one2travel

I don't really understand the relationship between the Okavango Delta and the Moremi Reserve. And I know Fodorites can set me straight.

When I look on the map, it looks like the Moremi Reserve is an area within the Okanvango Delta. Is it administered differently? Is the OD the term used for the physical land and the MR a special reserve area?

Could someone please answer this question for me?

Thanks in advance.

Deb

hguy47

Your second question addressed the issue -- the Okavango Delta is a geographic description, i.e., the physical land where the rainwater from the northwest (Angola) essentially flows down into the Kalahari Desert, flooding a huge expanse of area with no precise boundaries. And the Moremi is a game reserve, with specified boundaries.

one2travel

Ok...

Does this mean if one goes to a camp in the Moremi Reserve, one can say he/she have been to the Okavango Delta?

I ask because I am going to Kwara in May 2008 and I want to make sure I will be able to say that I have been to the Delta.

Thanks.

Deb

thit_cho

<<I want to make sure I will be able to say that I have been to the Delta>>

Huh?

hguy47

As it says at

http://www.botswana-places.co.za/moremigr.html

the Moremi Game Reserve is "the eastern section of the Okavango Delta." And yes, Kwara is in the Delta. Maybe this is a dumb question, too, but why does it matter if you can to be able to say you have been to the Delta?

Shumba

The Okavango Delta is the areas name as a whole, and it is administered differently in the various localities.

Moremi Game reserve

This is effectively a national park which makes up part of the delta. It allows self drives as well as being home to a number of lodges. There is no walking, hutning or offroading.

Self drives cannot get to all areas of the reserve, which are considered private concessions, for example, Mombo. In general, it is the dry land in the eastern sector that openly available to everyone, with Chiefs Island in private hands.


Controlled Hunting areas

Surrounding Moremi are the CHA. They are multi use concessions. This means they can be used for either hunting or photographic. For example, in the area near Abu and Seba camp is a hunting camp called Selby's, maybe one of the most famous in Botswana.

Kwara is in Northern okavango, and is one of these areas, though that part of the concession is for photographic. It allows offroad driving, walking etc etc.

A good comparison would be, one is a private reseve with few restrictions on where you can drive, walk etc. Moremi is controlled by national parks and has strict guidlines that you must follow.

cary999

Add to Moremi Reserve that there is no game driving after sundown. So when we were there in Sep 2005 the morning game drive was in Moremi but the afternoon game drive was on private property on the other side of the Moremi river (or maybe the Khwai river?). That afternoon drive was great for seeing eles and hippos but not for anything else. And FWIW, the Moremi Reserve was not that great for other game. We were there for 4 nights in Khawi River lodge, Sep 2005. Very nice/small lodge on private property. More like a permanent tented camp than a lodge.

regards - tom

atravelynn

Deb,

If you went to Moremi, then you would have gone to the Okavango Delta.

I can understand why you would want to be sure to see the Delta as part of a Botswana itinerary. Kind of like wanting to include a view of the the Eiffel in a trip to France.

Kwara is an excellent choice and one I hope to make some day. It appears to have wonderful diversity of predators and prey. Plus you can do a mekoro trip to experience the Okavango up close and personal. Then you can say you did more than go to the Delta you mekoroed it!

For more suggestions post your whole itinerary and when you are going.

Baobab

In addition to what's been explained above, a very generalised explanation would be that the Delta is where the permanent water or the floodplains occur.
If you're in/on water, you're in the Delta, if you're on dry ground, you're in Moremi.
This is a very simplistic explanation, and doesn't take into account the dry season!

Shumba

Baobab,

I appreciate you are trying to simplify it, but Moremi ( the eastern dry part) is no different to Vumbura. Flood plains, channels and dry areas. So it does confuse things slightly.

one2travel

Thanks to those of you who kindly clarified the difference between the two.

atravelynn re my itinerary

I'm going in early May 2008. I am going to Kwara for 3 days, Lebala for 4 days and Songwe Point for 3 days.

Thanks.
Deb

atravelynn

You should have some good wildlife viewing.

What is the reason for 3 days at Songwe? Do you have specific things you'd like to do each of those days? There is a lot to do around Vic Falls, but if you are there mainly to see the falls, 3 days may be too much.

one2travel

atravelynn,

The itinerary is fixed as I am going on a tour (yes, I know) but the reason I was keen on this tour is since I was going solo I didn't want to pay the single supplement, the group has each of camps exclusively and I thought the price was fair.

I was in Vic Falls in 1995 and at that time did many of the activities (ultralight over the falls, rafting down the Zambezi, etc.). I thought I'd try to do a couple of new things. I might even try the bungie jumping!

Deb