Region
Okavango-Chobe
Sleep in Maun or Kasane, then 2–3 nights per camp; link camps by light aircraft, not by road.
Key facts · Botswana
- Best months
- Apr–Sep
- Currency
- Botswana pula
- Language
- English and Setswana
- Plugs
- D · G · M · 230 V
- Time zone
- Central Africa Time
Rules in force · 7Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive befor…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- Southern Africa ↗A rental car may leave its home country only with the rental company's cross-border letter, the registration papers and paid road taxes at each post; driving into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Angola without them ends at the border.
- Southern Africa ↗Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive before sunset: livestock, wildlife, pedestrians and unlit trucks make night driving the main cause of serious visitor accidents.
- Botswana ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Botswana government sources before booking; most Western passports are visa-exempt, others use the Botswana e-visa.
- Botswana ↗Light-aircraft transfers limit luggage by weight and require soft bags; confirm the limit with your camp or operator before packing.
- Botswana ↗Self-driving in Moremi, Chobe and the Central Kalahari needs a properly equipped 4x4, booked campsites and experience in sand driving.
Okavango-Chobe is the northern half of Botswana: the Okavango Delta and Moremi on the west, Chobe and the Linyanti on the east, with Maun and Kasane as the two gateways. The two ends are about 600 km apart by road and most of that is tar with animals on it; light aircraft hops of 1–2 hours connect the camps and cost less than the time you lose driving. Pick two or three camps of 2–3 nights each and let the plane do the moving.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Night sequences
- 5 nights
- Maun 1 + Okavango Delta camp 2 + Chobe camp 2
- 8 nights
- Maun 1 + Okavango Delta 3 + Moremi or Khwai 2 + Chobe 2
- 10 nights
- Maun 1 + Delta 3 + Khwai 2 + Savuti 2 + Chobe 2
- Maun to Kasane is about 600 km by road, 6–8 hours with animals on the tar; do not plan it after dark.Maun to Kasane is about 373 mi by road, 6–8 hours with animals on the tar; do not plan it after dark.
- Park and reserve fees are charged per person per day and are not included in most camp quotes.
- June to October is peak season; camps and light-aircraft seats sell out months ahead.
- Malaria is present in the Delta and Chobe; check with a travel clinic.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chobe riverfront | Kasane | 20 min | unknown | Boat safaris run morning and late afternoon; park gates close at night. |
| Moremi Game Reserve | Maun | 120 min | unknown | South Gate is about 2 hours on tar and sand; a day trip is rushed, an overnight is better. |
| Victoria Falls | Kasane | 90 min | unknown | Crosses into Zimbabwe or Zambia; check visa and border hours before you go. |
Bags between cities
Light-aircraft transfers move bags with you; keep to the soft-bag weight limit or pay for a second seat. Road transfers between Maun and Kasane take most of a day.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maun | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Kasane | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Botswana (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okavango Delta and MoremiNorthwest, around Maun | wet | wet | ok | best | best | best | best | best | best | ok | ok | wet |
| Chobe and KasaneNortheast, along the Chobe River | wet | wet | ok | best | best | best | best | best | best | ok | ok | wet |
- Okavango Delta and Moremi
- Flood peaks June–August when the Delta is fullest; rains December–February bring green grass and calving herds.
- Chobe and Kasane
- Dry season June–October concentrates elephants on the river; October is hot before the rains.
Best game viewing is the dry season, June to October. December to March is cheaper, greener and better for birds and the pans.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maun (MUB) | Okavango Delta camps | Light aircraft | 20–45 min | Most Delta and Moremi camps are reached only this way; book with the camp. |
| Kasane (BBK) | Chobe camps and lodges | Road transfer or light aircraft | 20–60 min | Kasane airport has regional flights and is the road gateway to Victoria Falls. |
| Gaborone | Maun | Domestic flight | ~1 h 30 | Air Botswana and others; check schedules, they change seasonally. |
| Maun | Kasane | Light aircraft or road | 1 h by air, 6–8 h by road | The air hop is the standard safari link; the road passes Nata. |
Regional passes
Park and reserve entry fees
checkPaid per person per day at Moremi, Chobe and Nxai Pan; amounts change, confirm with your operator.
Light-aircraft transfer package
buyUsually bundled with camp bookings; it is the fastest way between Delta and Chobe camps.
Self-drive 4x4 hire
checkPays off for Chobe riverfront and Moremi if you are two or more and comfortable in deep sand.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Seswaa (pounded beef) with bogobe | Maun and Kasane restaurants | The everyday national dish; cheap and filling. |
| Braai and game meat | Camp and lodge dinners | Kudu, impala or ostrich are common; meals are usually included in camp rates. |
| River fish | Kasane, on the Chobe River | Bream and tigerfish appear on menus; check what is in season. |
| Camp picnic lunches | On game drives | Packed by the camp; eat at the vehicle, not on foot in the bush. |
Go next
Okavango Delta
Light aircraft from Maun, 20–45 min
The water-safari heart of the region.
Maun
Light aircraft or road
Gateway town; useful first or last night.
Southeast Botswana
plannedFlight to Gaborone, then road
Gaborone and the Kalahari fringe.
Kalahari
plannedFlight to Maun or Ghanzi, then road
Central Kalahari and the pans, best January to April.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source