10 BEST REASONS TO VISIT MOREMI

10 Best Reasons To Visit Moremi Game Reserve In Botswana

The 10 best reasons to visit Moremi game reserve are; Game drives, Mokoro Traditional canoeing, Nature walks, Elephant tracking,  Birding, Helicopter rides, Self-Drive rides, Boat cruises, Fishing and Camping.

Moremi game reserve is located on a Okavango delta and its much on the eastern side of the delta in Botswana. The game reserve was named after the leader of the bushmen (Basarwa) people called chief Moremi. Moremi was proclaimed a game reserve instead of a national park in the 1960’s and the bushmen were still allowed to stay in the reserve by then. Safari in moremi game reserve is one of the best in Botswana.

 

1. Game Drives in Moremi Game Reserve.

Moremi game reserve is sited on a 5,000 km sq piece of land with a wide area view of several nature and wildlife for tourists to view as they are game driving in the game reserve. Game driving in moremi game reserve is much better on the eastern side of the delta. Because of the landscape relatively flat for proper viewing and transportation in the game reserve.

Game driving in Moremi game reserve is done on a 4×4 open-sided and open roof vehicle. The vehicles are manual in most cases, difficult for it to get stuck in the game reserve due to mud or pots on the roads. The vehicle is also an open roof and the windows too so open for proper viewing of the wildlife by the tourists and also proper aeration in the vehicle.

Game driving is one of the best activities a tourist can engage in at the Moremi game reserve. Driving deep in the game reserve to watch several wildlife on how they live, what they eat, how they play, hunting skills of different animals, animal’s special features like for the giraffe, its long neck among other things tourists view. Game driving is best done in the dry seasons and also very early in the morning so as not to miss out the important sceneries. A guide and game rangers escort the tourists for these drives. The guide shall inform and narrate to tourists about the animals and help them spot the animals. The ranger with the gun shall do the protection most but also can mention out a few points of note.

 

2. Mokoro Traditional Canoeing in Moremi Game Reserve.

A Mokoro is a traditional canoe made out of a straight tree trunk and used as a canoe on the shallow water bodies to channel the movement of tourists on the waters. Moremi game reserve is blessed with such a unique item that gives more flavored experience to the tourists as the canoe moves slowly from one part of the game reserve to the other on water.

Okavango delta in the northern part of Botswana with a vast water body really has played a great role in enabling the Mokoro canoe activity to take place at the Moremi game reserve. While canoeing on the delta, tourists may be able to spot some water living animals like the hippopotamus, crocodiles among other animals and on land they may spot lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos among others.

The Mokoro traditional canoe is made of a trunk from tress though there is some modification where now it is made of fiber glass to conserve the environment. The canoe is negotiated by one person and its very flow. So tourists have a proper view of the wildlife.

 

3. Nature Walks in Moremi Game Reserve.

Moremi game reserve has beautiful nature appearance that’s worthy visiting it several times. The game reserve is sited on a 5000 km sq land with variety of different nature and wildlife to watch. Moremi game reserve vegetation  is a grassland type of vegetation and very many animals can be spot here due to the short grasses. The animals that love such areas are the carnivorous animals and acts as their main hunting grounds.

The Okavango delta formed from the strings of river Okavango also is a very beautiful feature to watch at Moremi game reserve. The delta has a trough in which its waters drop. Tourists here take advantage of the beautiful scenery and take photos of nature.

Nature walking is done in the presence of a game ranger to guard the tourists from the wild animals and the tour guide too to explain more about nature to the tourists. And also answer questions tourists ask. The tour guide and the ranger spot important sceneries for the tourists as the walk through the game reserve.

4. Elephant Tracking in Moremi Game Reserve.

Moremi game reserve has some elephants well trained to interact with the tourists. Tourists move closer and even have a touch on the elephants. This experience is a very rare experience to find in any other game reserve in Africa. The guests in the morning are guided with these elephants together to the bush for a walk and the rangers are available to act if the elephants miss behaved.

The increasing numbers of Elephants in Botswana of about 5% annually has extremely enabled elephant tracking. One of the reserves with this benefit is the is the Moremi game reserve. The numbers are fair and tracking them gives a possibility that tourists shall spot several elephants.

 

5. Birding in Moremi Game Reserve.

Birding is also another activity a tourist can get engaged in while at Moremi game reserve in Botswana. The game reserve has a variety of birds and its mostly flooded by the African pigmy geese, Pelicans, Lesser jacanas, Gray herons, Green-winged pytilia among other birds in the game reserve.

