There are no roads into the heart of the Okavango Delta. You reach it in two stages: first to Maun, the gateway town on the delta’s south-eastern edge, and then by light aircraft, boat, mokoro or 4x4 into the delta itself.
Step 1: getting to Maun
Maun Airport (MUB) is Botswana’s busiest tourist airport. Most international travellers connect through Johannesburg, with daily flights to Maun of about 1 hour 45 minutes. There are also flights from Gaborone and, seasonally, from Cape Town and Kasane. Others arrive overland from Kasane, Victoria Falls or Namibia.
Step 2: from Maun into the delta
| How | Time from Maun | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light aircraft to a fly-in camp | 20–60 min | Usually included in camp packages | The inner delta, luxury camps |
| Day trip by road and boat to a mokoro station | 1–2 h | From ≈€150 per person | A taste of the delta on a budget |
| Self-drive 4x4 to Moremi / Khwai | 2–4 h | Car hire + park fees | Independent, experienced drivers |
| Mobile safari from Maun | Part of the trip | From ≈€1,000 for 3–4 days | Wilderness camping with a guide |
| Scenic flight (return to Maun) | 45–60 min | From ≈€295 | Seeing the delta from above |
Light aircraft transfers — what to know
Fly-in camps are reached by small Cessna-type planes from Maun or Kasane, landing on dirt airstrips. Transfers are usually arranged by the camp or your safari agent and can hop between camps with a stop or two. They are part of the adventure, and often the best game viewing of the day.
Self-driving to the delta
Only the eastern side of the delta is accessible by vehicle — Moremi Game Reserve and the Khwai community area. You need a high-clearance 4x4 with recovery equipment, confidence in deep sand and water crossings, and pre-booked campsites. The inner delta is not accessible by car.
Most self-drivers rent a fully equipped camping 4x4 in Maun or Kasane. From Maun to Moremi South Gate is around 100 km — about two hours — and the tar ends at Shorobe.
From Kasane or Victoria Falls
- By air: light aircraft and some scheduled flights link Kasane and Maun in about an hour.
- By road via Nata: roughly 600 km, 6–7 hours on tar from Kasane to Maun.
- Through the parks: the classic Chobe–Savuti–Khwai–Moremi sand route takes several days and is best done with a mobile safari.
- From Victoria Falls: about 80 km to Kasane, then as above. Multi-day safaris run the whole route.
From Namibia or South Africa by road
From Namibia, cross at Mohembo (via the Caprivi) or at Mamuno (via Ghanzi). From South Africa, the drive via Gaborone and Nata is long — two days at least. Both are really self-drive expeditions rather than transfers.
