JPS Luxury Safaris

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is iconic and arguably one of the best protected ecosystems in Africa. In terms of remote locations and pristine landscapes the Okavango offers the highest quality in experience but it is important to choose the right concessions. The rain falls far away to the north in the Angolan highlands and reaches the Kalahari desert after a significant delay. Due to the tectonic uplift and shape of the land in the region the water never reaches the sea; it instead seeps slowly into the Kalahrai desert sands, in turn creating this fertile wilderness. Strangely, but due to the water originating from far away, the Delta’s waters are highest when it is not raining in the local area. They then drop during the sporadic, heavy afternoon showers of the region’s own brief rainy season.

The Okavango’s waters draw in the Kalahari wildlife from far and wide, creating a rich and fertile game-viewing paradise. The private concessions which cover the entire region are almost exclusively reached by small aircraft, and visitor numbers are strictly kept low impact but high value. Choosing the right camps comes down to timing and matching clients’ interests to what can be delivered.

Chief’s Island in the centre is the largest area of dry land in the Delta and contains the famous Mombo and Little Mombo camps. These are I prime locations where the water of the Delta is split by the land of Chief’s Island and the wildlife is prolific year-round.
The waterways and reed channels of the wetter areas of the Okavango offer wonderful mokoro trips and motorboat activities, where guests explore the islands.

Some lodges offer both wet (water channels, motorboats, dugout mokoro canoe trips) and dry (game drives over drier land, some walking) activities. However often camps lean more towards wet activities or dry activities, meaning it is often best to do a mix of camp style. Abu camp in the south has one of the largest areas of both wet and dry land in which to explore, as well as offering elephant safaris.

Vumbura concession is incredibly pretty and has some interesting local species such as herds of sable antelope. However, for the raw buffalo and lion interactions of the Delta, there is very little better than the Duba concesion and its Duba Plains Camp.

Photo Credits

» Orient Express
» Wilderness Safaris
» Bushcamp Company
» Orion Expeditions
» Odzala Wilderness Camps
» Offbeat Safaris

» Mike Myers, Wilderness Safaris
» Tswalu Kalahari
» Nomad Tanzania
» Churchill Wild
» Lion Sands
» Loisaba Wilderness

» Singita Game Reserves
» Wolwedans
» Lewa Wilderness
» Dana Allen Wilderness Safaris