Travel to Okavango Abu

classic and pristine wetland landscapes

At around 1290 square kilometres, the Okavango Abu Concession is a prime private safari area of classic Okavango landscapes and with abundant wildlife, especially during the Jul-Sep late flood season.

The concession is restricted to just 46 guests in three small camps, around 28 square kilometres per person, which is a very low guest density.

This private concession is an utterly pristine wilderness, free from all signs of humanity other than these small scale safari operations and where you are free to explore unhindered by the strict regulations and often chronic vehicle traffic of the national parks.

It is an absolutely classic Okavango landscape of broad dry grasslands, punctuated by ‘islands’ of palm trees and running into the seasonal floodplains of the delta, inhabited by abundant wildlife.

The predator viewing here is perhaps not as rich as areas like Okavango Kwara, but that probably has as much to do with the style of safari guiding, which is more relaxed around here.

When it comes to trip shapes and durations in Botswana, most visitors combine 2, 3 or 4 lodges by light aircraft over 6-12 nights, one or two of which will usually be here in Okavango Delta, combined with the Linyanti Waterfront and/or Makgadikgadi areas.

These trips are often done in combination with further nights at the Victoria Falls and/or down in the Cape.

The usual stay duration in the area is 4-5 nights.

Seasonality

The Abu Concession offers reasonably strong wildlife viewing year round, but with considerable seasonal variations.

During the May-Sep cool dry season, the area usually experiences a strong and reliable flood during, creating a lovely network of floodplains, drawing in good numbers of herbivores and their attendant predators.

The Oct-Dec period marks the transition between the peak of the dry season and the start of the rains, when temperatures and humidities can become uncomfortably high. Before the rains, wildlife viewing around the remaining waterholes is intense. Once significant rain falls the wildlife disperses fast and becomes much more difficult to find.

During the Jan-Apr main season, the bush is verdant and beautiful, the animals are well-fed and there’s lots of wildflowers and baby animals around. The camps are significantly discounted and become increasingly attractive as the conditions improve through the period.

Getting there

The camps in the Okavango Abu area can only be accessed by light aircraft into the local bush airstrip.

In the case of Kweene Trails, the airstrip is too distant and access is only by helicopter.

activities and wildlife vary with the seasons