. While you’re in town (i.e. Maun), there are also camping areas and simple hotels or lodges; the latter may have rooms with en suite bathrooms, as well as a bar and restaurant area.”

2

What are the pros and cons of a self-drive Okavango Delta budget safari?

“A self-drive Okavango Delta budget safari is one of the best things you can do in Africa. Not only are many of the self-drive packages and tours much more affordable than other ways of going on safari, but you’ll also experience the most wonderful feeling of freedom as you drive out into the Delta. Although your operator will make all of the arrangements and provide you with an itinerary, all other decisions will be yours. Unlike on a group safari, you’re the one who decides when to move on from each wildlife encounter and when to stay. There aren’t many disadvantages to this kind of safari. No, you won’t have a guide to show you around and explain things to you. And you won’t share the trip with other, like-minded safari travelers, which means you’ll miss out on the camaraderie that sometimes comes from a group safari. But the advantages of traveling in this way more than compensate.”

3

What are the pros and cons of a budget group trip to the Okavango Delta?

“A budget group safari to the Okavango Delta has many advantages, not least among them the benefits of traveling through one of the best wildlife areas on the planet. Put simply, this is one of the best places possible to go on a safari holiday. You might also have a number of like-minded new friends with whom to share the journey. And you can also enjoy the idea that you have seen one of the world’s most expensive and celebrated safari destinations for an affordable price. At the same time, camping is not for everyone. The only way to manage a cheap or budget safari to the Delta is by camping; you don’t get much choice when it comes to accommodations. Remember also that many areas of the Delta are only accessible if you stay in expensive, exclusive accommodations and travel by plane – this means that there will be parts of the Delta that you simply can’t visit.”

4

How much does a budget Okavango Delta safari cost?

“Prices for a budget Okavango Delta safari start at around US$100 to US$150 per person per day. Always ask your tour operator for a clear list of what’s included and what’s excluded. These prices should include a guide, vehicle, camping equipment, food and water, and two game drives per day. The price you are quoted by the operator may or may not include park fees, transfers and other activities. You may also be expected to help out around camp: setting up tents and taking them down, cooking meals and washing up. Another factor that can affect the cost of your safari is the season in which you travel, although the difference between high and low season prices is far less at the budget end of the price scale than it is for more expensive safaris.”

5

Okavango Delta Reviews

4.8/5 174 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
Alan Murphy  –  
Australia AU

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

Nature at Its Finest
5/5

This watery wonderland, surrounded by a parched, cracked countryside, is a wonder to see flying in on a light aircraft. In fact, flying is how most people get around between the lodges, private concessions and public reserves such as Moremi...

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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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All 174 Okavango Delta Reviews