The birding activity in the moremi game reserve is best done in the wet season between the months of November to late March. This is because the birds temporarily migrate to Moremi game reserve from different parts of Africa in search for food and new shelter.

 

6. Helicopter Rides in Moremi Game Reserve.

Helicopter rides is a rare activity in Africa and at Moremi game reserve still not all camp sites offer the service. helicopter rides can only be found in luxurious camp sites in moremi and an extra charge asked from the visitor. Highly luxurious tourists are the ones that really engage in the activity. Helicopter rides actually help tourists view the birds in the sky clearly and also a proper view of the landscape of Moremi game reserve.

 

7. Self-Drive in Moremi Game Reserve.

Some tourists prefer driving themselves other than being driven by a tour company service providers. They book the 4×4 side-open and open roof vehicles from car hire companies. They are directed on how the car operates, whether its a manual or an automatic car. Then other information about the car is provided to the tourists before handing the car over to them.

While in the game reserve having the game drive, a game ranger can be provided if the tourist accepts the terms and then the restrictions in the game reserve are read out to the tourists. Restrictions like not coming out of the car to walk in the park, not over driving because an accident may occur among others.

 

8. Boat Cruises in Moremi Game Reserve.

The Okavango Delta, the Okavango river and the water trough in Moremi game reserve have really helped in the activity of boat cruising. Tourists enjoy the boat cruise because of the unique experience they feel floating on the waters of the delta at moremi game reserve.

Boats and ferries are used for this service depending on the number of visitors available for boat cruise. The tourists cruise on the Okavango delta to the river and on their way, they spot a lot of unique features at the Moremi game reserve. They see the aquatic wildlife and land wildlife as a bonus and also birds that flood the shores of Okavango delta.

 

9. Fishing in Moremi Game Reserve.

Fishing is also a tourism package service provided at Moremi game reserve. The water bodies at Moremi game reserve are shallow and favor tourists who love the fishing activity. Fish is caught on different water bodies For example the Okavango delta, Okavango river and the Trough at Moremi game reserve. There are different ways in which fish can be got from the water bodies mentioned above. Tourists use the Dip net method, Netting and some use the baskets to fish. The fish they catch depends on the tourists wish on what to do with the fish.

 

 

10. Camping in Moremi game Reserve.

The Moremi game reserve has different camping sites for the tourists and each gate to access the park has different camping sites for the accommodation of the tourists. The areas are South Gate, Third Bridge, Xaxanaka and Khwai North Gate. There both luxurious camp sites and those that are ordinary like camp sites. Luxurious camp sites call for luxury services and they are relatively of higher price than the ordinary services.

Tourists at times want to have their camps established in the wilderness to experience the true feeling of being among the worlds most dangerous animals. But the game reserve gazettes some better place within the reserve for the tourists to camp and game  rangers are provided for protection.

When To Visit Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi game reserve is open through out the whole year although there are specific advantageous periods to visit the game reserve. Moremi game reserve best time is from the Months of May to around September, the region experiences the dry season which best for the game reserve activities such as Game driving as the roads are dry and good for movement, Elephant tracking and so many other activities. During the rainy season, these activities can still be done in the game reserve but so difficult to track animals. Game driving would also be so difficult to access spots in time due to the mud in the park that hinder smooth movement of vehicles. Otherwise, anytime a tourist feels like having the tour at Moremi game reserve.

 

How To Access Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi game reserve can be accessed most easily by road transportation. Either by self driving or in the tourism vehicle that can access the game reserve. Accessing the game reserve from the northern gate is about 30 km sq and the southern gate from 60 km sq to the game reserve. Air transport is another option to access Botswana through its main airport Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE), then the tourist is driven to Moremi game reserve from the airport.

 

Accommodation in Moremi Game Reserve

There is a variety of accommodation at Moremi game reserve ranging from Lodges, tents, hotels among as with different pricing for each. Their luxurious lodges in Moremi game reserve such as Khwai river lodge, for visitors in need of a luxury accommodation.

Moremi game reserve too has camps as another option to the tourists for accommodation purposes. Tourists who need a room to rest and have some simple services not so luxurious, are some of the options one can consider among the many. One can consider camp moremi, camp Xaxanaka, Third bridge camp among others.

 

In Conclusion

Moremi Game Reserve posses good reasons as to why a tourist should add visiting the reserve on their travel bucket lists and there are more than 5 safari destinations to visit in Botswana. Kubwa Five Safaris can moderate the tourists dream to visit the reserve with the best tour guides and bookings can be online preferably one month before the tour. You can contact Kubwa Five Safaris through their Email: reservations@kubwafive-safaris.com