The public heart of the Delta, and the more accessible way to experience the Okavango.
Enquire About Moremi Game ReserveMoremi Game Reserve protects the eastern third of the Okavango Delta and is the reserve most travellers picture when they imagine Botswana. Proclaimed in 1963 by the Batawana people, it was the first reserve in Africa created by a local community on their own land, a heritage the area still wears with pride.
Because it is a public reserve rather than a private concession, Moremi can be visited on a self-drive or mobile camping safari as well as from lodges, which makes it the more affordable way into the Delta. The trade-off is that you keep to the tracks and cannot drive off-road or at night as you can on the private concessions.
The reserve blends permanent water around Xakanaxa and the Khwai River with drier mopane and floodplain on Chief's Island, so a stay here mixes boat and mokoro outings with classic game drives. It is one of the most productive predator areas in the country.
The Khwai area on Moremi's northern boundary is especially well known for African wild dog and big cats, and the community concessions that border it extend the experience with off-road and night driving.
Moremi is big-cat country. Lion prides are well established, leopard are seen along the riverine fringes, and cheetah occur on the more open ground. The reserve and the neighbouring Khwai concession are among Botswana's most reliable areas for African wild dog.
Elephant and buffalo are everywhere, hippo and crocodile fill the permanent channels, and red lechwe and other water-loving antelope thrive on the floodplains. General game is abundant year-round.
Birding is excellent across the mix of habitats, with the Xakanaxa heronries among the best-known breeding sites in the Delta, and Delta specials including Pel's fishing owl and wattled crane on offer.
June to October is the prime window, when the flood is high and game concentrates around the water. The dry, cool early mornings keep predators active and the viewing is at its best.
The green season from November to April brings the rains, lush growth and lower rates. Some tracks become difficult and a few camps close, but birding and newborns make it rewarding for the well-prepared traveller.
Classic lodges set among the water and forest of the Xakanaxa lagoon, combining game drives with boat and mokoro outings.
Private camps bordering Moremi at Khwai add off-road and night driving to the reserve's strong wild dog and big-cat viewing.
Smaller, community-linked camps offer a more affordable foothold beside one of the Delta's best wildlife areas.
Serviced mobile camps move between Moremi's public campsites, a wilder and more affordable way to experience the reserve.
Well-equipped, experienced self-drivers can camp at the public sites at Xakanaxa, Third Bridge and South Gate for the most budget-friendly Delta safari.
Moremi offers the Delta's mix of water and land in one reserve, from wild dog and lion on the floodplains to elephants crossing channels. The Khwai concessions add off-road access for cleaner angles, and the heronries are a draw for bird photographers.
Moremi is the most flexible part of the Delta, working from self-drive camping through to luxury lodges. It is the natural choice for travellers who want the Okavango without the full ultra-luxury price of the private concessions.
Moremi covers the eastern Okavango Delta, reached by light aircraft from Maun or, for the experienced and well-equipped, by 4x4 on the tracks in from Maun and the Khwai gate.
We arrange every detail, from the right camp to flights and transfers. Tell us your dates and we will do the rest.
Plan My Safari WhatsApp UsYes. As a public reserve, Moremi allows self-drive and mobile camping for experienced, well-equipped travellers, unlike the private concessions which are guided only.
Very. Moremi and the bordering Khwai area are among the most reliable places in Botswana to see African wild dog.
Generally yes. Mobile and self-drive camping in Moremi, and the community camps at Khwai, are the more affordable ways to experience the Okavango.
June to October, when the flood is high and game concentrates at the water. Some green-season tracks become hard to navigate.
Yes, particularly around the permanent water at Xakanaxa, alongside classic game drives on Chief's Island and the Khwai River.
Most guests fly in by light aircraft from Maun. Self-drivers reach it by 4x4 on the tracks via Maun and the reserve gates.
Tell us roughly when you would like to travel and what you most want to see. Every enquiry is answered personally by Jarryd, a former Sabi Sands guide and Head Ranger at andBeyond Phinda, usually within 24 hours. No set packages, no booking fees.
