Okavango Delta: Botswana’s top safari destination

In December, Your African Safari (YAS) surveyed just shy of 250 tour operators to find out which destination was currently trending to be the most popular among their clients and potential clients.  

Tour operators could choose one of the following:

·         Central Kalahari Game Reserve

·         Chobe National Park

·         Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

·         Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

·         Mashatu Game Reserve

·         Moremi Game Reserve

·         Nxai Pan National Park

·         The Okavango Delta

All but two destinations, Mashatu Game Reserve and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, received votes.

The destination with the most votes was The Okavango Delta. In 2013, it was nominated to be a UNESCO World Heritage site and is on track to officially becoming a World Heritage site this year.  It received 50% more votes than the second-highest destination, Moremi Game Reserve. Moremi Game Reserve is located in The Okavango Delta, which supports the popularity of this region.

Why an Okavango Delta safari?

The Okavango Delta offers a lush, green setting in the middle of the Kalahari Desert. It is home to a profusion of animals, including all of the big five, and boasts over 400 species of birds. Not surprisingly, boats are the preferred means of transportation in the Delta. Depending on which area of the Delta they are in, guests can serenely glide down the river in a mokoro—a hollowed out, wooden canoe, or take a power boat, and get close to the animals as they come to drink from the river. Game walks are also possible and, in certain areas, so are the traditional game drives.

The best time for an Okavango Delta safari

Fed by rainwaters that run down from neighboring Angola, the Okavango Delta swell and floods each year.  The flooding generally occurs between the months of July and October, which just happens to coincide with the area’s dry season. These months are considered the best times to visit, as the concentration of wildlife is at its highest. Visitors should also bear in mind that it can also get uncomfortably hot and sticky, with temperatures reaching in excess of 40C/104F. Always bring plenty of sunscreen, head gear and protective clothing to shield limbs from the intense sun.

Thinking of planning a safari to Botswana and The Okavango Delta? See the tour operators who operate here.

Are we missing a major park in Botswana? Think a different region should be the top destination? Let us know.