The Okavango River rises in the highlands of Angola and flows southeast into the Kalahari. Here it spreads out into a delta formation covering over 15,000km² with a lush water-wilderness of papyrus swamps, shallow reed-beds and floodplains, dotted with islands and laced with a network of channels. This is a unique environment. It's an amazing, world-class destination for wildlife, from birds to big game. It's also a wonderful place to relax.

Gliding silently in a mokoro (a dugout canoe), you can watch the wildlife at eye level. It might take your guide's keen eyes to spot the terrapins basking on floating logs, or a fish eagle just perching, watching and waiting. Often it's the smaller things that catch your eye, like the tropical fish that flash through the clear waters or the iridescent malachite kingfishers that dive for them; sometimes it's larger animals - red lechwe wading through the shallows, or elephants on the islands - whilst all around water-lilies bloom and birds call.

Protecting this amazing environment are a number of private reserves, or concessions. Each contains a maximum of a couple of small, private safari camps. Guests arrive at these by air, and they offer much great flexibility in their activities. Guides here are generally allowed to drive off the tracks when searching for game; most offer night drives; and some offer walking safaris guided by expert armed guides.

On the south side of the Delta, the Sandibe Reserve has just one lodge, Sandibe Safari Lodge. In the adjacent Chitabe Reserve you'll find Chitabe Camp, the smaller Chitabe Trails and also the adventurous Chitabe Walking Trail.

Nearby in Stanley's & Baines' Reserve you'll find Stanley's Camp and its smaller sibling, Baines' Camp. Note that you can undertake a sensitive elephant experience with Doug Groves from either camp in this reserve, though best book it in advance!

Southwest of the Delta, Abu Reserve is famous for its elephant-back safaris which are based out of the expensive Abu Camp or their new, ultra-exclusive Elephant Villa.

West of Chief's Island, and bordering Moremi Game Reserve, the Nxabega Reserve includes the well-run Nxabega Safari Camp, Shinde's watery sister-camp, Kanana and, in a very picturesque corner of the Delta, the delightful Pom Pom Camp.

Further north, and also on the west side of the delta, are several camps in the picturesque Jao Reserve including the palatial Jao Camp, the classic Kwetsani Camp, Jacana Camp and, on the drier (west) side of the reserve, Tubu Tree Camp.

On the northern side of the Delta, Duba Plains Reserve has just one super little camp, Duba Plains, which is renowned for its battles between prides of lion and large herds of buffalo.

Meanwhile adjacent is the excellent Vumbura Reserve, which rivals Mombo for the quality of its game, and sometimes comes close in terms of the quantity of it to. Here you'll find an excellent old favourite, Little Vumbura, as well as the new, and substantially more costly, Vumbura Plains North and Vumbura Plains South camps.

Slightly further east and also in a prime game area, Kwara Reserve hosts the excellent Kwara Camp.

Adjacent to this, Shinde Reserve deserves more recognition, as its excellent camp, Shinde, has first-class game and (like Kwara) also some very picturesque deep-water lagoons nearby. Beside Shinde there's also a tiny, top-notch walking safari camp known as Footsteps Walking Trails; one of the region's best choices for walking safaris.


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