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Moremi, Khwai or a private concession – which part of the Okavango Delta is right for you
The first clue that you’ve crossed into a different part of the Okavango Delta is rarely a sign or a fence. It’s the engine cutting at dusk, the guide reaching for a spotlight, and the realisation that here, unlike a few kilometres back, the day's safari is only half over. Across the Delta's vast patchwork of floodplains, palm islands and ancient waterways, the rules of engagement shift from one parcel of land to the next – a public reserve here, a community concession there, an exclusive private concession beyond it. Each comes with its own access, pricing and permitted activities, and that difference shapes the safari you actually have, not just the one you pictured.
Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai and the Okavango Delta's private concessions each offer a different safari experience within the same wetland system. Moremi is a public national park, open to self-drivers and lodge guests alike, with day-only game drives and no off-road tracking. Khwai comprises two adjoining concessions – the community-run Khwai Community Concession and the exclusive Khwai Private Reserve – both permitting night drives and off-road tracking. Private concessions elsewhere in the Delta, leased exclusively to individual camps, add unrestricted off-road driving, night drives and walking safaris, with far fewer vehicles at each sighting. The right choice depends on budget, group size, and how much wildlife-viewing flexibility matters to your trip.
How the Okavango Delta is divided
The Delta is not one place. It’s a patchwork of a public reserve, two community-run concessions and dozens of private concessions, each with its own access rules, vehicle limits and permitted activities.
Moremi Game Reserve – Botswana's only public national park within the Delta
Khwai Community Concession – community-owned land bordering Moremi to the south
Khwai Private Reserve – exclusive concession north and west of the Khwai River
Private concessions – dozens of leased areas reserved for a single camp or group
Moremi, Khwai and private concessions compared
Feature | Moremi Game Reserve | Khwai concessions | Private concessions |
Access | Open to public and self-drive | Lodge guests only | Lodge guests only |
Night drives | Not permitted | Permitted | Permitted |
Off-road tracking | Not permitted | Permitted | Permitted |
Vehicle density at sightings | Higher, shared with other vehicles | Moderate | Lowest, exclusive to camp guests |
Typical cost | Lower, including self-drive and camping | Mid to high | Highest |
Best suited to | Budget travellers and self-drivers | First-timers wanting flexibility | Returning travellers, exclusivity-seekers |
Safaris we love
A well-planned Okavango Delta safari often combines more than one area, pairing Moremi's wildlife density with the exclusivity of a private concession. Here are three Africa Geographic safaris to consider:
Classic Botswana Big Five safari: Combine Moremi's wildlife-dense floodplains with private concession game drives and water-based exploration across the Delta. Explore this safari →
Botswana luxury safari: Move between exclusive private concessions for night drives, off-road tracking and uncrowded sightings across the heart of the Okavango. View this safari →
Southern Africa wild dog safari: Track painted wolves through Khwai's concessions and Moremi's floodplains, two of the Delta's most reliable wild dog territories. Discover this safari →
Moremi Game Reserve, the public heart of the Delta
Established in 1963 by the Batawana people, Moremi was Africa's first reserve created by an indigenous community. Covering roughly 4,871km² of the eastern Delta, it combines flooded plains, papyrus channels, mopane woodland and Chief's Island, one of Botswana's best big-cat areas. Access is open to self-drivers and lodge guests alike, which means more vehicles at popular sightings than in neighbouring concessions, but also lower minimum costs and the option to camp.
Who Moremi suits
Moremi works well for self-drive travellers, budget-conscious safari-goers and first-timers who want proven wildlife density without the cost of an exclusive concession. Game drives run within fixed gate hours, and night drives and off-road tracking are not permitted, so sightings depend on daylight hours and existing tracks. Travellers prioritising off-road positioning for photography, or night sightings of leopard and aardwolf, should look to Khwai or a private concession instead.
Practical Moremi planning notes
Entry fees apply per person and per vehicle, payable at gates or in Maun
Self-drive requires a capable 4x4 and confirmed campsite bookings in advance
Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, fixing game drive hours
Some lodges sit on private concessions within the reserve's own boundaries
Chief's Island offers some of Botswana's most reliable leopard sightings
Access is via Maun, roughly 95km by sandy track or a short charter flight
Resident wild dog packs sit alongside healthy lion and elephant numbers
Khwai, where the Delta's wild edge begins
Khwai sits between Moremi and Chobe National Park and comprises two adjoining concessions. The Khwai Private Reserve (NG18) covers roughly 2000km² to the north and west, leased exclusively to a small number of camps. The Khwai Community Concession (NG19), about 300km² to the south, is owned and managed by Khwai village, with lease income supporting the community directly. Both permit night drives and off-road driving, activities restricted inside Moremi itself.
Who Khwai suits
Khwai suits travellers who want the flexibility of night drives and off-road tracking without paying for a fully private concession, and those keen to support direct community ownership of conservation land. Wild dog sightings are especially reliable here, with several packs resident year-round. Mokoro safaris along old elephant and hippo paths add a slower, water-level alternative to game drives, giving Khwai a wider range of activities within a single concession than Moremi alone allows.
