The Okavango Delta: What A Safari There Is Actually Like
Botswana Safari

The Okavango Delta: What A Safari There Is Actually Like

Leopard Orchid Safari Experts20 Mar 20268 min read

The Okavango Delta is unlike anywhere else on the safari map. Here is what a Delta safari really costs, what to expect, and how to combine it with a Kenya safari.

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Section 01

A safari on water, not just land

The Okavango Delta is a rare inland river delta, water flowing in from Angola's highlands spreads into the Kalahari and never reaches the sea. The result is a maze of channels, lagoons and islands that turns 'safari' into something closer to 'expedition': mokoro canoe rides through papyrus channels alongside the usual game drives.

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Section 02

What it actually costs

Botswana runs a deliberately low-volume, high-value tourism model, camps are small, exclusive, and priced accordingly. Expect $700–$1,200 per person per night at Delta camps, considerably more than equivalent Kenya or Tanzania lodges. It is not a budget destination, and operators there don't pretend otherwise.

Plan your safari

Tell us your dates, we will send back a real itinerary

A consultant reads every enquiry personally and replies with routing, camps and a full price breakdown. No call centre, no template.

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Section 03

Best combined with, not instead of, East Africa

Most of our guests treat Botswana as an add-on to a longer Africa trip rather than a standalone destination, three or four Delta nights bookending a Kenya or Tanzania safari, connected via Johannesburg or Nairobi. The contrast between the dry savannah of the Mara and the flooded channels of the Delta makes for one of the most varied safari experiences available anywhere on the continent.

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Section 04

When to go

The Delta floods seasonally, water arriving from Angola typically peaks between June and August, which is also the dry season on the ground, making this the prime viewing window when wildlife concentrates along the remaining water channels.

Plan your safari

Tell us your dates, we will send back a real itinerary

A consultant reads every enquiry personally and replies with routing, camps and a full price breakdown. No call centre, no template.

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