Botswana’s wildlife-filled Okavango Delta – on a budget

The Okavango Delta is on every wildlife lover’s bucket list. However, the high price tag of private lodges and concessions often puts this over some people’s budget.  For this itinerary, we have made the Okavango more affordable by using shared vehicles throughout and a series of mobile tented camps dotted amongst some of the Okavango’s most wildlife-rich areas.

There are a large number of departures throughout the year, you will be accompanied by expert naturalist guides and we have made the camps as comfortable as possible with private chefs preparing all your meals, full size safari tents, complimentary drinks, camp fires, solid beds, en suite bathrooms and even hot water showers.

During this overland tour, you will cross a large expanse of the Okavango delta, starting with the famous Moremi Game Reserve, which is home to an astonishing array of African wildlife.  Endangered African wild dog, lion, leopard and cheetah all hunt in this patchwork landscape, with ample number of antelope, including red lechwe being present.  Here, you can observe close-knit family groups of elephant wandering the mopane forest, and scores of water-dwelling birds in the marshes. A great number of bird species either reside in or migrate to Northern Botswana, including many raptors, hornbills and Botswana’s national bird, the kori bustard. The rare and secretive Pel’s fishing owl hunts the waterways after dark.

You will then travel along the Khwai River and make camp for a night on its banks, taking time to witness the drama and antics unfold in Dombo hippo pool.

Your final destination is the Mababe Private Reserve. This has the exclusivity of the Okavango’s more expensive concessions (e.g. a maximum of 20 vehicles are permitted in the concession at any one time) but comes at a fraction of the cost.  It also allows us to undertake many activities not allowed in the national parks such as offroad driving, walking safaris plus spectacular night drives.

The Mababe region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common compared with Moremi. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. Other ungulates include tsessebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala, and even eland and oryx in the western parts.

You will finish with a breathtaking arial view of the Okavango as you fly out, glimpsing larger mammals like elephant and herds of buffalo moving through patchwork of rivers, mopane forest and grassland savannah.

Throughout the tour, you will witness an astonishing array of habitats, enjoy the company of like-minded travelers and explore the Okavango Delta through a wide variety of unforgettable experiences including safari game drives, walking safaris, night drives and traditional mokoro canoe trips.  Please note that your exact program of activities will be determined by your guide depending on seasonal water levels, grass height, weather and recent animal sightings.

Tours are based on a minimum of 2 people with a maximum group size of 7.  Transport will be in specially designed safari 4×4 with fridge and retractable canvas roof.  Guaranteed window seat for each passenger.

No single supplement for the first three singles on each departure. Minimum age for children is 12 years.