Moremi Game Reserve

Deep within the Okavango Delta’s eastern reaches lies Moremi Game Reserve, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse safari destinations in Africa. Covering roughly 5,000 square kilometres of the Delta’s floodplains, lagoons, and mopane woodland, Moremi holds the rare distinction of being the first reserve in Africa created by local residents specifically for conservation — established by the Batawana people of Ngamiland in 1963 in response to declining wildlife numbers from unregulated hunting.

At Africa Moja Tours, Moremi sits within our wider Botswana Tours collection — you can browse our full Botswana destination guide for more on Chobe and the Okavango Delta alongside Moremi — and in this guide we cover the reserve’s unique geography, its exceptional wildlife, the gates and access times you’ll need to plan around, where to stay both inside and around the reserve, how to get there, and how to combine Moremi with Chobe and the wider Okavango Delta on a single Botswana safari.

For travellers who want to experience the Delta’s water-based magic alongside a bigger Southern Africa journey, Moremi also connects naturally into our 6-Day Namibia Tour from Johannesburg, giving you the option to pair Botswana’s wetlands with Namibia’s deserts on one extended multi-country itinerary.

What sets Moremi apart is its extraordinary combination of habitats within one reserve — permanent water channels and lagoons for boat-based and mokoro canoe safaris, dry mopane woodland for classic game drives, and the mixed floodplain of Chief’s Island, the largest landmass within the Okavango Delta itself. Few reserves in Africa let you switch so seamlessly between water and land safaris in a single day.

The Okavango Delta itself is one of the most unusual hydrological systems on Earth. Rain falling on the Angolan highlands travels roughly 1,200 kilometres over several months before reaching the Delta, arriving during Botswana’s dry season and creating a flood pulse that peaks when the surrounding land is otherwise parched. This delayed, counter-seasonal flooding is precisely why Moremi’s wildlife viewing stays so consistently strong through the dry winter months, when water elsewhere in the region has long since disappeared.

Where Is Moremi Game Reserve?

Moremi Game Reserve occupies the eastern side of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana, protecting roughly a third of this vast inland wetland — one of the few major deltas in the world that never reaches the sea, instead spreading out and evaporating into the sands of the Kalahari. The reserve covers around 5,000 square kilometres, bordering Chobe National Park’s Linyanti and Savuti regions to the northeast and the private Khwai Community Concession along its northern boundary.

At the heart of Moremi lies Chief’s Island, a large area of permanently dry land surrounded by seasonal floodplains that becomes a wildlife magnet during the Delta’s annual flood, which typically peaks between June and August as water arriving from Angola’s highlands slowly makes its way through the Delta’s channels months after the original rains fell.

A Brief History of Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi’s creation in 1963 is a landmark moment in African conservation history. Concerned by dwindling wildlife populations from unchecked hunting, the Batawana people, led by Mrs Moremi, the reserve’s namesake and the regent of the Batawana tribe at the time, set aside a section of their tribal land specifically for wildlife protection — making Moremi the first reserve in Africa established by an indigenous community rather than a colonial government.

The reserve was later expanded to include Chief’s Island and additional floodplain areas, and today it is managed jointly by Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks alongside community trusts representing the region’s traditional custodians — a conservation model that continues to influence community-based approaches across Southern Africa.

In recognition of this pioneering history, Moremi has repeatedly been named one of Africa’s finest wildlife reserves by regional travel and tourism bodies, and its founding story is often cited as an early example of what conservationists now call community-based natural resource management — an approach where local ownership and direct economic benefit, rather than external enforcement alone, drive long-term protection of wildlife habitat.

Wildlife of Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi is renowned for exceptional wildlife density and diversity, supporting all of the Big Five alongside one of Botswana’s most significant populations of African wild dog, one of the continent’s most endangered large predators. Lion, leopard, and spotted hyena are all well represented, while Chief’s Island in particular is known for excellent elephant and buffalo sightings.

The reserve’s mix of permanent water and dry woodland supports species found in few other single reserves: red lechwe and sitatunga antelope adapted to the floodplains, alongside giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest on the drier ground. Birdlife is exceptional too, with over 400 species recorded, including African fish eagles, saddle-billed storks, and one of the largest heronries in Africa at Xakanaxa Lagoon, where thousands of herons, storks, and egrets nest each year.

