Moremi Game Reserve
In 1963 the BaTawana people did something unprecedented in Africa: they set aside part of their own tribal land as a wildlife reserve. Named after Chief Moremi III and championed by his widow, Mohumagadi Pulane Moremi, Moremi Game Reserve protects the eastern Okavango Delta, including Chief's Island, and is often called the jewel of Botswana tourist attractions.
Covering roughly 5,000 square kilometres, the reserve takes in about a third of the delta. Its western side is dominated by the permanent swamps and islands of the delta itself, while the eastern "mainland" between the Mopane Tongue and the Khwai River offers dry woodland and open plains. That geography is what makes Moremi so rewarding: within a few kilometres you can move from papyrus-lined lagoons to classic savannah.
Why visit Moremi?
Permanent water and dry land meet here, so a single reserve offers boat and mokoro trips as well as game drives. Lagoons, floodplains, mopane woodland and acacia savannah support lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog, buffalo, elephant, giraffe and reintroduced rhino, while birders can tick off more than 400 species, from fish eagles to wattled cranes. The 5-day Big Five safari is designed around exactly this variety.
Moremi is especially famous for African wild dogs, one of the continent's most endangered predators. Northern Botswana holds one of the largest remaining populations, and packs are seen regularly on the Moremi mainland, particularly when they settle at a den in the middle of the year. Leopards are also unusually relaxed around vehicles here, and lion prides often hunt red lechwe on the floodplains.
Getting there and around
South Gate is roughly 100 kilometres north of Maun, two to three hours by 4x4 with a final stretch on sand. Fly-in guests land at airstrips serving the reserve's camps. Short on time? A guided Moremi day trip from Maun includes meals and an expert guide.
The reserve has two main entrances, South Gate and North Gate, connected by a network of sandy tracks via Xakanaxa and Third Bridge. Tracks are not tarred, signage is minimal, and wooden bridges and water crossings are common, so a high-clearance 4x4 and a reliable GPS map are essential for self-drivers. Many visitors prefer a guided mobile safari, which removes the stress of navigation and allows you to concentrate on the wildlife.
Highlights not to miss
- Xakanaxa Lagoon: Boat trips through papyrus channels to heronries full of storks and egrets. In the breeding season, marabou and yellow-billed storks nest in their hundreds.
- Third Bridge: Log bridges over clear channels in prime lion and leopard territory. The campsite here is one of Botswana's most atmospheric.
- Mboma Island: Open grassland ideal for game drives, with a loop road offering wide views over the floodplains.
- Black Pools and North Gate: Elephant, hippo and predators along the Khwai River, which forms the reserve's northern boundary.
Practical tips
Self-drivers must pre-book campsites and carry fuel, water and recovery gear; some tracks flood at high water. Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, and off-road or night driving is not allowed inside the reserve.
Park fees are paid per person per day plus a vehicle fee, and they are significantly lower for guided visitors on a registered safari. Bring cash in pula or US dollars for small purchases, as card payments are not always possible at the gates. Campsites have basic ablutions but no shops, so stock up on food and supplies in Maun.
Best time to visit
July to October is peak season: the flood has arrived, the bush has dried out and game concentrates around water. Wild dogs den between June and August. The rains from November to March turn the reserve emerald green and bring migrant birds, though some roads become impassable.
Temperatures range from chilly winter dawns, close to freezing in June and July, to over 40 °C in October. April and May are an underrated shoulder season, with fresh greenery, fewer visitors and the flood still on its way.
Accommodation and food
Public campsites such as Third Bridge, Xakanaxa and South Gate sit alongside a handful of luxury lodges. Just outside North Gate, the Khwai Concession adds community campsites. Camp cooks are known for braai dinners and bread baked in cast-iron pots over the coals.
The lodges inside the reserve are few and often among the most exclusive in Botswana, with private decks overlooking lagoons. Campsites are unfenced, so expect hyenas, elephants and even lions to wander past after dark – keep food locked away and never sleep in the open.
How does it compare to other Botswana tourist attractions?
Moremi is the only protected part of the delta open to self-drivers and offers a more affordable way into its wildlife than most fly-in camps. Its mix of water and land complements the elephant-rich riverfront of Chobe National Park – two parks linked on the 6-day fully catered mobile safari.
Compared with the private concessions of the inner delta, Moremi can feel busier at popular sightings in high season, but it rewards patient visitors with some of the best predator viewing in southern Africa.
Beyond the reserve
Neighbouring Khwai adds night drives and walking safaris, and the track north-east leads to Savuti, Chobe and finally Victoria Falls.
Back in Maun, scenic flights over the delta make a perfect finale, giving an aerial view of the channels and islands you explored from the ground.
In summary
A pioneering community reserve with water, wildlife and wilderness in one place, Moremi belongs on every northern Botswana itinerary – whether for a single day or as part of the 10-day Okavango, Moremi and Khwai camping safari.
