Okavango Xudum

the best location for hardcore predator action in Africa

At around 200,000 hectares, the Xudum Concession is a high quality safari area, one of the more remote parts of the Okavango Delta, with a mix of permanent waterways, seasonal floodplains and dry land creating good opportunities for both wet and dry safari.

The concession is restricted to just two small camps, Mokolwane Camp and Mokolwane Plains, keeping guest numbers low and maintaining a very low guest density by local standards.

This private concession is an utterly pristine wilderness, free from almost 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.

Xudum is a classic Okavango landscape, a very pretty mix of seasonally flooded plains, deep-water channels, lagoons and lightly forested islands, with the Xudum River running through the area.

The area offers a wide range of wet and dry safari activities, with the waterways providing opportunities for boat and mokoro excursions alongside excellent vehicle and walking safaris. Brad Bestelink, one of Africa’s leading wildlife filmmakers, has spent decades documenting the animals here, which are now wonderfully accustomed to vehicles. As well as elephants and lions, the leopards here are extraordinary, with the area having featured in many of the major wildlife documentaries about the Okavango, most recently including the BBC’s Big Cats 24/7.

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 here on the Xudum Concession is 3-5 nights.

Seasonality

The May-Jun flood season is a period of transition from the summer to the cool dry winter and is a great time to visit, with lots of baby animals around as the floodwaters arrive into the delta.

Temperatures can drop towards freezing during the night, but this has little adverse effect on safari, the days are gorgeous and there are virtually no insects around.

The majority of camps are also significantly discounted at this time.

The flood in this southeastern part of the delta is usually late but often heavy. Before the waters arrive, the focus is largely on vehicle safari and walking safari. But once the area becomes flooded there is a pronounced shift towards boating activities and vehicle safari can be very reduced.

At this time, the area is usually combined with another more reliable dry safari location.

The Jul-Sep dry season is the classic time to visit the Okavango Delta and is considered the best time for wildlife viewing, as many animals are drawn to water from the surrounding dry hinterland.

Cooler temperatures persist, particularly at night, but safari conditions are great.

With the floodwaters reaching or just passing their peak in most areas, there is usually good access to both land and water activities.

This is very much the high season in terms of prices and visitor numbers, but restrictions on visitor numbers ensure that it does not get too busy.

Here the flood usually arrives during Jul-Aug, meaning that the focus is usually very much on boating activities.

As the floodwaters recede, through September, most likely there will be a move back to vehicle safari, with a corresponding increase in wildlife sightings.

The Oct-Dec hot wet season represents the transition period between the peak of the dry season and the start of the rains.

Temperatures and humidities can become uncomfortably high in advance of the rains, particularly in Oct-Nov.

With the floods having receded in most areas, the wildlife tends to become very concentrated around the few remaining water sources, making for very strong wildlife viewing.

Boating activities may become much less widely available, only camps with access to permanent deepwater channels can continue operations.

If significant rainfall does arrive, it usually comes in short sharp showers and generally has little negative effect on safari conditions. Some animals may start to migrate outwards from the delta but sightings remain strong.

The majority of camps are significantly discounted during Nov-Dec making it a smart time to travel.

The flood should have largely subsided by this time, meaning that the main focus should be on vehicle safari, with a reasonable level of sightings, although perhaps not as strong as most core concession areas in Okavango. Boating activities are likely to be significantly reduced.

The period Jan-Apr is the main green season in the Okavango Delta, when the area experiences the majority of its rainfall and temperatures and humidity have dropped slightly.

At this time the landscapes tend to be verdant and beautiful, the animals well fed and there’s lots of babies around.

Dec-Feb is when there is the greatest chance of prolonged cloud and rain.

As the seasonal waterholes become replenished, a proportion of the animals disperse in search of better grazing. But despite these effects, safari remains strong.

The majority of camps are significantly discounted throughout this season, especially moving into April.

Water levels are likely to be low during this period, meaning that the main focus should be on vehicle safari.

Boating activities are likely to be significantly reduced. If there are strong rains, the plains can become flooded, but this would be unusual.

Getting there

The camps in the Okavango Xudum Concession area can only be accessed by light aircraft into the local bush airstrips.

There are daily flight connections between all the camps in Okavango, Linyanti, the main airport at Maun and Kasane.

excellent water-based safari Jun-Oct