MoremiThe Moremi Game Reserve is the thumping heart of the Okavango Delta. Known as the predator capital of Africa, the wildlife viewing here is absolutely exceptional and Moremi is rightly one of the most celebrated wildlife reserves in the world. The game viewing is matched only by the sheer beauty of the landscape - Moremi is for the most part an untouched wilderness. But it is the outstanding game that people travel here for, with many regarding Moremi as the best wildlife destination in the world.
Principally made up of two large landmasses, Chief's Island and the Mopane Tongue, Moremi has a dry centre but the remainder of the reserve is classic Okavango; lily-scattered flood plains and beautiful palm fringed islands. When the Okavango floods arrive (usually hitting the top of Moremi in May), most of the animals retreat to the dry areas of Chief's or Mopane, increasing the already hefty concentrations to mindboggling proportions.
Although called the Moremi Game Reserve, Moremi is actually a National Park and for that reason no night drives or walking safaris are permitted. There are certain areas, specifically on the fringes of Western Moremi, where boating safaris are possible in some of the Okavango’s more beautiful regions. The Xigera is the best of these. However, it is the north west part of Chief's Island that is most celebrated, with the famous Mombo and Chief’s Camps providing some of Africa’s finest big game viewing. The Mombo Concession is one of the very few places in Africa that has consistently high-quality game viewing at any time of the year.
East of Moremi is much more public, but there is still good game here and the price of camps tend to be more affordable than the Okavango and remainder of Moremi. But easy accessibility from Maun has resulted in high tourist traffic here and numerous low cost camp sites that do little to improve the quality of game viewing on offer. The more luxurious camps are also located very close together, doing little for the high price they demand.
The Moremi: Accommodation choices The Moremi is most famous for its north east corner, specifically the Mombo Concession, home to Mombo Camp and Little Mombo. These camps are often viewed as Africa's finest safari camps. Nearby Chiefs Camp, run by Sanctuary Lodges (A&K) is a slightly less expensive option with good game, where as Xigera, another Wilderness Safaris camp, is substantially cheaper and offers a classic Okavango experience although without the predator numbers found at either Chiefs or the Mombo Camps. The Mombo Concession is one of the very few places in Africa that has consistently high quality game viewing at anytime of the year. If you are determined to visit Moremi and are understandably scared off by the prices of the Mombo camps and Chief's, then the luxurious camps in Eastern Moremi are a good option. Camp Okuti, Xakanaxa and Camp Moremi are all similar priced products that offer good standards of accommodation and good game viewing, albeit in one of the most crowded areas of Northern Botswana. The Moremi: Time of year to travel
As with the majority of Botswana’s big game areas, the Moremi Game Reserve comes into its peak game viewing season from the 1st June with the very best months being July, August, September, October and the first couple of weeks of November. The resident game in the Mombo Concession is so good that travelling here at any time of the year is always productive. The Xigera area will be at its most beautiful from April through to July but will have high enough water levels for mokoro and boat trips at any time of year.
The Moremi: Activities Game drives and mokoro trips are possible in Moremi, but some areas do not have high enough water levels to offer mokoro's at all times of the year. No night drives or walks are possible due to the reserve actually being a National Park.
Recommended lodges in this area:
Moremi
Many people regard Mombo as the best safari camp in the world, and we agree. The huge number of all the cats and vast concentrations of virtually everything else mean that game drives are always fulfilling and regularly explosive!
Moremi
Many people regard Little Mombo as the best safari camp in the world, and we agree. The huge number of all the cats and vast concentrations of virtually everything else mean that game drives are always fulfilling and regularly explosive. The Mombo concession is an animals paradise with exceptionally fertile land.
Moremi
We like this camp solely because of the location; the game here is very good. The quality of guiding is also impressive and with a fairly recent, much needed refurb, Chiefs Camp is a great place for safari.
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