Overview–botswana

Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi Game Reserve, in the Okavango Delta, is one of Africa’s best wildlife-viewing destinations. Aside from the wetlands, it consists of a dry peninsula, which is excellent for classic game-drive safaris and offers more wildlife sightings than the mokoro (dugout canoe) trips. All the Big Five are present.

Scenery

Moremi has the best of both worlds within the Delta. There are big areas of wetlands with papyrus-lined channels and floating water lilies, perfect for mokoro safaris; and there are big tracts of land used for 4x4 safaris. The area is a mosaic of lagoons and islands, with all kinds of habitats, from grassland to thorn scrub and mopane woodland.

Weather & Climate

Moremi has a Dry season (April to October) that’s bookended by the reserve’s coolest and hottest temperatures. The mercury drops to an average afternoon low of 26°C/79°F in July, then soars to a high of 34°C/93°F in October. There’s little variation in the average temperature during the Wet season (November to March), which remains fairly hot at 31°C/88°F. The rainy months are characterized more by brief showers than unrelenting downpours.

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Rates

From: $319 to $2000 pp/da

Best Time to Go

From: July to October (Best wildlife viewing)

High Season

From: July to October (Higher rates apply but not busy)

Size

From: 5,000km² / 1,931mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Moremi Game Reserve offers excellent wildlife viewing, both on land and from a mokoro (dugout canoe). Both black and white rhino have been reintroduced in the reserve, although sightings are still rare. All of the other Big Five are easily spotted. Leopards are quite relaxed here and wild dog sightings are some of the best in Africa.

Wildlife Highlights

The Okavango Delta has good general wildlife, but the most common swamp-adapted animal is the otherwise rare red lechwe, which can be seen wading through water in big herds. The semi-aquatic sitatunga is harder to find. Other unusual antelope include tsessebe, sable, and roan. Spotted-necked and African clawless otters can sometimes be seen swimming in the channels.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Moremi Game Reserve has seasonal wildlife viewing. The best time to visit is in the dry months, from July to October, as there is an influx of animals gathering here at that time. Some lodges close from January to March when some areas might become inaccessible.

General Wheather

Moremi Game Reserve has a climate that is warm to hot. The Dry season runs from April to October and is characterized by cooler, dry conditions. The Wet season, from November to March, receives the majority of the reserve’s rainfall, along with higher temperatures.

Dry Season –April to October

The last precipitation of the Wet season usually falls in April. June and July are the coolest months, but temperatures start rising in August and peak in October.

April & May – Mostly dry and sunny, this is the start of the Dry season. It is hot in the daytime, with temperatures up to 30°C/86°F. The vegetation in the reserve is still green.
June, July & August – Rainfall is virtually nonexistent. The temperature has dropped a bit with afternoons reaching 26°C/79°F, on average. Don’t forget to bring warm clothing for morning drives and boat trips – early morning temperatures are only 8°C/46°F.
September & October – This is the end of the Dry season. The reserve sizzles with heat before the rains arrive. October is usually the hottest month with an average afternoon temperature of 35°C/95°F. Nights and mornings are pleasant.

Wet Season –November to March

It immediately cools down after the rain, and the dust settles. It rarely rains all day. Storms and short showers in the afternoon become the general pattern. It’s hot throughout the season, and afternoon temperatures rise to about 32°C/90°F.

November & December – Conditions are hot and mostly sunny with intermittent rainfall. When it does rain, the relief is palpable because temperatures tend to build before precipitation and fall afterward. Early mornings are the most comfortable, with average temperatures around 19°C/66°F.
January & February – During the wettest months, strong storms are frequent, especially in the afternoon. Rainfall doesn’t usually last more than a few hours.
March – The rains are tapering off, although it still rains every few days. Precipitation is mostly in the form of thunderstorms. Mornings tend to be a little cooler at 18°C/64°F.

Prons

Excellent wildlife viewing with the Big Five present
Great birding destination, particularly for waterbirds
Game drives and Mokoro trips are available
A large choice of small, exclusive camps
Mobile camping safaris are possible in part of Moremi

Cons

Lodges are very expensive
Many areas become inaccessible from December to March

How To Get There

The most convenient entry point into Botswana for visitors to the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve is through Maun Airport (MUB), the country’s main tourist airport.

Moremi is located 154km/95mi from Maun and can be reached by plane or 4x4, although the road is sometimes closed after heavy rain. The drive takes about 3 to 4 hours*.

Whether you will be driving or flying here depends, to some extent, on where you are staying. Many lodges are only accessible by charter plane, but lodges and campsites in the Moremi Tongue are usually accessible by 4x4. Several budget safari operators run 4x4 trips to the Moremi Tongue, but self-drive visitors can also go independently.

Your tour operator should take care of booking any charter flights between parks that are part of your arranged safari. There are no scheduled flights to Moremi.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Maun Airport (MUB), and what tickets would cost.