The Okavango Delta

NG 14 – KWANDO CONCESSION. This is often thought to be the wildest area in Ngamiland. It is certainly the most unchartered and sits on the flanks of the Kwando River as it weaves down from the Caprivi strip. The concession is managed by Kwando Safaris. There are two camps in this area called Lebala and Lagoon Camp. What is interesting about this concession is that besides having access to water from the Kwando River, it also includes some vast open areas which makes it perfect for Wild Dog packs. This concession has traditionally been associated with Wild Dog viewing, and Wild Dog enthusiasts have been visiting the camps in this area since the 90s. So if you are interested in a Wild Dog Safari, this is one of the best concession areas to visit.

NG 15 – LINYANTI CONCESSION. This is a beautiful concession located alongside the Chobe National Park and up towards the Selinda Concession and the border with the Caprivi Strip. The Linyanti region is well known and a world class safari destination. The concession is managed by Wilderness Safaris, and the lodges include the newly refurbished Duma Tau (now one of Botswana’s most exclusive lodges), Kings Pool, Savuti Camp, and Linyanti Tented Camp. The region has a great variety of wildlife from June through to November, but lacks good sightings the rest of the year as animals wander into the Mopani Forests to the East in search of water during the rest of the year.

NG 16 – SELINDA CONCESSION. The Selinda spillway melts off the Kwando river and runs down towards the greater Delta. This concession is managed by Great Plains Conservation sits right below NG 14 mentioned above. There are three operational camps in this concession which include Selinda, Zarafa, and Selinda Explorers. Selinda and Zarafa camp are considered to be some of the most luxurious lodges in Africa, and this concession is a great option for luxury travelers. It also has a healthy Wild Dog population and a good deal of elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo. Motswiri Camp, located on the tail end of this concession closed in 2019, and rumors continue to speculate over whether it will be reopened (and by who). We’ll keep you updated.

NG 18 – KHWAI CONCESSION. There are essentially two Khwai concessions. There is the larger NG 18 that sits above the Moremi National Park, and then there is NG 19, which lies outside of the veterinary fence, but also along the western edge of the park. NG 19 is mostly visited by mobile safari operators and is directly managed by the Khwai Community Trust. NG 18, while owned by the Khwai community trust is managed by Natural Selection. The concession has four major lodges called Tuludi, Sable Alley, and Jackal and Hyde, and Hyena Camp, along with some smaller campsites and a sky bed option for the adventure safari enthusiasts. Wildlife viewing in the area is good, but can also be quite seasonal.

NG 20 – KWARA CONCESSION. The Kwara Concession sits just beneath the Selinda Concession and east of the Vumbura Concession. This is a highly prized concession owing to its excellent access to year-round water along with an amazing variety of wildlife. This concession is run by Kwando Safaris and has two operating lodges called Splash and Kwara. Kwara also has a smaller camp called Little Kwara which operates as an enclave villa. This concession is perfect for wildlife enthusiasts as they offer one of the best game viewing opportunities in the Delta, and also because Kwando Safaris remains one of the few safari operators that still use trackers seated on the front of their vehicles. The use of trackers increases the chances of wildlife viewing considerably.

NG 21 – SHINDE CONCESSION. The Shinde concession sits between NG 22 and NG 20 and has some excellent wildlife viewing opportunites. Its border with the Moremi Game Park runs along some pristine land. The concession is managed by Chobe Holdings and includes Camp Okavango, Shinde, and Xugana Camp. This is a great option for wildlife enthusiasts, but also an amazing option for romantic getaways and honeymoon safaris.

NG 22 – KWEDI CONCESSION. The Kwedi Concession sits below NG 16 and is managed by Wilderness Safaris. This is a spectacular concession on the northern border of the Moremi Reserve. Because of its excellent location, it has water year-round, even during drought. Two lodges sit within this concession and include Vumbura Plains and Little Vumbura. Vumbura Plains is actually registered as two satellite camps, North Vumbura and South Vumbura, each consisting of 7 rooms, and while each is independent, one can walk freely between them along raised platforms. Owing to access to water, this concession is a great option for anyone interested in water activities such as mokoro, but worried about whether drought or time of year could affect access to water.

NG 23 – DUBA PLAINS CONCESSION. The Duba Concession sits directly left of the Vumbura Concession and contains only one camp, Duba Plains. This is one of the most valuable concessions in the Okavango as it has permanent water flows and is located close to the north of Chief’s Island where rhino are regularly seen. Duba Plains is also considered one of the most exclusive lodges in Africa and a visit to this concession is recommended for luxury safari enthusiasts. This concession is also managed by Great Plains Conservation. They also run a concession just north of this called NG 23A, which is under contention with government over its acquisition.

NG 25 – JAO CONCESSION. The Jao Concession is one of the most historic and better-known concessions in the Okavango. It sits to the west of the Moremi National Park and is managed by Wilderness Safaris. The concession has five lodges located within it and include Tubu Tree (as well as adjoining Little Tubu), Jacana, Pelo, Kwetsani, and the recently renovated and luxurious Jao Camp (which is privately owned with Wilderness Safaris managing marketing). Jao is now considered one of the most exclusive camps in the Delta. Jacana and Pelo are more rustic options, and Kwetsani is one of the prettier lodges in the entire region. This concession has a lot of variety. From exclusive through to adventurous. It’s got some great game viewing opportunities and appeals to both luxurious, budget, and wildlife safaris.

