Access
Getting to the Okavango Delta
Almost every Okavango itinerary begins in one town: Maun. What happens after that depends entirely on where your camp sits — and for most premium camps, there is no road at all.
Maun is the gateway
Maun Airport (MUB) is Botswana's principal safari hub and the departure point for the vast majority of Delta flights, with direct connections from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Victoria Falls. From there, most camps are reached by light aircraft landing on a concession airstrip.
Because so much of the Delta has no road access whatsoever, fly-in transfers are not simply a convenience — they are often the only way in. The flight itself is part of the experience: from the air you see the branching channels spread across the marsh, and what look like dark specks moving through the water resolve into elephant and buffalo herds.
The 20 kg rule — read this before you pack
Light-aircraft transfers enforce a strict weight limit, generally 20 kg (44 lb) total, in soft-sided duffel bags only. Hard-shell rolling suitcases do not fit in bush-plane cargo holds and will be left behind in Maun.
Flights run to each concession's own airstrip — Kwara, Vumbura, Duba Plains, Jao and dozens of others — and are arranged directly by your camp, typically 15 to 45 minutes from Maun.
Where road access works
Not everything requires a plane. Self-drive and road access work for areas nearer the Panhandle and Moremi Game Reserve, reachable by 4×4 — roughly 2 to 2.5 hours' drive from Maun into Moremi. Self-drive camping inside Moremi (Third Bridge, Xakanaxa, Khwai) is one of the cheapest ways into the ecosystem on fees alone.
Many itineraries use a hybrid — flying, driving and water transfers — to take in more than one area without long days on the road. Always confirm access with your camp in advance: seasonal flooding affects road conditions and transfer schedules.
How many days you need
For a first visit, 3 to 5 nights gives you time for wildlife, water-based activities, and the travel legs to and from Maun without feeling rushed. A minimum of 3 to 4 full days is the practical floor if you want both land-based predator safaris and water-based mokoro or boat excursions.