Practical Khwai planning notes
Night drives reveal leopard, serval, aardwolf and honey badger after dark
Off-road driving allows vehicles to follow wild dog packs on the move
Community concession fees contribute lease income directly to Khwai village
Mokoro safaris run along old elephant and hippo paths through reed beds
Skybed sleepouts and underground hides offer added overnight experiences
Fly into Maun, then transfer by light aircraft to bush airstrips
Malaria risk is high year-round, so prophylaxis is recommended
Private concessions, the most exclusive option
Beyond Khwai, dozens of private concessions lease exclusive traversing rights to a single camp or small group of camps. Vehicle numbers at any sighting are capped by the camp's own bed count rather than shared with other operators, and guides can leave the track to follow predators, run night drives and conduct walking safaris where terrain allows. This is the only category of Delta land where all of these activities are consistently available together, year-round.
Who private concessions suit
Private concessions suit returning safari-goers, honeymooners and travellers prioritising exclusivity over lower cost. Camps such as Mokolwane and Okavango Origins, both within private Delta concessions, are known for sustained predator activity close to camp. As Stefan Winterboer, AG Botswana safari expert, explains: “Mokolwane excels in leopard-rich woodlands, while Origins sits in prime wild-dog territory. Together they offer distinct Delta habitats – a perfectly balanced Okavango experience.”
Practical private concession notes
Rates are typically all-inclusive, covering activities, drinks and laundry
Most concessions are fly-in only, reached via light aircraft from Maun
Off-road tracking and night drives are permitted year-round
Walking safaris are offered at select camps, guided by experienced trackers
Bed numbers per concession are capped, keeping sightings genuinely private
Many concessions fund anti-poaching and research alongside tourism
Combining two concessions on one trip adds habitat variety without long transfers
Wish you were here?
Combining areas for the right itinerary
First safari to Botswana
First-time visitors often start in Moremi or Khwai, where wildlife density is proven and costs stay lower than a fully private concession, then add two or three nights in a private concession to experience night drives and off-road tracking. This sequence builds anticipation while keeping the overall safari within a moderate budget, and works well combined with Chobe National Park or the Makgadikgadi Pans for habitat variety across a single trip.
Returning safari-goers seeking exclusivity
Travellers who have already experienced a national park safari elsewhere in Africa often skip Moremi entirely and spend their full Delta stay across two private concessions, pairing different habitats such as floodplain and mopane woodland. This approach maximises night drives, off-road tracking and walking safaris, the three activities unavailable inside Moremi itself, and suits honeymoons and other milestone celebrations particularly well.
Families and multi-generational groups
Families travelling with children often favour the Khwai Community Concession or a private concession offering flexible activity scheduling, shorter game drives, and skybed or hide experiences that keep younger travellers engaged between sightings. Fly-in transfers between camps also reduce overall travel time, an important consideration when planning around children's attention spans and rest needs across a multi-camp itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
The Okavango Delta divides into three distinct safari areas. Moremi Game Reserve is a public national park offering day-only game drives with no off-road tracking. Khwai comprises two adjoining concessions, the community-run Khwai Community Concession and the exclusive Khwai Private Reserve, both permitting night drives and off-road tracking. Private concessions elsewhere in the Delta add the same activities with the lowest vehicle density, and many itineraries combine two or three areas in a single trip.
Moremi is Botswana's only public national park within the Okavango Delta, open to self-drivers and accessible by day only, with no night drives or off-road tracking permitted. Khwai comprises two adjoining concessions, the community-owned Khwai Community Concession and the exclusive Khwai Private Reserve, both of which allow night drives and off-road driving, giving visitors more flexible wildlife viewing than Moremi's national park rules allow.
No. Night drives are not permitted inside Moremi Game Reserve, as gate hours run from sunrise to sunset under Botswana's national park regulations. Travellers wanting after-dark sightings of leopard, serval, aardwolf or honey badger need to base themselves in Khwai or a private concession instead, both of which permit night drives and reveal a different, nocturnal side of the Delta's wildlife.
Khwai is neither. It comprises two separate concessions bordering Moremi Game Reserve: the Khwai Community Concession (NG19), owned and managed by Khwai village, and the Khwai Private Reserve (NG18), leased exclusively to a small number of camps. Both permit night drives and off-road tracking, activities not available inside the neighbouring Moremi or Chobe national parks.
First-time visitors generally do well starting in Moremi or Khwai, where wildlife density is well established and costs remain lower than a fully private concession. Adding two or three nights in a private concession afterwards introduces night drives, off-road tracking and typically fewer vehicles per sighting, giving first-timers a useful comparison between public reserve and exclusive concession safari experiences within one trip.
Generally, yes. Moremi allows self-drive and camping options that keep costs comparatively low, while private concessions are fly-in only and priced per person, per night, all-inclusive, reflecting exclusive traversing rights and capped guest numbers. Khwai sits between the two, with community concession camps typically priced below fully private concessions but above Moremi's most budget self-drive options.
Yes, and many Africa Geographic itineraries do exactly this. A typical route pairs two or three nights in Moremi or Khwai with several nights in a private concession, connected by short light aircraft transfers from Maun. This combination balances cost, wildlife density and activity flexibility, and our safari experts can sequence camps to avoid repeating habitats across the trip.
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