The Okavango Delta fans out across north-western Botswana, with the safari town of Maun as its gateway — nearly all visitors fly in from Johannesburg, then take a 10–45 minute light-aircraft hop to their bush camp. If you're self-driving to Moremi Game Reserve, South Gate sits 92–100 km away on tarred road to Shorobe and deep sand after that.
Okavango Delta, north-western Botswana (gateway town: Maun)
Almost everyone flying in from outside the region connects through Johannesburg's OR Tambo. Airlink and CemAir both run the roughly 840 km hop to Maun Airport (MUB), Botswana's safari hub, in about 1h30–2h. If you're skipping Jo'burg, Ethiopian Airlines is the only long-haul carrier that lands in Maun at all. Maun is where the delta part of the trip begins — from the terminal you'll transfer to a light aircraft or a road vehicle. Book the Johannesburg leg early if you're travelling June to October, when camps fill a year out.
If Botswana's capital is already your base, Air Botswana flies the ~580 km route north to Maun in about 1h20. It's the standard move for travelers already in Gaborone, and most fold it into a wider safari package rather than buying the leg alone. Check schedules against your onward light-aircraft transfer — the domestic flights and the bush shuttles operate on their own timetables, and a missed connection in Maun can cost you a night. Otherwise the flight itself is simple: one plane, one stop, then the delta.
Pairing the delta with Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls? Kasane's airport links the two. The ~590 km flight to Maun takes about an hour and is usually sold as part of a multi-park itinerary rather than a standalone ticket — which suits most people, since the Chobe-delta combination is the classic Botswana circuit. Kasane itself sits on the Chobe River, famous for its enormous dry-season elephant herds, so plan a night or two there before flying west. From Maun, the same light-aircraft network carries you into the delta.
Nearly all inner-delta camps are fly-in, and the last leg is the best part: small planes and helicopters carry you 20–300 km from Maun to bush airstrips in 10–45 minutes, crossing channels, reed beds and palm-fringed islands on the approach. Pack light — the strict limit is 20 kg (44 lb) in soft bags, hand luggage included, and hard suitcases won't fit in the cabin. Helicopters give the better photo angles if you're torn between the two. And leave the drone at home: flying over parks and reserves is prohibited, and drones have been confiscated from arriving passengers.
The drive from Maun to Moremi Game Reserve's South Gate covers 92–100 km: tar as far as Shorobe, then dirt the rest of the way. A high-clearance 4WD is mandatory — the tracks are deep sand and mud with water crossings, worst from November to March. Sort your paperwork in Maun first: pay park fees at the DWNP office behind the police station (keep every receipt; gates check them) and confirm your campsite bookings, because Moremi admits only visitors with permits and bookings in hand. Gates run 06:00–18:30 April to September, and you must reach camp well before closing. Carry a shovel, sand ladders and a compressor, and travel in convoy if you can — there's no cell signal inside.
The guided middle ground between flying and self-driving: a road leg out of Maun followed by a boat run through the channels to your camp. Journey time swings from two to six hours depending on where the camp sits and how high the water is, so ask your operator for a realistic estimate before booking. It costs less per person than a light-aircraft hop and you arrive at water level rather than at altitude. During the November–April low-water season, some boat legs shorten or reroute — worth confirming when you book.
There's no parking at the Okavango Delta itself — it's a roadless wetland reached by 10–45-minute light-aircraft flights from Maun Airport (MUB), where taxis and transfers drop you at the terminal. Self-drivers park at their booked campsite; the closest gate to Maun is Moremi's South Gate, 92–100 km away on tarred road to Shorobe and dirt thereafter.
