Okavango Delta & Chobe National Park Birding Tour

In the morning, we will hop on a small ‘safari-style’ aircraft and leave the bustling town behind to head into the famous Okavango Delta. We’ll be flying to our impeccable lodge which to sits right in the heart of this delta, offering stunning aerial views of the beautiful wetland.
In the afternoon, we’ll search the nearby riverbanks to look for various bird species such as the Western Banded Snake-eagle, African Hobby, African and Eurasian Golden Orioles, Hartlaub’s and Arrow-marked Babblers, African Yellow White-eye, Terrestrial Brownbul, African Paradise Flycatcher, Swamp Boubou, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, African Emerald, Levaillant’s, Black, Klaas’s, and Jacobin Cuckoos, not forgetting the charming and ever-present White-browed Robin-Chat to name a few.

The next three days are all about exploring the Okavango Delta by both land and water. We’ll be taking many boat cruises, quietly gliding through the delta’s intricate network of channels. Expect to spot Luapula and Chirping Cisticolas, Black Coucal, Greater, and Lesser Swamp Warblers, as well as Great Reed and African Reed Warblers. The skies will likely be adorned with White-fronted, Southern Carmine, Blue-cheeked, and Little Bee-eaters, while the majestic African Fish Eagle graces the scene. We will also be hoping to see the sought-after Pel’s Fishing Owl, which will be our main target. Other notable sightings we hope to see are the Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret, White-browed, Senegal, and Coppery-tailed Coucals, along with the striking Southern Ground Hornbill and Bradfield’s Hornbill.

The skies should be lively with various raptors, with chances to spot Ovambo and Little Sparrowhawks, African Goshawk, African Harrier-Hawk, Shikra, and Gabar Goshawk being quite common. Alongside seeking the previously mentioned birds, we’ll visit a sizable heronry known for fantastic sightings of African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, African Openbill, Hamerkop, African Darter, and Saddle-billed Stork. Keep an eye out for the majestic Giant, Pied, Malachite, and Half-collared Kingfishers patrolling the channels. We’ll also be on the lookout for animals like African Elephants, African Buffalo, Lions, Chacma Baboons, Greater Kudu, Impala, and Waterbuck as they come down to the water for a drink.

Your time here is bound to be a highlight—a once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of the world’s finest wildlife regions, complemented by staying in one of Africa’s best safari lodges.

On Day 5, we’ll be exploring Moremi Game Reserve hoping to spot target species such as Arnot’s Chat, Tree Pipit, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Retz’s, and White-crested Helmetshrikes, Bearded, Cardinal, Golden-tailed, and Bennett’s Woodpeckers, Meyer’s Parrot, Three-banded Courser, and Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle. This area is fantastic for rare antelope sightings, such as Sable and Roan Antelopes, Tsessebe, Common Eland, and if luck is on our side, African Wild Dogs – a highlight for any wildlife enthusiast. The mopane woodland also hosts large herds of buffalo and elephants.

Following lunch, we’ll indulge in a final boat cruise in this part of the delta. Alongside seeking the previously mentioned birds, we’ll visit a sizable heronry known for fantastic sightings of African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, African Openbill, Hamerkop, African Darter, and Saddle-billed Stork. Keep an eye out for the majestic Giant, Pied, Malachite, and Half-collared Kingfishers patrolling the channels. We’ll also be on the lookout for animals like African Elephants, African Buffalo, Lions, Chacma Baboon, Greater Kudu, Impala, and Waterbuck as they come down to the water for a drink.

Where you will be staying: Camp Okavango

Our next stop leads us to the incredible Chobe National Park. We’ll hop on another aircraft to reach our lodge alongside the Chobe River. Upon arrival, we’ll enjoy lunch overlooking the river and relish the fantastic birding opportunities around the lodge.

Later in the day, we’ll embark on an afternoon boat cruise in Chobe National Park. Exploring Chobe by boat is renowned for uncovering birding treasures such as Long-toed and Wattled Lapwings, Rufous-bellied Heron, Goliath Heron, and Slaty Egret. Waterbirds are abundant, and we anticipate spotting healthy numbers of Black Heron, African Openbill, Yellow-billed, Saddle-billed, and Marabou Storks, Spur-winged Goose, African Spoonbill, as well as African Sacred and Glossy Ibises. Common Greenshank, Marsh, Wood, Common, and if luck is on our side, Green Sandpipers patrol the riverbanks. These boat cruises often showcase remarkable sightings of African Elephants drinking from the river and swimming across to the islands, numerous Hippopotamuses, large herds of African Buffalo, Red Lechwe, Waterbuck, and predators like Lions and African Wild Dogs.

Where you will be staying: Chobe Game Lodge

The Chobe Forest Reserve, nestled within the captivating landscape of northern Botswana, is a hotspot for wildlife. This pristine reserve encompasses a mosaic of habitats, from lush woodlands to riverine expanses, providing a sanctuary for a myriad of species. Towering trees, such as teak and broadleaved varieties, provide good opportunities to see an array of bird species such as the Arnot’s Chat, majestic raptors like Ayers’s Hawk-Eagle, and a vibrant variety of colourful birds like Paradise Whydahs and Rollers. Beyond its birds, the reserve has an impressive range of wildlife, from the elusive leopard to herds of African elephants.

Starting allows us to search for any nocturnal animals and birds still active. We’ll journey towards Kalwezi Valley and Nantanga cutline. Our focus will be on spotting Arnot’s Chat, Broad-tailed and Long-tailed Paradise Whydahs, Racket-tailed and Broad-billed Rollers, Tree and Wood Pipits, Dusky Lark, Dickinson’s Kestrel, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Bronze-winged Courser, Orange-winged Pytilia, Green-capped Eremomela, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Ayers’s Hawk-Eagle, and Lizard Buzzard.

We’ll then leisurely drive back to the lodge for lunch, keeping our eyes peeled for Roan and Sable Antelopes, Plains Zebra, African Buffalo, Greater Kudu, African Elephant, Giraffe, and if luck’s on our side, even Leopard. By mid-afternoon, we’ll be back in the open game drive vehicles, stopping at bird gatherings, usually hosting Chinspot Batis, African Paradise Flycatcher, Cardinal and Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Violet-backed Starling, Yellow-throated Petronia, Southern Black Tit, Red-billed Firefinch, Black-crowned and Brown-crowned Tchagras, Green Wood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, and Black-headed Oriole. Our main goal for this afternoon will be to locate the Rosy-throated long claw around Puku Flats.

As the sun sets, we’ll once again find ourselves on the deck of this beautiful lodge, overlooking the Chobe River.

Where you will be staying: Chobe Game Lodge

The next morning, we’ll again be taking a small aircraft from Kasane Airport back to Maun, where this tour will be ending. In the sky, you’ll get a last glimpse of this incredible landscape. On arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Maun and the next day you’ll catch your flight back home.

Where you will be staying: Sedia Riverside Hotel