Moremi Game Reserve
The Moremi Game Reserve is adjacent to and partially surrounded by the Okavango Delta. It offers excellent game viewing providing a kind of bridge between the permanent Delta and the Mopane woodlands.
Game movements in this area are highly seasonal and are dictated by the availability (mostly) of grazing and water. In the dry season, game moves out of the arid hinterland (even if grazing is abundant) and closer to surface water along the Chobe river and in the Okavango. The longer the dry season persists, the more game tends to congregate near water.
Once rain falls and the first sprouts of green can soon be expected game leaves the water, seeks out distant grazing in places where it knows rain water will have collected in natural depressions (called pans). Thus, in the Okavango, in the dry season, game is likely to be most plentiful, between April/May and November.
However, because the Delta is so large and water so abundant, game is widely spread. On the other hand, it is also confined, mostly, to Chief's Island, a long tongue of land that penetrates deep between two river systems, more thon 120km from Maun, into the delta. Moremi Game Reserve has recently been enlarged to include all of Chief's Island. The northbank of the Khwai River is also an important game viewing area. You can certainly expect to see impala, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe and elephant as well as a host of other animals. To do so from a mokoro makes the experience especially authentic and memorable. This Reserve, of some 3000 square kilometres is approximately 100km from Maun and, although some of the route has recently been tarred, a four–wheel–drive is needed. There are a wide range of habitats in Moremi; from riparian woodlland, floodplain, reed beds, permanent wetland through mopane forest to dry savanna woodland. The circular road system will take you through them all although it will probably he in the floodplains that you will see most animals. Moremi is one of the most beautiful Reserves in Africa and at any time of the year, game is prolific (although what is seen obviously varies with the season).
In addition to large herds of buffalo, elephant, giraffe and many species of antelope, one has a good chance of seeing leopard, lion, cheetah and wild dog. For birding enthusiasts, not only does the woodland offer a wide range of species but the chance to drive to the edges of large lagoons which offer fantastic birding. There are many species of ducks and geese, as well as an amazing variety of heron.