NG 26 – ABU CONCESSION. The Abu Concession sits directly beneath the Jao Concession and is also managed by Wilderness Safaris. The two main camps in this concession are Seba Camp and Abu Camp. Seba is a regarded as one of the better family safari options in the Delta and Abu Camp is a well known elephant camp where guests are able to walk with elephants on safari. The concession is beautiful when water is present and hosts a wide variety of wildlife. However, it can get quite dry around the periphery during winter.

NG 27A – POM POM CONCESSION. The Pom Pom Concession is one of the better known concessions in Botswana. The concession centers around a number of island flanked by the Moremi Game Reserve on the North Eastern side side and the Xudum channel that runs South East. The best lodge in the concession is Pom Pom Camp, run by Kwando Safaris. 2019 was a very dry year for this concession but the 2020 waters have come back in wonder, and created a very magical safari experience for all visitors to the Pom Pom Concession. This is a great concession for romantic getaways and honeymoon safaris.

NG 27B – XAXABA CONCESSION. The Xaxaba Concession sits directly south of the Moremi National Park, with a few lodges nestled along the border of the park. The concession is managed between a number of different operators and lodges include Gunn’s Camp, Moremi Crossing, Delta Camp, Oddballs, and Eagle Island. Flights from Maun are short, and this is an attractive concession for wildlife enthusiasts, and people looking for water based activities (although you need to check on water conditions in advance.

NG 34 – SANKUYO CONCESSION. This is a really beautiful concession located to the west of the Moremi National Park and belongs to the Sankuyo Community. The concession is managed by a group called Under One Botswana Sky, and includes two beautiful camps called Rra Dinare and Mma Dinare (Father Buffalo and Mother Buffalo). The camps are located approximately 6km apart and both are similar in design and offerings. The concession has a vast array of wildlife, and lions in particular are a common sight owing to some open delta pans which attract prey. This concession is an excellent family option as the lodges are child friendly. It’s also closer to Maun which means less time in a small aircraft, and less time for kids to get motion sickness in a small Cessna.

The greatest threat to biodiversity in the Okavango Delta is water supply and water fluctuation either as a result of direct human action or through the effects of climate change. Despite the UNESCO World Heritage status of the Okavango Delta, Namibia has mentioned plans to develop irrigation channels from the Cubango river for farming in the northern Kavango district, and Angola has long harboured plans to develop hydroelectric power stations on both the Cubango and Cuito Rivers. The implementation and impacts of such developments would have scaled and detrimental impacts on biodiversity within the Okavango Delta.

Beyond direct human action, climate change is another factor that is exacerbating existing stressors in the Okavango. In Freshwater systems these stressors are causing changes in the timing, availability and temperature of waters, affecting the condition of freshwater habitats and the life history of freshwater species. While accurate models to predict the effects of climate change on the Okavango are still being developed, global warming will undoubtedly play a role in changing water flows across the region.

In order to understand just how fragile this ecosystem is, you need to understand the dynamics of the processes which created and continue to sustain the ecological system, which is considered by scientists to be the passage of water through the ecosystem. The water in the Okavango is fresh despite the fact that chemical compositions of water from the middle of a number of islands have a very high salt composition. The reason the water is fresh is that trees on the edges of the islands have created a barrier of natural filters between the inner part of the islands and the floodplain (read more about this process here). Environmental processes govern this natural filtration system and should water flows through the delta deviate too far from the normal (either as a result of manipulating the water sources upstream or through processes of climate change), this could destabilize the entire ecosystem. A lower water supply would lead to desertification, and an increase in water supply would lead to the dissolution of salts at the center of islands that would salinate the water. Either process would be monumentally destructive to the ecosystem and all biodiversity it contains.

Water issues and contentions are not the only threat facing Biodiversity within the Okavango. Livestock and the encroachment of agriculture represent one such threat, as has the aerial spraying of pesticides against tsetse flies which may be responsible for the disappearance from the Okavango Delta of a number of invertebrates over the past 30 years. Other threats to biodiversity include the use of veterinary fences to segregate wildlife from livestock that affects migratory routes, as well as the illegal hunting of elephants and other species within the region.

We believe that one of the best ways to help conserve the Okavango Delta is to visit it. Your presence in the area spreads a very important message to the government of Botswana and the people of Botswana, that this is a place worth conserving and not plundering. Your presence will show that it is within the interests of the government to continue to enforce strict environmental policies in the country that protect biodiversity. Obviously, there are questions relating to the carbon footprint of flying over to Africa. However, based upon the importance of tourism for the future protection of the Okavango, coupled with increasingly greener travel technologies, the value of tourism outweighs the impacts that tourism would have on climate change. You can read more about this here.

If you would like to do more to contribute other than just visiting, we suggest looking into the following organizations and groups who we support 100%.

ECOEXIST

One of the greatest threats facing conservation in Afirca is human-elephant conflict. Ecoexist seeks to reduce conflict and foster coexistence between elephants and people. The team finds and facilitates solutions that work for both species. Our approach connects science with practice.

CLAWS

Another victim of human wildlife conflict are lions. In Northern Botswana lions are poisoned in retaliation for livestock killing. In response, CLAWS (Communities Living Among Wildlife) help people learn about the local prides to increase awareness and tolerance.

OKACOM

The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), is a river basin organisation established by the three riparian states of Angola, Botswana and Namibia to jointly manage water resources of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin.

KAVANGO ZAMBEZI TRANSFRONTIER CONSEVATION AREA (KAZA TFCA)

The KAZA TFCA is a regional conservation program set up by the governments of Botswana, Angola, Nambia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe with the purpose of sustainably managing the Kavango Zambezi ecosystem, its heritage and cultural resources based on best conservation and tourism models for the socio-economic wellbeing of the communities and other stakeholders in and around the eco-region through harmonization of policies, strategies and practices.