Moremi’s African Wild Dogs

Moremi and the wider Okavango Delta hold one of the most important remaining populations of African wild dog, a species now classified as endangered with fewer than 7,000 individuals left across the entire continent. These highly social pack hunters, distinguished by their mottled black, white, and tan coats, roam huge territories and are notoriously difficult to track in most parks — but Moremi’s mix of open floodplain and woodland edge makes it one of the more reliable places in Africa to encounter a pack on the move.

Wild dog packs in Moremi are closely monitored by researchers, and sightings — particularly of a pack returning to a den with pups, or coordinating a hunt across open ground — rank among the most sought-after wildlife encounters for repeat safari travellers. Denning season, typically between May and August, often offers the best chances of extended sightings as packs remain closer to a fixed location while pups are too young to travel.

Moremi’s Key Areas

• Chief’s Island: The largest island in the Okavango Delta and Moremi’s wildlife heartland, home to a dense concentration of predators and Big Five sightings, with several exclusive private lodges.

• Xakanaxa Lagoon: A permanent water area on the reserve’s western boundary, known for its exceptional birdlife, boat safaris, and one of Africa’s largest mixed-species heronries.

• Third Bridge: A popular camping and game-viewing area named for the third of several log bridges crossed when entering from South Gate, known for excellent predator sightings and water-based activities.

• Khwai (North Gate) Area: Bordering the Khwai Community Concession just outside the reserve’s northern boundary, offering additional activities such as night drives and walking safaris not permitted inside Moremi itself.

Moremi Entrance Gates and Opening Times

Moremi has two official entrance gates by road, each suited to a different direction of travel, alongside numerous fly-in access points for guests staying at remote lodges. Gate hours shift seasonally in line with sunrise and sunset.

• South Gate (Maqwee Gate): The closest entrance to Maun, roughly 92 kilometres and a two-hour drive away, and the gate used by the vast majority of self-drive visitors entering Moremi.

• North Gate (Khwai Gate): Located near the Khwai River around 30 kilometres from South Gate, connecting Moremi to the Khwai Community Concession and onward toward Chobe’s Savuti region via Mababe Gate.

As with Chobe, vehicles must be back inside a licensed campsite or lodge before the gates close — Moremi’s sandy tracks, seasonal flooding, and occasional bridge closures mean allowing extra time between gates and your camp is essential, particularly during and just after the annual flood.

Lodges Inside Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi offers an outstanding range of accommodation, from remote fly-in luxury camps on Chief’s Island to more accessible lodges near Xakanaxa Lagoon and self-drive campsites at each of the reserve’s main entrance points.

• Camp Moremi and Camp Xakanaxa: Two of the reserve’s best-known properties, both overlooking Xakanaxa Lagoon with a mix of game drives and boat-based activities, part of the long-established Desert & Delta Safaris portfolio.

• Camp Okuti: A well-regarded camp in a particularly game-rich section of Moremi, offering both game drives and water activities depending on seasonal flood levels.

• Chief’s Island Lodges: Several exclusive, fly-in-only properties sit within private concessions on Chief’s Island itself, offering some of the most reliable predator sightings anywhere in the Delta.

• Khwai and North Gate Camps: Properties such as Machaba Camp and Khwai Tented Camp sit just outside the reserve boundary in the Khwai Community Concession, offering night drives and walking safaris alongside standard Moremi game drives.

Self-drive travellers can also camp at one of four official campsites inside the reserve — South Gate, Third Bridge, Xakanaxa, and Khwai River — though these fill quickly during peak season and must be booked well in advance through the relevant concessionaire. Third Bridge in particular has a reputation among self-drive travellers as one of the most atmospheric campsites in Botswana, with lion and elephant regularly passing directly through the unfenced site after dark — an experience that captures the genuine wildness of a Moremi safari better than almost anywhere else in the reserve.

Getting to Moremi Game Reserve

Most visitors reach Moremi via Maun, Botswana’s main safari gateway town on the edge of the Okavango Delta, either driving the roughly two-hour route to South Gate or taking a short light-aircraft flight directly to an airstrip near their chosen lodge. Self-drive travellers coming from Chobe typically enter via North Gate, having already passed through Savuti and the Mababe Depression.

Airports Near Moremi Game Reserve

• Maun Airport (MUB): Botswana’s principal safari hub and the departure point for the vast majority of flights into the Okavango Delta and Moremi, roughly a twenty-five to thirty-minute flight to most in-reserve airstrips.

