Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi game Reserve is a very popular destination, often combined with a visit to Chobe National park, which lies to the north east. Here, in an area of around 3,900km2, dry land and the delta meet creating a picturesque mosaic of either seasonal or permanent waterways, lagoons, rivers and forests. The terrain here means that on safari drives in Moremi Game Reserve, some areas many be inaccessible to vehicles at certain times of the year.

Moremi Game Reserve is one of Botswana’s real gems. It was the first reserve in Africa to be established by the local population. Back in 1963, after many years of uncontrolled hunting had depleted the wildlife of the area, the Batawana people of Ngamiland, under the leadership of the wife of the now deceased Chief Moremi III, Mrs. Moremi, took the bold step of proclaiming the Moremi area to be the Moremi Game Reserve.

The Moremi Game reserve is the only officially protected area in the Okavango Delta, and there are good reasons for this being so. The Moremi Game Reserve has enormous scientific, environmental and conservation value as well as being culturally significant.

The Moremi Game Reserve must rank as one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa, and possibly the whole world. It lies in the central and eastern parts of the Okavango and includes the Moremi Tongue, which supports one of the richest and most varied ecosystems in the whole of Africa. You can quickly get an idea of this area’s diversity by observing the many birds that live and breed here, it is said that around 400 different species of bird can be found in the Moremi Game Reserve.

Today the Moremi Game Reserve is again known as a “Big Five” destination, as both black and white rhino have been re-introduced here. “The Big Five” is an old hunting term for the animals that presented the biggest challenges to a hunter, namely the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.