Kalahari Desert vs Okavango Delta: Which is Best for your Botswana Safari?

If you’re looking for a totally unique Botswana Safari, then both the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta are amazing destinations you really need to consider for your next southern Africa adventure.

But how to decide between these 2 stunning wild spots?

After all, both are epic UNESCO-listed places, offering totally unique and utterly spellbinding landscapes and experiences!

Deriving from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning "the great thirst”, the Kalahari is technically not a desert as it receives too much rainfall! However, all that precipitation is quickly sucked away into the sandy and arid ground here, leaving a sparse and otherworldly landscape that has to be seen to be believed. With its amazing salt pans and open plains, there’s no question this breathtaking place is well worth a visit.

Equally, the mind-blowing expanse of Botswana's Okavango Delta shouldn’t be underestimated. Wildlife can be found here almost all year round (as the water never completely dries out) and the chance to see the abundant lush environment spring into life, as the water flows into this huge watery world, is like nothing else on earth!

But what if you only have time or budget to visit either the Kalahari Desert or the Okavango Delta and can’t make up your mind?

Then fear not!

This helpful article is going to cover all you need to know about visiting each destination to ensure you make the ideal choice for your incredible Botswana safari experience…

Botswana Visiting Seasons

One of the first things to consider when deciding whether you should visit the Kalahari Desert or the Okavango Delta is what time of year you are undertaking your Botswana Safari. And that’s because certain times of the year will offer different opportunities in each destination.

November to March is the rainy season in the Kalahari and, at this time, roads in the park can sometimes become impassable. It’s also very hot.

The best weather in the Central Kalahari Desert tends to be between May and August when it’s less hot and dry, making for a more comfortable safari experience.

In contrast, it’s the latter part of the year which tends to be the best time to visit the Okavango Delta. August through October is the ideal season here as it’s the dry time of year - which means the best animal spotting - and the water levels are at their highest – which means the best mokoro experiences.

Tourist Numbers: Desert vs Delta

July to October is the high season across all of Botswana and this definitely results in higher prices and more people in the parks.

This is especially true of the Okavango Delta area, which tends to be more popular than the Kalahari Desert.

If you’re travelling during the high season therefore, and want to escape the crowds, heading to the more remote and off-the-beaten-track destination of the Kalahari Desert would definitely be a wise option.

Transport & Access

Another thing to consider when deciding whether you should visit the Kalahari Desert or the Okavango Delta is access.

It pays to know that safari tours to both these destinations tend to depart from the northern Botswanan town of Maun, which is easily accessible, thanks to its international airport and good road access, which connections to both northern Namibia and the Zimbabwe / Zambia border.

But when it comes to accessing these 2 Botswana parks themselves from Maun, things can be a little different.

And that’s because Kalahari Desert trips are usually undertaken in 4WD trucks. The terrain here is remote and you’ll be covering big distances, so driving is a must.

In contrast, the Okavango Delta is usually accessed by a short drive from Maun, followed by a mokoro ride. These peaceful boat trips in traditional canoes take you through the shallow waterways of this unique ecosystem, allowing you to get up close and personal with the wildlife.

Wildlife: Okavango Delta vs Kalahari Animals

Speaking of wildlife, what animals you can expect to see in the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta?

Both places offer a huge array of incredible creatures to spot, but water animals such as hippos and crocodiles can only be seen in the Delta. 

The Okavango Delta also offers the opportunity to enjoy walking safaris to spot some of the incredible birdlife and mammals that call this place home, including lions, leopards, hyenas, kudus, other antelopes, warthogs, and most amazingly, black rhinos. You are very likely to see elephants, hippos, zebras, buffalos, giraffes, and wildebeests in the delta.

On the other hand, the Kalahari Desert is home to the unique black-maned Kalahari lion - a subspecies that behaves quite differently from its genetic relatives.

It’s also possible to enjoy the amazing zebra migration in certain parts of the Kalahari Desert, as well as spot wildebeests, giraffes, an array of antelopes, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, warthogs, bat-eared foxes, yellow mongooses, aardwolf, and aardvarks - quite the list! If you're very lucky you may see a honey badger.

Cultural Experiences

The chance to enjoy traditional canoe rides and learn how local communities have sustained themselves for generations in this fluctuating watery world is a key facet of visiting the Okavango Delta. As one of the world’s largest inland deltas, which swells to almost 3 times its size during the peak, this is a totally unique landscape, where life has had to adapt. Learning about this is a fascinating cultural experience.

In the Kalahari Desert, on the other hand, the seasons are not quite as extreme, yet communities here have to adapt to the semi-arid conditions of this remote and often harsh landscape. The San people are one of the major populations that call the Kalahari home and many safari experiences in this desert world include visiting local homes and learning about their traditional practices. Again, this provides a unique insight into a community that has existed in this stark landscape, in a very particular way, for thousands of years.

In addition to cultural experiences, the Kalahari Desert in Botswana also offers adventure possibilities, such as hiking routes, 4x4 trails, and mountain biking, as well as traditional game drives.

Accommodation: Kalahari vs Okavango

Both the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta offer a full spectrum of accommodation options, from high-end lodges to camping under the stars. Accommodation is far more plentiful in and around the delta area, however, with fewer options in the desert regions.

In the Okavango Delta, camping usually occurs on one of the many islands, where back-to-basic campsites allow you to immerse yourself in this remote watery world for a night or two.

In contrast, camping in the Kalahari is a more sandy affair, but the high altitude of this destination and the lack of light pollution make for some seriously epic star-gazing and impart a sense of almost being on another planet.

Kalahari Desert, or Okavango Delta, Botswana Safari?

Hopefully, this article has helped you decide whether to opt for a Botswana Safari in the Kalahari Desert or the Okavango Delta. If you've made up your mind, check out our Central Kalahari Desert Safaris or our Okavango Delta Safaris.

If you still haven’t decided, however, why not consider both?

Many of the fantastic Botswana safari tours we offer here at African Budget Safaris include visits to the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, and can even be combined with safaris in the Etosha National Park of Namibia, Botswana's Chobe National Park, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or Zambia.

Why not speak to one of our African Travel Experts to learn more today…