• Xakanaxa Airstrip: Serving lodges around Xakanaxa Lagoon, including Camp Moremi and Camp Xakanaxa, with a short road or boat transfer to most properties.

• Khwai Airstrip: Serving camps in the Khwai Community Concession bordering Moremi’s North Gate.

Because Moremi’s roads can be seasonally impassable and distances between camps considerable, fly-in transfers are the standard way to reach most of the reserve’s premium lodges — our team arranges these directly as part of a Botswana fly-in safari package.

Best Time to Visit Moremi Game Reserve

• July to October (Peak Dry Season): The Okavango Delta’s annual flood is typically at its highest during these months, concentrating wildlife around permanent water and offering the best combination of game drives and water-based safaris.

• November to March (Green Season): Lush scenery and excellent birdlife as migratory species arrive, though roads can be muddy or seasonally flooded and some routes within the reserve may close.

• April to June (Shoulder Season): Rising flood waters and good wildlife viewing with fewer visitors, often considered the sweet spot between value and game-viewing quality.

Because Moremi’s roads are genuinely affected by seasonal flooding — occasionally closing sections such as Third Bridge or the Khwai-to-Xakanaxa route entirely — we recommend checking current road conditions with your operator close to your travel dates, particularly for self-drive itineraries.

Safari Activities in Moremi

• Game drives: Classic open-vehicle drives across Chief’s Island and the reserve’s mopane woodland, particularly productive for predator sightings.

• Mokoro canoe safaris: A quintessential Okavango Delta experience, gliding silently through reed-lined channels in a traditional dugout canoe, ideal for spotting smaller wildlife and birdlife at water level.

• Motorboat safaris: Available on Moremi’s larger lagoons, particularly around Xakanaxa, offering faster access to hippo pods, crocodiles, and the area’s famous heronry.

• Walking safaris and night drives: Not permitted inside Moremi itself, but widely available at camps in the neighbouring Khwai Community Concession bordering North Gate.

Combining Moremi With Chobe and the Okavango Delta

Moremi sits naturally at the centre of a wider Botswana itinerary, most commonly combined with Chobe National Park via the classic Savuti overland route, or with the wider Okavango Delta by light aircraft. Our 6-Day Victoria Falls & Okavango Delta Tour from Johannesburg pairs the falls with a Delta stay in the Moremi ecosystem, while our 5-Day Botswana Safari from Johannesburg and 3-Day Chobe National Park Safari from Johannesburg can both be extended with a Moremi or Okavango Delta fly-in add-on for travellers wanting to see both the river-based elephants of Chobe and the water-and-land wildlife of the Delta.

For a full Southern Africa circuit, Moremi connects naturally with our Victoria Falls Tours, Namibia Tours, and South Africa Tours collections, or a classic Kruger National Park Safaris extension, with our Kruger Safari Packages & Multi-Destination Tours page showing how easily the Delta fits into a longer multi-country adventure. Larger groups should look at our Group Tours, while our Small Group Tours Africa suit a more intimate, guide-led pace across the Delta.

Responsible and Sustainable Tourism in Moremi

As Africa’s first community-established reserve, Moremi carries a conservation legacy built directly on Batawana leadership, and that community-based model continues today through joint management between government and local trusts. High-value, low-impact tourism — fewer camps, higher rates, and strict visitor limits — remains central to Botswana’s approach across the Delta, helping protect this fragile wetland ecosystem from overuse.

Choosing lodges and operators who support this model, employ local guides, and contribute to community trusts around Moremi’s boundaries helps ensure the reserve’s founding conservation vision continues to benefit both wildlife and the people who created it. The presence of endangered African wild dog packs within the reserve also makes responsible, low-disturbance guiding especially important, since these wide-ranging predators are particularly sensitive to vehicle pressure around den sites during breeding season.

Photography Tips for Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi’s combination of water and land habitats gives photographers an unusually wide creative range within a single reserve. Mokoro safaris offer a rare, water-level perspective on wildlife and reflections that’s almost impossible to replicate from a vehicle, while game drives across Chief’s Island provide more conventional but equally rewarding opportunities for predator action against open floodplain backdrops.

