The Okavango Delta is unlike anywhere else on earth. Every year, floodwaters born in the Angolan highlands travel a thousand kilometres to spill across the Kalahari sands, creating a shimmering wetland the size of a small country — a maze of channels, lagoons and palm-fringed islands that vanishes into the desert instead of reaching the sea. It is the greatest wetland wilderness in Africa, and one of the most extraordinary wildlife arenas on the planet.
Here, safari is a dual pleasure: track lion and elephant on a morning game drive, then glide silently through the reeds in a mokoro at sunset. This guide covers the finest Okavango Delta camps — their suites, water and game activities, guiding and cuisine — what they cost, and how to plan the ultimate water-and-wildlife safari.
The Okavango Delta — the world's greatest wetland, where water and wildlife meet.
Quick Answer
The best camps in the Okavango Delta are Mombo, Vumbura Plains, Xigera, Abu Camp and Sanctuary Chief's Camp, with superb value options at Okavango Tented Camp and Moremi. Nearly all combine game drives with mokoro and boating — for extraordinary predator viewing and Africa's finest water safari.
Expect all-inclusive rates of $1,200–$4,000+ per person per night. The Delta pairs perfectly with the Victoria Falls and Cape Town. Explore our luxury African safari packages or speak to a Botswana specialist.
Which Okavango Delta Camp Fits Your Budget?
The table below shows indicative all-inclusive nightly rates (per person) for eight of the Delta's finest camps, covering a range from classic value to ultra-luxury flagship. All rates include meals, drinks, twice-daily activities, park fees and light-aircraft transfers.
| Camp / Lodge | Nightly Rate (pp) | Location / Reserve | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okavango Tented / Kanana | $700 | Moremi / Eastern Delta | Classic tented safari, superb value, year-round water & game |
| Sanctuary Chief's Camp | $1,900 | Chief's Island, Moremi | Predator Capital, luxury pavilions, superb big-cat viewing |
| Vumbura Plains | $2,200 | Private northern concession | Bold contemporary design, water + land combination |
| Jao Camp | $2,400 | Private western Delta | Water-focused flagship, mokoro & boating immersion |
| Duba Plains | $2,600 | Private Duba concession | Filmmakers' camp, exceptional lion & buffalo sightings |
| Mombo Camp | $2,800 | Chief's Island, Moremi | Place of Plenty — benchmark for predators & luxury |
| Xigera Safari Lodge | $3,000 | Moremi, permanent water | Art-led design gallery, Baobab Treehouse, solar-powered |
| Abu Camp | $3,200 | Private western concession | Famous elephant herd, intimate 6-suite camp, vast privacy |
Rates are indicative and vary by season, with the highest rates during peak flood season (June–August). Always confirm current pricing and availability when booking.
Best Time to Visit the Okavango Delta — Month by Month
Why the Okavango Delta Is Extraordinary
The Okavango is the largest inland delta on earth, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the annual flood transforms the northern Kalahari into a paradise of water and wildlife. Botswana's celebrated high-value, low-impact tourism model keeps visitor numbers low and wilderness vast, so a Delta safari feels genuinely exclusive. Game density here is exceptional — elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and endangered wild dog — and the water activities are found nowhere else in Africa on this scale. For the wider picture, see our Okavango Delta safari guide and our best Botswana lodges guide.
Water Camps vs Land Camps — Which Fits Your Safari?
The Best Okavango Delta Camps
Mombo Camp
On the northern tip of Chief's Island, in the game-rich heart of the Moremi, Mombo is known as the "Place of Plenty" — and it earns the name. This is arguably the finest camp in the Delta, famous the world over for extraordinary predator viewing: lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog against a backdrop of open floodplain. The raised tented suites are vast and light-filled, each with a private plunge pool and sweeping views. From $2,800 per person per night.
Vumbura Plains
In a private concession in the northern Delta, Vumbura Plains is a bold, contemporary camp of raised, open-fronted suites strung along the water's edge. Its concession spans both permanent water and dry land, so guests enjoy the full range of Delta activities — game drives, mokoro, boating and walking — from a single base. Sleek, spacious and refreshingly modern, it is a favourite for design-minded travellers. From $2,200 per person per night.
Xigera Safari Lodge
Xigera (pronounced "keej-era") is the Delta's most artful camp — a living gallery of commissioned African art and design, set on a permanent-water island deep in the Moremi. Twelve suites of extraordinary craftsmanship overlook a lagoon alive with hippo and birds, and the Baobab Treehouse offers a sleep-out beneath the stars. Water-based year-round, it is the connoisseur's choice for design and serenity. From $3,000 per person per night.
