Having arrived in Maun (usually the airport) during the early afternoon, you’ll be transferred by road to the Buffalo Fence on the edge of the concession (30 mins) and make your way to camp from there in mekoro, following the elephant and hippo channels. If water levels are low then guests can walk into camp, which usually takes around 1.5 hours. Settle into camp and enjoy a leisurely stroll to familiarise yourself with the beautiful environs and enjoy a sundowner.

You may have been woken during the night by the sound of elephants feeding around your tent or lions calling as they patrol their territory, but days on safari must still start early whilst the day is cool. A morning walk is a great opportunity to discover the life of the Okavango – elephants swimming the deep channels, herds of red lechwe tripping through the shallow waters, glimpses of predators trying to stay hidden and brilliant birdlife everywhere. Your small walking group will have the freedom to head in any direction that it chooses – on safari it is important to be flexible and to allow your days to be dictated by the movement of game rather than time. Expect to cover anything between 10 and 15 kilometres on each of these two days.

When the day heats up you will return to the shade of the camp or find a natural, crystal-clear pool where you can enjoy a refreshing swim. A delicious lunch will be prepared by the chef and after this it’s a good idea to recharge your batteries with an African siesta. Following tea, you’ll venture out again for a late afternoon walk. Marvel at the solitude of the bush and the extraordinary quality of light over the landscape as the sun dips below the horizon. If you want to give your feet a rest, a great alternative is to opt for a leisurely pole through the channels in the mekoro. Back in camp, enjoy the special atmosphere of being around the campfire beneath a brilliant night sky, listening to the trills and night sounds emanating from the bush.

Having enjoyed a last sunrise breakfast and bid your farewells, your luggage will then be loaded back in the mekoro and taken back to the buffalo fence where it all began. Once again, you’ll have the choice of walking or hopping onto a mokoro and joining the flotilla carrying the luggage. Once back at the fence line you’ll be transferred back to Maun in a safari vehicle, ready to step back into the real world.

The camp for this safari is 100% mobile, comprising of simple but comfortable lightweight walk-in octagonal tents equipped with standard raised stretcher beds and comfortable bedrolls with linen and towels. Traditional hot bucket showers are set up beneath a tree and bush loos are erected close to the tents. In the flood season (July – September) the camp is transported into the delta using a flotilla of up to 15 mekoro, whereas during the drier months donkeys are used to transport all the camp equipment and supplies.

A dedicated, highly qualified chef will produce simple yet delicious meals of a high standard, using fresh ingredients. The dining style is buffet and all cooking is conducted over an open fire. Dinners are comprised of a main dish followed by a dessert. Dietary preferences can be catered for with advance warning.

David Foot’s walking safaris run all year round, but the best time to go is during the dry season, between May and November. This is also the time of the annual flood, which of course varies each year in terms of timing and volume – these safaris operate in the southern part of the delta, which receives floodwater later than the north, where the Okavango River flows in. In a typical year, the flood will usually start flowing into the south around early July and will be present until around the end of September, and sometimes well into October. We cannot guarantee this of course and some years will be drier than others, or the timings will vary. As an example, 2019 was a very dry year, but the upshot was that wildlife concentrations were greatly increased around fewer sources of water – the game viewing was fantastic!

We recommend that any visit to the delta involves visits to more than one camp or experience, and that a walking safari such as this should be combined with stays in at least one water-orientated camp in the central or northern parts of the delta, along with camps in other areas.