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| From | Mode | Time | Cost | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg (OR Tambo), South Africa | Direct flight to Maun (MUB), then light-aircraft shuttle to camp | 1h 30m–2h flight, plus 10–45 min onward hop | Usually bundled into fly-in camp packages; standalone fares vary by season | Airlink and CemAir fly the route — this is how most international visitors arrive, so book the internal flight and the OR Tambo connection together. |
| Gaborone (GBE), Botswana | Domestic Air Botswana flight to Maun | About 1h 20m | Booked domestically; most travelers combine it with a safari package | The standard choice if you're already in Botswana's capital — no need to backtrack through Johannesburg. |
| Kasane (BBK), Botswana | Regional scheduled flight to Maun | About 1h (~590 km) | Regional fare; commonly sold as part of a multi-park itinerary | Pick this when pairing the delta with Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls — Kasane's airport makes the triangle easy. |
| Maun, self-driving into Moremi | High-clearance 4x4 via Shorobe to South Gate | 2–3.5h for the 92–100 km | BWP 270 per international visitor per day plus a vehicle fee; 4x4 rental extra | Tarred only as far as Shorobe, then deep sand, mud and water crossings — confirm campsite bookings before entry (they can't be made at the gate) and pay fees at the DWNP office behind the police station in Maun, keeping receipts for gate checks. |
| Maun, fly-in camps in the inner delta | Light aircraft or helicopter transfer to a bush airstrip | 10–45 min | US$220–260 per person one-way | Pack in a 20 kg (44 lb) soft bag including hand luggage — small planes won't take hard suitcases, and the approach over the channels is half the experience. |
| Maun, water-based camps by road and boat | Guided road transfer plus a boat leg through the channels | 2–6h, depending on water levels | Around US$100–400 per road transfer, per trip | The guided alternative to flying when you want to stay at water level — just know the journey time swings widely with the flood. |
Moremi campsites cannot be booked at the gate, and delta lodges fill a year ahead for June–October — reserve every night before you leave home. Entry to the reserve is by valid permits and confirmed bookings only, and the sought-after campsites at Third Bridge, Xakanaxa, South Gate and Khwai go first.
Pay at the DWNP office in Maun (behind the police station) instead of gambling on the gate, and keep every receipt — they're checked at each gate. Confirm the current rate before travelling, since published figures range from the older P120 per foreigner per day plus P50 vehicle fee to the official 2025 schedule of BWP 270 per international visitor.
Airlink and CemAir connect Johannesburg to Maun in 1h30–2h, and Ethiopian Airlines is the only long-haul carrier into Maun — most international visitors route through OR Tambo. From Maun, light-aircraft hops of 10–45 minutes (US$220–260 one-way) beat 2–6-hour road-and-boat transfers if you're short on time.
Aim for May to August, when the Angolan floodwater arrives during the dry winter and peaks in July — the only window when mokoro, motorboat and game drives all run. May is the value pick, with full water levels before peak-season rates kick in; skip January to March, when rains close roads and some lodges shut entirely.
Light-aircraft transfers cap luggage at 20 kg (44 lb) including hand luggage, and soft bags only — hard suitcases get left behind in Maun. Bring neutral khaki and olive tones with warm layers; June and July game drives are genuinely cold before sunrise, and note that camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in Botswana.
Maun Airport (MUB) is the delta's gateway. Airlink and CemAir fly the roughly 840 km from Johannesburg's OR Tambo in 1h30–2h, Air Botswana connects from Gaborone (~1h20) and Kasane (~1h), and Ethiopian Airlines is the only long-haul carrier serving Maun directly. Most international visitors route through Johannesburg.
It's 92–100 km from Maun to Moremi's South Gate, taking 2–3.5 hours. The road is tarred as far as Shorobe, then turns to deep sand and mud with water crossings — a high-clearance 4WD is mandatory, not a suggestion. Confirm your campsite bookings before you set out; entry is by permits and bookings only.
Nearly all inner-delta camps are fly-in: light aircraft and helicopters shuttle from Maun to bush airstrips in 10–45 minutes, costing US$220–260 per person one-way. The alternative is a guided road-and-boat transfer (2–6 hours, roughly US$100–400 per trip), with journey time swinging widely depending on water levels.
Yes. Air Botswana flies Gaborone–Maun (~580 km) in about 1h20, and there's a ~1h scheduled flight from Kasane (~590 km), which is the natural routing if you're pairing the delta with Chobe National Park or Victoria Falls. Most travelers book these legs as part of a package.
Pay at the DWNP office in Maun, behind the police station, or at the gates — and keep every receipt, since they're checked at each gate. Moremi (Category A, same as Chobe) costs BWP 270 per international visitor per day, BWP 205 for SADC residents, plus a vehicle fee. Confirm the current rate at the DWNP office before travelling, as some operators still quote the older P120-per-foreigner schedule.
Gates run 06:00–18:30 from April to September and 05:30–19:00 from October to March — sunrise to sunset. You must reach your campsite well before closing, and dusk driving in deep sand is when most vehicles get stuck. Start early; there's no cell signal inside the park.
It's unreliable from November to March and often impossible January–March, when heavy downpours make many roads and some areas inaccessible and some lodges close altogether. If you do go, carry a shovel, sand ladders, a compressor and a second battery, deflate your tyres for deep sand, and travel in convoy. Check road conditions in Maun before setting out.
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