ENCOUNTERSAFRICA
7-Day Okavango Delta Fly-In Safari

Botswana - Fly-in safari

7-Day Okavango Delta Fly-In Safari

Duration
7 days
Countries
Botswana
Suited to
2-8 guests
Pricing
From USD 21,280

The journey

Updated on 23 August 2026

The Okavango is two ecosystems layered on top of each other, and this safari shows you both. Three nights at Jao Camp put you in the water world of the northern Delta, where mokoro and boat replace the vehicle and the days move at the pace of the current. Then a fifteen-minute flight south to Hunda Island, the largest area of dry land in the reserve and the densest predator country in it, where Tubu Tree Camp sits on raised decks under old trees. There are no roads between these places. Everything moves by small aircraft, and the flights are half the pleasure.

Your camps, day by day

Stay 1

Into the Delta

Fly Johannesburg to Maun, then swap the jet for a six-seat Cessna. Twenty-five minutes later the Okavango opens beneath you - a floodplain threaded with channels catching the light. Jao Camp sits on a palm island in a private 60,000-hectare reserve. Settle in, then out for a first afternoon drive as the light goes long and gold.

Stay 2

Water and land at Jao

Jao is one of the few places you can move between the Delta's two worlds in a single day. Morning on land tracking lion across the island. Afternoon on the water - motorboat through the deeper channels, or better, mokoro, the dugout a poler pushes through the reeds at walking pace. From water level the Delta becomes intimate.

Stay 3

The rhythm of the reserve

A full day with no transfers, which is when a safari stops being a series of activities and becomes something quieter. Out early with coffee in the vehicle for the cool hours. The middle of the day belongs to the plunge pool. Late afternoon is often when the Delta delivers - leopard on the treeline, buffalo pushing through shallow water in a long grey line.

Stay 4

South to Hunda Island

A fifteen-minute flight carries you to Hunda Island - the reserve's largest dry ground and a completely different proposition. Where Jao is water, Hunda is woodland and open floodplain, and it holds the densest predator population in the reserve. Tubu Tree sits on raised decks under old trees. The afternoon drive introduces you to the island.

Stay 5

Predator country

Hunda is one of the best places in northern Botswana for leopard, and a full day here is spent looking. Your guide reads the ground like a page - a drag mark, an impala alarm-calling, vultures dropping into a distant clump of trees. Lion and wild dog work this territory too, and the open floodplain makes for dramatic viewing when a hunt begins.

Stay 6

A last full day

No transfers, no packing. Many guests take a longer drive to the island's far reaches, or walk with an armed guide - the only way to read the smaller architecture of this place, the tracks that tell you what passed in the night. In the late afternoon the guides find somewhere open for sundowners, and the floodplain runs to the horizon in every direction.

Stay 7

Out

A last early drive if the flight schedule allows, then breakfast and the short hop back to Maun. From there you connect to Johannesburg on the afternoon service, in time for onward international flights the same evening. Most guests find the transition abrupt - three hours from a floodplain with no roads to an international terminal.

Safari highlights

  • Three nights water-based at Jao Camp, three nights in leopard country at Tubu Tree
  • Mokoro and motorboat safaris through the Delta channels
  • Hunda Island is one of northern Botswana's best areas for leopard
  • Private 60,000-hectare concession - no day visitors, no crowds
  • All light-aircraft transfers included

What is included

Included

  • Six nights accommodation, per person sharing
  • All meals and drinks except premium wines and champagne
  • Two guided activities daily - game drives, mokoro, boating and walking
  • All park and reserve fees
  • Jao Reserve community levy
  • Regional flight Johannesburg-Maun return
  • All light-aircraft transfers within the Delta
  • Laundry and emergency medical evacuation cover

Not included

  • International flights to and from Africa
  • Botswana visa where applicable
  • Travel insurance (mandatory)
  • Premium wines, champagne and imported spirits
  • Gratuities
  • Items of a personal nature

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Okavango Delta fly-in safari cost?

This 7-day fly-in safari starts at USD 21,280 per person sharing, staying at Jao Camp and Tubu Tree Camp. Green-season departures between January and March start at USD 13,680. The price includes all camps, meals, drinks, activities, park fees, the regional flight from Johannesburg to Maun and all light-aircraft transfers within the Delta. International flights to Africa are not included.

When is the best time to visit the Okavango Delta?

May to October is the classic season - dry, cool mornings, thinning vegetation and animals concentrating around water. Floodwaters peak between June and August, which is when mokoro and boating are at their best. January to March is green season: dramatic skies, newborn animals, exceptional birding, fewer people and substantially lower rates.

Do I need to fly between camps in the Okavango Delta?

Yes. There are no roads connecting the private concessions. Flights are 15 to 45 minutes in six- to twelve-seat Cessnas. Baggage is limited to one soft bag of 20kg including hand luggage and camera equipment. Hard-shell suitcases cannot be carried.

Is the Okavango Delta good for the Big Five?

Elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard are all present and regularly seen, and Hunda Island in particular is known for leopard. Rhino are the exception - numbers in the Delta are low, so a Big Five sighting is not guaranteed. If seeing rhino matters, we would add a night in a reserve where they are reliably found.

How many nights do I need in the Okavango Delta?

Six nights across two camps is the sweet spot. Fewer than three nights in one camp and you spend a disproportionate amount of time in transit. Two contrasting camps - one water-based, one land-based - shows you both halves of the ecosystem.

Is the Okavango Delta suitable for children?

Jao Camp and Tubu Tree accept children from 6 years, with family units available. Children under 12 generally require a private vehicle, quoted separately. For families with younger children we would recommend a different camp selection.