Botswana

Okavango Delta Moremi Khwai Savuti Chobe Victoria Falls

"Submerse yourself in pure tranquility and an African landscape unlike any other."

Okavango Delta

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Okavango Delta is a vast inland river system in northwest Botswana. It is known for its sprawling grassy plains which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. The Moremi Game Reserve occupies the southern areas of the region, with Savuti and the Chobe National Park to the north.

The MOREMI region

This gem has earned a number of important distinctions. In 2008, it was voted the ‘best game reserve in Africa’ by the prestigious African Travel and Tourism Association at South Africa’s premier tourism fair, Indaba.

It is the first reserve in Africa that was established by local residents. Concerned about the rapid depletion of wildlife in their ancestral lands, it led to the bold initiative to proclaim Moremi a game reserve in 1963. It is the only officially protected area of the Okavango Delta, and as such holds tremendous scientific, environmental and conservation importance.

And, undoubtedly, Moremi ranks as one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa, possibly in the world.

The CHOBE NATIONAL PARK and CHOBE RIVER region

Chobe National Park in the north is known for its huge herds of elephants and Cape buffalo, which converge along the Chobe Riverfront in the dry months. Lion, antelope, crocodile and hippo inhabit the woods and lagoons while the floodlands attract numerous bird species and huge groups of migrating zebras. With one of the greatest concentrations of game in all of Africa, this region offers absolutely amazing game viewing both on land and by boat.

If it isn’t already on your safari wish list, here are four more reasons why you should visit.

Abundant and Diverse array of animals

Chobe’s different habitats – river wetlands, dry savannah, lush floodplains, marsh areas, dense woodlands, sandveld, rolling grasslands and lagoons – support an astonishing array and concentration of animals. Chobe is home to four of the Big Five (rhino is seldom seen in the park), as well as zebra, kudu, hyena, red lechwe and some of the less common animals such as eland, sable and roan antelope. It’s easy to see lion, and there are regular sightings of the usually elusive cheetah, wild dog and leopard.

Elephants, elephants and more elephants

Chobe has the world’s biggest concentration of African elephants, making it the best place on the planet to see huge herds of these grey leviathans. There are varying estimates of how many elephants are in the park, but official estimates range around 170 000. Never mind the exact number, it’s a guarantee that you’ll have continued great elephant sightings on a visit to Chobe National Park – sometimes you’ll even get to see herds in excess of 1,000 along the river.

Water-based game viewing - a birder’s paradise

The region is renowned for its vast flocks of birds, so if you’re a twitcher, this is the park for you. There are more than 450 species of birds found in the park, including cormorant, pelican, heron, egret, bustard, crane, plover, lapwing, stork, giant kingfisher, bee eaters, and of course, the iconic African fish eagle. Many of Chobe’s bird species are migratory, making the warm and wet summer months of December to March the best time of year for bird watching.

Easy to combine with the Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls, Africa’s biggest waterfall and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, is a bucket list must see, and is only some 100 kilometers from Chobe National Park on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.