Okavango River
Okavango River
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles208 reviews
Excellent
156
Very good
42
Average
8
Poor
0
Terrible
2

DuncanTCH
East Greenbush, NY1,499 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Obviously, the Okavango River is responsible for creating the Okavango Delta. But the river itself is worthy of special attention because of all of the animals it draws during the dry season. We were there in late May, at the end of the dry season before the rains came and surprising, the river really the only place where one sees water...the delta is completely dry (especially this past year). So regardless of season, the Okavango River does not disappoint with all of the animals that it draws as well as its own natural beauty.
Written December 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Krzysztof K
Barcelona, Spain31 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2017 • Couples
HOW TO DO IT?

You can easily bypass he exorbitant prices offered by the lodges and agencies.
The standard price range offered by providers is 680-900p (68 - 90USD).

If we (a couple) did our overnight trip with our lodge, we would have paid 360USD.
Instead we paid 70 USD.

Instead of going with intermediaries, we went straight to Okawango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust, paid 6.8USD pppd (per person per day) fee. Next day we picked up one of their emploees in our car. He showed us the way to Mokoro Village. We were introduced to a poler there, whom we paid 20 USD per day per group, another 5 USD for having our car looked after and 2 USD pppd for mokoro seat rental :).

You will find OKMCT easily, it is in the same yard as the Helicopter Horizons (marked on google maps).

In terms of revenue, we left much more cash with the community, than we would have if we went with an agency (we would have done only a day trip for their price). The agency pays mokoro polers the 20 usd per day per group and your entry fee. The rest is transfer, in some cases food, and above all, a huge profit margin.

IS IT WORTH IT?

The no-intermediary price- definitely yes.
360 USD- not really...

If you've been to Caprivi Strip, you'd have done something similar, but having seen loads of hippos, crocs, buffaloes... Here the area is huge, reeds are dense, wildlife is scattered. We saw zebras and ostriches and only heard the hippos.
Sleeping in the wilderness, the sky full of stars, the mokoro ride itself - a beautiful experience, but for a long term traveler, definitely not worth 180 USD PP.

Written June 8, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

389glenne
Moe, Australia89 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2013 • Couples
This was an incredible and unique experience. We were in a party of 8 people........4 had never camped and were terrified. We met our guides who took us on a 45 min ride in canoes through the water lilies and past some elephants.....they are not called canoes but I cant remember what the locals called them......we stopped under a massive tree on an island and camped for 3 days. In the evenings we would go walking and see the local wildlife. The sunsets were stunning. During the day we swam, fished and ventured out in the 'canoes'. On our last night we got a bit close to some hippos. We were not in danger but our guide told us that he lost his uncle to a hippo 2 months earlier. At night we lay in our tents listening to the wildlife. We had a ball with the guides. They were fantastic....some of their stories were very sad.......I have nothing but the greatest respect for them.
Written November 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

coetzer_family
Stellenbosch, South Africa89 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2013 • Friends
we spent a week with jacques conradie and his crew on the okavango river.
an amazing experience, super professional crew, we camped in luxury, ate five star food every day, and saw the essential wildlife of the okavango from the safety of our boats.
i can highly reccommend this company, it was worth every penny.
carin
Written December 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maureen Rudham
Durban, South Africa70 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
We had the most fantastic Mokoro Safari in the Okovango Delta.
The community guides were went out of their way to make our trip really special. I recommend booking directly with them as they provide an excellent value for money mokoro experience (much cheaper than the lodges or other organisers). They cater for all, individuals or large groups - self catering or fully catered. These people deserve our support. Photos attached

For community booking contacts please e-mail maureenjrudham@gmail.com
Written October 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JZWTheTravellor
Hastings, UK82 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2014 • Friends
We drove 3 hrs across the bush and were poled in mokoros along the Chobe River to a tented camp. This was a pleasant experience and spending a night under canvas seemed a good idea - until I heard the lions roaring at sundown and reallised that tent canvas is very thin for a lion!

The tents and the guides were exceptionally good, but the walks in the bush produced nothing more than a squirrel. As the guides indicated, in the dry season, the animals are forced to go to the rivers or waterholes for water. In the wet season, there are pools in the bush so they don't need to travel.

Moral: Be careful about the timing of your trip if you want to see animals (and if you want to see Victoria Falls at its best).
Written January 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GermanPedro
Germany92 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2014 • Couples
I love it! A must see. Mokoro trips are an absolute highlight.

What I hate are the tourist planes and the choppers, spoiling the tranquility
Written December 31, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paula Whitt
Cambridge, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Friends
The journey took us about 1 and a half to 2 hours. Our local poler-the person who steered us through the rivers of the Okavango did a great job of getting us to the island camp. He pointed out small white frogs clinging to the reeds and many other wildlife and birds along the way. This was such a relaxing way to travel. AMAZING.....
Written May 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

zhie2016
San Antonio, TX114 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Family
I honestly love our Thamalakane river. It's beautiful and you just can't tired of its beauty. Watch out for the hippopotamus and crocodiles now and then.
Written March 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eduan K
Amsterdam, The Netherlands104 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2016 • Couples
We were on and next to the Okavango river for 5 days. (2days at Shakawe region in Botswana and 3days near Divundu in the Namibian Caprivi region)

We went on 2 boat cruises and also went on a few safari trips next to the river.

Saw the greatest sun rises and sunsets.

The river is full of hippos and Crocodiles

However we also saw 100s of locals next to and in the river. (either fishing, or washing clothes, or kids that play and swim in the river)
Written October 17, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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OKAVANGO RIVER (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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