If it’s your first time going to Botswana and you’ve started doing some research, you’ll immediately be struck by the sheer volume of beautiful areas and experiences to choose from. This becomes even more tricky as you navigate different seasons of the year and try to choose the right areas for the season you want to travel in.
To give you more info about some of Botswana’s must-see destinations, our very own YPA Operational Support Specialist, Briarley Bekker, visited four different locations from south to north of the Delta.
Here’s a handy round-up of her top takeaways…
1. Qorokwe Camp
- WHERE IS IT?
Qorokwe is a luxury camp situated in a private concession in the game-rich southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, bordering the renowned Moremi Game Reserve. It works very well as your first stop on your Botswana itinerary because it’s close to Maun (a 15-minute flight).
- WHAT MAKES IT GREAT?
It’s famous for dramatic wildlife sightings – particularly intense predator-prey encounters. The area’s open and sandy terrain makes it easy to spot big game, such as beautiful, big herds of elephants passing through. Although it’s quite a desert-like landscape, it still sports a bit of greenery and is rich in birdlife as a result, including frequent sightings of Marabou storks and jackal buzzards.
- FUN FACT
There’s a resident genet (a slender cat-like animal) at the camp who comes into the bar area frequently and treats travelers to rare up-close-and-personal sightings.
- NEED TO KNOW
There aren’t any water activities (such as fishing or boating) available at Qorokwe. The camp is very exclusive – there are only eight rooms on site, all with tented suites and indoor showers, plus there’s an extra-spacious family unit that has its own splash pool.
2. Jao Concession
- WHERE IS IT?
The vast Jao Concession lies in the north-western area of the Okavango Delta, situated just below the Okavango Panhandle. Moremi Game Reserve forms the eastern boundary of the Concession.
- WHAT MAKES IT GREAT?
Jao is found in the heart of the wetlands of the Okavango Delta and offers the best of both land and water wildlife sightings and activities.
The Jao Flats, situated in the east, are a swampland area boasting lush water channels lined with papyrus and reed beds. As you travel west, the Flats become dryer. It’s here that you can visit Hunda Island, the tip of a large ‘sand tongue’ that forms the largest area of dry land in the Jao Concession (from July to September). Here the sandveld vegetation provides excellent browsing, which naturally attracts a lot of wildlife as a result.
- FUN FACT
When Briarley recently visited Jao, she saw a Pel’s fishing owl, which is an incredibly sought-after ‘lifer’ on every avid twitcher’s bucket list.
- NEED TO KNOW
We have two YPA favorite locations in Jao that we love recommending to our clients: The first is a charming camp that is sophisticated and understated. It consists of five elevated tents suspended high in the tree line, serving up spectacular views of the floodplains. The camp offers land and water activities, although during the flood season the focus is primarily on a water-based itinerary.
The second location is an ultra-luxurious camp offering elegant architecture in one of the most beautiful parts of the Okavango Delta. There are five beautiful (and spacious!) suites available, all boasting en-suite bathrooms, indoor and outdoor showers, a fireplace and a huge king-size bed. Additionally, there are two larger family villas on offer with two en-suite bedrooms each, plus a private fire deck and a plunge pool. These villas come with your own butler, private chef and private vehicle and guide.
For the foodies out there, Briarley is still raving about the food at this camp, particularly the vegetarian poke bowl.
3. Vumbura Plains
- WHERE IS IT?
Vumbura Plains Camp is located in the private Kwedi Concession in the northern Okavango Delta, bordering Moremi Wildlife Reserve.
- WHAT MAKES IT GREAT?
Vumbura is a modern, eco-friendly retreat that provides travelers with an excellent, all-round experience. We book this camp for YPA travelers very often and we’re never disappointed with their feedback when they return. Briarley heard fish eagles constantly, and even a hippo below her room. The wildlife viewing is excellent, including frequent sightings of African wild dog, several resident prides of lion, leopard and cheetah.
- FUN FACT
Briarley’s guide was a prince in one of the local tribes, so she really did get the royal treatment!
- NEED TO KNOW
Activities at Vumbura Plains are typically an equal portion of both game drives and water-based activities (game viewing on a mokoro), although this changes slightly depending on flood levels. If you have kids and want a few spots of quiet time on your safari, the camp offers a wonderful “Bush Buddy” childcare service.
4. Linyanti Reserve
- WHERE IS IT?
Linyanti Reserve sits in the north-east of Botswana, between Chobe and the Okavango Delta. The northern frontier of the concession is formed by the Linyanti River, which also forms the border between Botswana and Namibia.
- WHAT MAKES IT GREAT?
The northern section features beautiful open floodplains and riverine forest, while the south is dominated with thicker mopane forest. Elephants love mopane trees, and as a result you can sometimes see them in their hundreds here.
During her visit, Briarley visited a sensational luxury camp with a spectacular setting on the Osprey lagoon. Besides the out-of-this-world game drives she went on, she loved the look of the shaded poolside daybeds at the camp’s 12-meter lap pool that extends right into the lagoon and is part of a luxurious retreat and wellness center.
- FUN FACT
Briarley saw an unbelievable 40 sable antelope on one of her game drives. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime sighting.
- NEED TO KNOW
The dry season yields the best game viewing in this area, with good predator sightings – including lion, leopard and African wild dog. Because game is difficult to spot in the extensive areas of mopane woodland, however, game activities will generally focus on the open areas of floodplains and riverine forest.
There you have it. These are only a handful of the many areas on offer in Botswana but we hope that Briarley’s where’s, what’s and why’s are a source of inspiration for your next holiday. If you need help ironing out the details and setting up a well-balanced itinerary for the season you’ll be traveling in, give us a call and we’ll help you plan a safari adventure like no other.
