What travellers should know before visiting Botswana’s Okavango Delta
· The South African
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s most distinctive safari destinations, attracting visitors with its waterways, wildlife and remote wilderness camps.
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For travellers planning their first trip to the destination, understanding how to get there, what the landscape is like and what to expect from the surrounding region can make the journey easier.
Maun is the main gateway to the Okavango Delta
For many international visitors, the journey to the Okavango Delta starts in Maun.
Botswana Tourism describes Maun as the country’s tourism capital and a gateway into the Delta.
The town sits on the southern fringes of the Okavango and has an airport with direct connections to Johannesburg and Gaborone.
Travellers can also reach Botswana by road from neighbouring South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia.
However, reaching Maun is only part of the journey for visitors staying at remote safari camps.
Depending on the location and safari operator, travellers may continue into the Delta by light aircraft, boat or road.
Okavango Delta: Expect water, sand and remote safari camps
The Okavango Delta is very different from a conventional urban tourist destination.
Botswana Tourism describes the Delta as a vast combination of wetlands and drylands, with waterways, islands, lagoons, pools and flooded grasslands.
Popular activities include game drives, boating and traditional mokoro canoe trips.
Visitors should therefore be prepared for travel on sandy tracks and waterways, particularly when heading away from Maun and towards more isolated camps and lodges.
Light aircraft transfers are also common for some safari itineraries.
Botswana Tourism warns that these aircraft have luggage restrictions, with travellers advised to use soft, squashable bags.
The landscape is wide and low-lying
Travellers expecting dramatic mountains or cliffs will find a very different landscape in the Okavango.
UNESCO describes the Okavango Delta as a large, low-gradient alluvial fan or inland delta in north-western Botswana.
The World Heritage site includes permanent marshlands and seasonally flooded plains.
The Delta lies within the Kalahari Basin and is unusual because its waters do not flow into an ocean. Instead, the water eventually drains into the sands of the Kalahari.
The result is a huge, open wetland landscape rather than a destination dominated by mountains or steep terrain.
English and the Botswana pula
International travellers will find English useful when travelling through Botswana.
English is the country’s official language, while Setswana is the national language.
Botswana Tourism says English is widely spoken in urban areas and among staff at camps, lodges and hotels.
Botswana’s currency is the pula (BWP). Major international cards are widely accepted, although travellers should not assume that every remote destination will accept cards.
Botswana Tourism advises that some shops in remote areas and service stations may only accept cash.
Check entry requirements before travelling
Entry requirements depend on the traveller’s nationality.
Visitors should check Botswana’s official immigration information before booking their trip, particularly if they are unsure whether they need a visa.
Botswana’s government provides an online tourism visa application service for nationals of countries that require visas.
Travellers should also check passport validity, vaccination requirements and any additional documentation that may apply to their nationality before departure.
A safari destination unlike many others
The Okavango Delta offers a combination of wetlands, drylands and wildlife that makes it different from many traditional safari destinations.
Its remote setting means that the journey can involve several forms of transport, but that is also part of the experience.
For international visitors, planning ahead for flights, luggage restrictions, entry requirements and remote travel can help ensure that the focus remains on the Delta’s wildlife, waterways and spectacular wilderness.