Abu Camp
Abu Camp is the Delta's most singular experience, set in a vast private concession and famous for its resident elephant herd. Just six elegant tented suites overlook a mirror-still lagoon, and the camp's intimate scale means barely a dozen guests share an area the size of a small national park. Between game drives, mokoro trips and time spent walking with the elephants, Abu is the ultimate private Delta escape. From $3,200 per person per night.
Sanctuary Chief's Camp
On Chief's Island, in the area known as the "Predator Capital" of Africa, Sanctuary Chief's Camp pairs superb big-cat viewing with polished luxury pavilions, each with a private plunge pool and sala. Recently reimagined, it blends contemporary comfort with a genuine wilderness setting in one of the Delta's most wildlife-rich concessions. From $1,900 per person per night.
Great Value in the Delta
The Okavango also rewards travellers seeking its magic at gentler rates. Classic tented camps such as Okavango Tented Camp and Moremi's smaller camps deliver authentic mokoro and game-drive safaris, warm guiding and genuine wilderness for a fraction of the marquee prices — an outstanding way to experience the Delta without compromising on location or wildlife. From $700 per person per night.
Costs & How to Combine
The Okavango is the centrepiece of any Botswana safari, and it combines beautifully. A classic itinerary pairs three or four nights in the Delta with the elephant herds of Chobe and the thunder of the Victoria Falls — then a few days in Cape Town for Table Mountain, the winelands and the coast. Light-aircraft transfers stitch the bush portion together, and the scenic flights over the wetland are an experience in themselves.
For the full journey, see our luxury African safari packages, our Okavango Delta luxury safari, and our wider Botswana safari lodges guide.
Sample 7-Day Okavango Delta Itinerary
Sample Whole-Trip Budgets
For a complete Okavango safari experience, here are indicative all-inclusive per-person budgets for different tiers. These assume 3–4 nights in the Delta plus light-aircraft transfers, and combine beautifully with Chobe and Victoria Falls:
- Classic Delta Experience: $3,500–$5,500 per person — featuring superb tented camps like Okavango Tented Camp or Kanana, with full mokoro and game-drive activities. Outstanding value without compromising on wilderness or wildlife.
- Premium Delta Safari: $6,500–$10,000 per person — staying at properties like Vumbura Plains, Sanctuary Chief's Camp or Jao Camp, offering water-and-land combinations, modern luxury and exclusive concessions.
- Ultra-Luxury Flagship: $12,000–$18,000+ per person — the finest camps in Africa: Mombo, Xigera, Abu Camp and Duba Plains, delivering exceptional predator viewing, art-led design and near-total seclusion in the world's greatest wetland.
Add $1,000–$2,000 per person for international flights to/from Johannesburg, and budget an additional $200–$400 per sector for light-aircraft transfers between Chobe, Victoria Falls and the Delta. All Delta rates are fully inclusive of meals, drinks, activities and park fees.
How to Get the Most Value from Your Okavango Safari
- Travel in the green season (November–March): Rates drop by 25–40% outside the peak flood months, and you'll enjoy lush scenery, dramatic thunderstorms, newborn wildlife and superb birding — with far fewer visitors.
- Book longer stays: Many camps offer discounted rates for 4+ night stays. Spending longer in the Delta also means you experience both high-water and drier-margin areas without the cost of multiple light-aircraft transfers.
- Consider classic tented camps over marquee flagships: Properties like Okavango Tented Camp and Kanana deliver the same mokoro glides, game drives and wilderness immersion at a fraction of the Mombo or Xigera price — ideal for travellers prioritizing wildlife over ultra-luxury amenities.
- Combine water and land camps: Split your Delta stay between a permanent-water camp (for mokoro and birding) and a game-drive camp (for Big Five), maximizing your Delta experience without paying top-tier rates for every night.
- Book direct or through a specialist: Botswana specialists often have access to unpublished rates, multi-camp packages and light-aircraft bundles that deliver better value than booking each component separately.
When to Book Your Okavango Delta Safari
Planning Your Okavango Safari
The prime season runs June to August, when the flood peaks and wildlife concentrates around the water — though the green season (November–March) offers lush scenery, newborn animals and superb birding at lower rates. Book the marquee camps 9–12 months ahead, especially for peak flood season. For timing, see our month-by-month safari guide.
Ready to Plan Your Okavango Delta Safari?
Our specialists design tailor-made Okavango safaris — matched to the finest water and land camps, positioned for the annual flood and the best big-cat months. We know these camps and their guides personally, we book direct, and we weave the Delta with Chobe or Victoria Falls so the whole Botswana journey flows as one.
