Water Levels: Historic flooding across the Okavango Delta
How we track it: ground sensors + satellite
Health and safety: Ebola in the DRC & Uganda: what it means for you
Trip Costs: Aviation fuel surcharges: what to expect
Outlook: The second pulse: what the next two months hold
Why we do this differently – We don’t just book safaris. We’re part of the ecosystem.
A lot of operators will show you Botswana. We experience it with you — because we live and work inside it. The African Wild was built around a deep, ongoing relationship with the Okavango: its ecology, its communities, its cycles.
That means when the delta behaves in extraordinary ways — as it is right now — we’re not scrambling to read reports. We have monitoring stations on the ground, satellite feeds overhead, and we work closely with groups such as OKACOM and the Okavango Research Institute to develop flood models that give us a picture most operators simply don’t have.
Below is what we’re tracking right now: a wonderful incoming flood, traveller health assurances, and what rising fuel surcharges mean for your trip.
Water Levels – Historic flooding across the Okavango Delta
Building on exceptional regional rainfall from December through April, the Okavango is experiencing one of the largest floods in living memory. The water has already reached areas dry for many years.
In the Khwai concession, several lodges are operating as temporary water camps, with raised walkways built to connect sections above the rising waterline. Airstrips including Camp O, Motswiri, Vumbura, Mombo, and Seronga have all been submerged — lodges are now flying guests in by helicopter from Maun or neighbouring concessions.
The first flood pulse has currently passed Xaxaba and is expected to reach Maun shortly. A second pulse has already entered Botswana and will continue to charge the wetland ecosystem over the following two months. Homeowners along the Maun channel are watching river gauges closely.
How we track it: ground sensors + satellite
We actively monitor flood pulse progression using a network of on-the-ground monitoring stations and contacts across the delta, combined with satellite imagery and remote sensing data. We model flooding extent across channels and floodplains — and that foresight has allowed us to book clients into camps that will remain accessible this year with strong wildlife viewing.
In the time-lapse map, you can view the progress of the floods leaving and returning into the Delta from May 2025 to May 2026. This was developed based on a wetland scientific study (Wolski, Murray-Hudson, Thito, and Cassidy). Flood extent is mapped using a shortwave infrared band of updated satellite imagery which detects standing water. A dual-band filter is then applied to remove false positives like wet soil or dense vegetation, leaving only genuine inundation. The result shows just how high the current floods are coming in, with more water expected from the second pulse of floods.
Health & Safety – Ebola in the DRC & Uganda: what it means for you
We’ve had several guests reach out about the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda. We understand the concern — here’s the clear picture.
Botswana is thousands of kilometres from the affected regions. The country has reported zero cases. Both the Botswana and South African governments have implemented robust screening measures for anyone entering from affected countries. South Africa, as the main international air hub for travel here, is a meaningful additional layer.
Statistically, you are at lower risk from Ebola in Botswana than in virtually any major city in Europe or North America. We monitor the situation continuously through public health channels and our regional network, and will reach out proactively if anything changes.
Trip Costs – Aviation fuel surcharges: what to expect
Every charter flight operator in Botswana has now introduced a fuel surcharge in response to rising aviation fuel costs. For guests travelling after June 2026, this is likely to add between 6% and 13% to the cost of charter flights within the country.
Where we can, we are absorbing these increases ourselves rather than passing them on. In cases where the surcharge is too significant to absorb without affecting your trip, we will contact you well in advance to discuss the implications and find the best path forward together.
If fuel prices ease and surcharges are reduced or withdrawn, we will pass those savings on to you immediately.
Outlook – The second pulse: what the next two months hold
The second flood pulse has entered Botswana and will continue energising the wetland system through July and August. This creates extraordinary conditions for wildlife — elevated water concentrations drive animal movement and produce exceptional sightings along permanent channels and newly inundated floodplains.
Booking through local specialists — particularly those with experience in hydrological monitoring and spatial mapping — is becoming increasingly critical for ensuring camps remain accessible and experiences remain exceptional.
The environment, the ecology, and the community must always come first — before luxury travel can have a seat at the table. That’s the lens we bring to every field dispatch (our first of many), and every booking. We hope this one was useful.
