Botswana is one of the countries I was most excited to visit in Africa and it was one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had.
Wild elephants roam the highways, hippos inhabit the rivers and you may even be joined by a baboon or two while you cross the border.
But the real highlight of our Botswana trip was the Okavango Delta.
Although every safari destination is different, Botswana really is one of a kind. It has some of the friendliest people, safest streets and the people really live at one with nature.
It’s a one of a kind trip – and many travellers pay over the odds to experience its uniqueness.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m sure it’s completely worth it. The lodges we saw looked incredible, sprinkled along the edge of the Delta.
But at $2000 per night, it’s not something the average human being will ever be able to afford.
Given the sky high prices of staying in an Okavango Delta lodge, it’s no surprise I assumed going on safari was only for rich people.
It was only when I moved to South Africa for three months that I realised how affordable a safari could be, especially if you’re willing to self drive.
And while some safari destinations are definitely going to make a bigger dent in your travel budget than others, Botswana isn’t completely inaccessible to people like you and me.
Just to let you know… This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links. I may receive a small commission from them at no extra cost to you.
A budget-friendly way to visit the Okavango Delta
If you’re willing to put in a little bit of work, visiting the Okavango Delta can be surprisingly affordable.
By work, I mean a little bit of organisation and forward planning, a fair amount of 4×4 driving and a lot of courage if the thought of bush camping scares you.
The good news is it probably won’t scare you as much as it scared me:
Okavango Delta safari prices
One of the great things about the Okavango Delta is that, like many African safari spots, you can see it all by yourself.
All you need is a 4×4 and enough fuel to make sure you won’t get stuck!
Aside from the car you’re driving, the only cost of visiting is the park entrance fees. Entrance to Moremi Game Reserve, where we camped, costs around £9 ($11.49) per person per day.
It’s almost impossible to visit in just one day, but even a 3-day trip will set you back less than £30 in total!
Once inside the park, you have access to all the same roads and trails as the safari companies that operate there.
That means you can visit the exact same areas and have the chance to see the same wildlife, including lions, leopards and elephants.
There’s only one place you won’t be able to visit without a guide: the Delta itself.
If you’re visiting the Okavango Delta, there’s a good chance you want to take to the waters. After all, it’s what you’re visiting for!
It would be a shame to venture all the way there (like I said, it’s not easy!) and not get to see the Delta from the water.
We took a 2-hour boat safari and loved it so much that we extended it to 3 hours. At $40 (about £31) per hour, it wasn’t super cheap. But given that we had the entire boat, $120 was a very reasonable price to pay for such a unique experience.
You just can’t see elephants and hippos up close in the water like that any other way.
If you’re visiting the Okavango Delta on a budget, make sure you set aside a little bit of cash for a boat safari. It will definitely be money well spent!
Okavango Delta camping prices
The only other necessary expense you’ll need to think about is where you’re going to sleep.
If you’re on a budget, the lodges and tented camps will definitely be out of the question, and the only other option is wilderness camping.
Wilderness camping – or wild camping – is exactly what it sounds like. Even though the camp sites are in designated areas, with ablutions and numbered sites, they’re completely wild.
You’re out in the open, just like the animals. Or, another to look at it, you’re out in the open with the wild animals.
Some people might find that pretty exciting and others might find it terrifying. I fell firmly into the latter, but it’s still something I would do again – provided I had the right gear!
We rocked up with a ground tent and, on seeing an elephant occupying our site, I decided there was no way I was sleeping in it.
We ended up sleeping in the car and had a great night’s sleep in the end, but next time I would take a vehicle with a pop-up tent. When there are elephants walking around, it’s just a lot more sensible!
There are three wild camp sites in Moremi Game Reserve and they all cost 200 Pula (£15/$20) per person per night. Again, a very reasonable rate to pay given the $2000 alternative!
Total cost of visiting the Okavango Delta
If you were to spend one night wild camping at the Okavango Delta, it would come to roughly £33 per person (one camp fee plus two day rates).
Throw in a 2-hour boat safari, shared by two people, and you’re still only looking at around £64 for the whole thing. And given what a special experience it is, that’s incredibly cheap!
Of course, you’ll need to stock up on a few things before you head into the park.
You’ll need the car, a full tank of fuel and enough food and water to get you through your time there.
There are no shops or restaurants inside the Game Reserve so you’ll need to go in prepared. It really is as wild as it comes!
Botswana on a budget
In general, Botswana is a very budget-friendly destination.
Even though an organised trip to Chobe might set you back a fair bit – and a night in an Okavango Delta lodge definitely will – it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think.
We noticed that there isn’t a whole lot of information about self driving Botswana online, so it’s hard to know what to expect.
But unless you want to take any organised safaris or trips, the Okavango Delta is about as expensive as it gets.
Accommodation can be fairly pricey throughout the country (budget around £80 per night) and is rarely good value for money, and you can easily eat for £20 per day.
So while it’s not the cheapest place to visit in Southern Africa, but it’s far from expensive compared to other destinations.
Other African budget safaris
Botswana isn’t the only safari destination that’s surprisingly affordable.
Check out my post about Southern Africa’s most affordable self drive safari destinations if you want to see where else you could go on a budget.
Hi Jodie
What are the names of the 3 wild camps you mention in Moremi Game Reserve?
Hi Sean, they’re called Xakanaxa (where we stayed), Khwai and Third Bridge.