A weatherproof or dry bag is essential for any camera gear on boat-based activities, and a versatile mid-range zoom often outperforms a longer telephoto for mokoro safaris, where wildlife can be surprisingly close. For game drives, the golden hours around sunrise and sunset bring out the richest colour in the floodplain grass, and Xakanaxa Lagoon’s heronry offers a genuinely unique subject for bird photographers willing to spend an unhurried hour watching the colony’s constant activity.

What to Pack for a Moremi Safari

Moremi’s climate is warm to hot for most of the year, with humidity rising during and after the flood season, so light, breathable clothing in neutral colours works best, alongside a wide-brimmed hat and high-SPF sunscreen. Early morning game drives and boat safaris can be cool, particularly during the dry winter months, so a light jacket or fleece is worth packing.

Because much of Moremi’s appeal lies in its water-based activities, quick-drying clothing and a dry bag for cameras and electronics are especially useful on mokoro and motorboat safaris. Binoculars and a versatile zoom lens will cover both game drives and water-level wildlife encounters, and insect repellent is essential given the reserve’s wetland environment.

Why Book Your Moremi Safari with Africa Moja Tours

Africa Moja Tours has spent over a decade designing safaris across Southern and East Africa, and Moremi’s unmatched combination of water and land-based wildlife viewing makes it one of our favourite Botswana destinations to build itineraries around. We handle fly-in logistics, lodge selection, and seasonal road-condition planning so your Delta experience runs smoothly whatever time of year you travel.

You can browse our complete range of itineraries on our All Tours page, learn more about our team on the About Us page, or read more destination inspiration on our Travel Blog. For questions before you book, reach our safari specialists via our Contact Us page.

Frequently Asked Questions about Moremi Game Reserve

Below are the questions we hear most often from travellers planning a Moremi trip. For broader safari planning queries, our General FAQ page covers payments, visas, and travel requirements in more detail.

What makes Moremi different from other Botswana reserves? Moremi is unique for combining permanent water channels, seasonal floodplains, and dry woodland within a single reserve, allowing both classic game drives and water-based mokoro and boat safaris in one trip.

Can I self-drive through Moremi? Yes, with a 4×4 vehicle — Moremi’s sandy tracks and seasonal flooding make it a genuine off-road destination, and self-drive travellers should always check current road conditions before entering, particularly around Third Bridge.

What is the best time to visit Moremi for water activities? July to October, when the Okavango Delta’s annual flood is typically at its highest, offers the best combination of water levels for mokoro and boat safaris alongside strong game viewing.

How do I get to Chief’s Island? Chief’s Island is accessible almost exclusively by light aircraft to a private airstrip, as it sits within the Delta’s interior — most lodges there arrange this transfer directly from Maun as part of your stay.

Can I combine Moremi with Chobe National Park? Yes — the classic overland route connects Moremi’s North Gate to Chobe’s Savuti region via the Mababe Depression, and the two reserves are also easily linked by light aircraft for a combined Botswana safari.

Do I need a visa to visit Botswana? Requirements vary by nationality, with many visitors able to obtain a visa on arrival or travel visa-free for short stays — our team can advise on current requirements for your nationality when you book.

Is Moremi good for seeing African wild dog? Yes — Moremi and the surrounding Okavango Delta hold one of Africa’s most important wild dog populations, and the reserve’s mix of open floodplain and woodland edge makes sightings more reliable here than in many other parks.

How does Moremi compare to Chobe National Park? Chobe is famous primarily for its enormous elephant herds along the river, while Moremi offers greater habitat diversity and a stronger all-round predator and water-wildlife experience — many travellers combine both on a single Botswana itinerary rather than choosing one over the other.

Final Thoughts: Plan Your Moremi Game Reserve Adventure

Few reserves in Africa offer the sheer variety that Moremi does — predator-rich game drives on Chief’s Island one day, and a silent mokoro glide through reed-lined channels the next. As Africa’s first community-founded reserve, Moremi carries a conservation story as compelling as its wildlife, and it remains one of the most complete safari experiences the continent has to offer.

And if your Botswana journey is part of a longer Southern Africa adventure, our team can build in more of the region too — from a classic Kruger National Park Safaris experience, to the deserts of Namibia Tours, or a coastal and wine-country finale with our Cape Town Tour Packages and the popular Cape to Kruger Experience, combining coastline, wine country, and Big Five game viewing into one seamless trip.

Ready to experience the heart of the Okavango Delta for yourself? Get in touch with Africa Moja Tours today and let our safari specialists build your perfect Moremi itinerary.