Hi Jodie,
We are doing a self drive from Livingstone in May 2024 and have just read you Okavango Delta article, which has given us some hope. Just on the roads/driving, how did you find it? Any tips? We will be in a Hilux with a roof top tent so definitely going to do the wild camping you’ve mentioned.
Many thanks
Jon & Becky
Hi Jon and Becky, you’ll be totally fine in the Hilux! Some of the roads are a little tricky, but as long as you have a 4-wheel drive it’ll be easy enough. Hope you have an amazing time!
Hi Jodie
How did you book camping and guided trips?
Ahead of time or just when you got there?
If you can do it ahead of time (especially camping) how?
Hi Jean Paul,
We just turned up without any bookings. They said the campsite was fully booked but let us in anyway and there was loads of room. It’s so far out that they can’t really turn you away, I guess.
The boat can be booked when you turn up too. There are usually guides just waiting around the river, just a short drive down the trail from Xakanaxa camp. You can’t really miss them because they’re the only people around.
Hope you enjoy your trip! The Okavango is such an incredible place.
Hello Jodie,
Thanks very much for the informative post, it is the first good budget Okavango article I’ve found so far!
We did a self-drive through Kruger a couple of years ago in a basic rental car since most of it was paved. What were the driving conditions like during your trip? Paved roads or solid 4×4 off roading all of the time stuff?
Many thanks!
Marshall
Fergus, Ontario Canada
So glad you found it useful! There’s definitely a lack of information out there. For almost all of the campsites, you will need a 4×4. There are a couple that you could access without, but I’d recommend going for a 4×4 no matter which one(s) you plan to stay at. The roads are mostly bumpy dirt roads, but they’re not too tricky to drive. They’re just really far from anywhere and there was noone else around when we went, so make sure you have a full tank!
Hi Jodi,
Thanks for info. We want to take some birders to okavonga and they can afford a few nights in a midrange lodge but we will need to stay in a campground. Are there good lodges near campgrounds.
Hi Alan, they will have a great time for sure! So many unusual birds to spot. Unfortunately, I have no experience with the lodges, but I did see that there was one near(ish) to us – we could see it from the water.
hello
Thanks a lot for your recommendations if we want a guided tour but not very expensive do you have anyone there that organizes that ?
Thanks for your advice
Hi Jodie, thank you for this post. We are spending a week in Kruger and then want to visit Delta on budget – almost everyone on tripadvisor ‘perhaps rightly’ said – Not possible on budget. Your article game me hope. I have not done much camping, but one night we can manage to sleep in the 4 by 4 (and now perhaps I will rent only 4 by 4, rather than higher vehicle). Can an elephant push the van/jeep .. if they are right there .. we plan to visit in May. How about you want to go to the bathroom, and a lion is by the bathroom – as it seems there is no fence .. especially if there is no other vehicle around, then you are on your own?
How many campsites on this location that you mentioned? Thank you.
Hi San, I’m so glad the article gave you some hope! It’s certainly possible to do it on a very tight budget if you don’t mind getting a little adventurous. I suppose an elephant could, in theory, push your vehicle, but there’s no reason why they would. The campsites are indeed unfenced, so animals could technically come in – and an elephant did enter our camp when we first arrived – but we just waited it out in the car until it left. I wouldn’t worry about lions – it’s hippos that you need to be most careful with!! Just make sure you have a flashlight :) And definitely go for the 4×4 if you plan to self drive.
Hi Jodie. Did you drive from South Africa or fly to Maun and rent a vehicle? I have moved to Gaborone and trying to work out how short a trip one can do were I to drive from Gaborone or fly to Maun and rent a vehicle; but still be worthwhile. How long did you go for?
Hi John, I drove from South Africa (from Cape Town). It was a long drive! The trip in total was around 3 weeks, covering Kruger, the Okavango, Chobe, Livingstone and the Kalahari. Whichever you decide, you’ll have an adventure!
Hi Jodie!
Could you please share the location of the boat safari that you went on? It’s so hard to plan/pin down on a travel map when there’s very limited info… but so glad I found your page, and hopefully you can tell us where to find this 2-hour boat tour! :)
It’s also so hard to book National Parks! We are planning 2 days in Chobe and 3 days in Okavango in mid August. Did you book the NPs in advance, or can you just rock up? Where is best site to book NPs?
Thanks heaps! :D
Hey Molly! I totally get it – Botswana isn’t the easiest to find info for, which is why I want to share it here. Thanks for pointing out this missing info! We simply turned up at the entrance gate and asked for a campsite. They gave us a designation and directions and we pitched up a tent. Everything was paid at the gate. As for the boat safari, we just drove along the water and found some available there. I’m not sure if that’s still the case, but I think they tend to stay near the campsites because that’s where the demand is! If you stay in MK1 campsite area, you’ll be near all the lodges etc and therefore near the action!
Hi Jodie! Thank you so much for all the information! I was wondering if you had a map or list of places you went while in Chobe and the Okavango Delta? I am having a hard time figuring out the route and how to access the parks.
Thanks!
Hi Ashlyne, the best thing is to get a map from the entrance gates. There’s not too much online (from what I’ve seen) but they have all the info you will need.
Hi Jodi, thanks so much for this! I’m traveling to Botswana in a couple of weeks and I just read your blog. I’m on a tight budget, I was hoping you could tell me more about who you did the boat trip in the Delta with, as I’d love to do it just for a day! Can you help me?
Hi Lucia, I didn’t book anything in advance! The boats were just around by the river. It’s all very casual. But you can always ask the person at the gate on the way in to be sure :) Have an amazing time!