Khwai
Abundant wildlife
Khwai Concession
Leopards and Wild Dogs
The Khwai community concession deserves special mention due to its proximity to the Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta, and the fact that it operates under different beneficial rules to most other regions.
This area is deemed to be a public concession and is of outstanding beauty, delivering the same reputation as the above two mentioned, in that the diversity of game and vegetation is shared. Much smaller in size, its real benefit is accessibility, and differences in accommodation, which is mostly more affordable in terms of its lodges and its suitability for Mobile Camping Safaris and Self Drivers.
The main border is along the Khwai River, the others being Moremi Game Reserve to the West, the entrance to the Savuti area to the north and a little used area of the Chobe National Park. This concession is run by the members of the Khwai Village community and extends from their village to Mababe village to the east.
As ever, there are no fences around the neighbouring National Parks and the game is free to roam in and out as it wishes. Khwai is an area of outstanding beauty and due to the arid conditions to the north towards Savuti, the game will flock to the Khwai River, especially in the drier winter months.
This is simply a superb area to view predators, particularly wild dog and leopard.
Selected Khwai Tours
We have quite a few tours on offer which showcase Botswana... you can view all of them by clicking the button below...
Activities
Mostly focused on game drives, there is little in the way of boating activity here but some do offer water activities together with mokoro trails.
The main benefit here is the ability of off-road and night driving for the lodges and the mobile operators, the area is very good for lion and leopard and this is a real treat. Short levels of walking options are also available depending on the operator.
Particularly strong at the moment is the concentration of wild dogs, these predators hunt during the day and the ability to game drive of road is a huge benefit when following them.
Khwai Accommodation
There are a few “luxury” lodges in the Khwai community concession, the popular Machaba being probably the best due to its location. Most other lodges and accommodation are designed to be more affordable such as Sango Safari Camp and other permanent or tented camps such as Khwai Tented Camp.
Lodges within Khwai
How do you get to Khwai?
Fly in Safaris
Charter Aircraft flights into each lodge from Maun or Kasane, an in between. Keep your cameras with you as these are scenic bush flights
This type of entry is the most exclusive
Mobile Safaris
Mobile Tented Safaris Operate in this area.
Staying in private campsites right in the thick bush, you maintain privacy in the wild areas. In many ways the perfect safari for the adventurer
Self Drive
Self Drive Clients are able to drive through the parks.
Different to Mobile Tented Safaris, you are able to stay in remote public campsites in very rich wildlife area. These campsites will mostly have ablutions.
Wildlife
The wildlife viewing is mostly similar to species found generally in the Okavango Delta. In and around Khwai you can see general plains game such as elephant, impala, zebra, wildebeest and sable antelope with great concentrations of lion, leopard and hyena. In recent seasons there have also been good numbers of wild dogs and some occasional cheetah.
The more aquatic animals like hippo, waterbuck and red lechwe are generally always seen depending on the area visited.
Birdlife is also strong and concentrates on the main river area where lovely flocks of pygmy goose and white-faced ducks mingle with spur-winged goose, comb ducks and African Jacanas.
Seasons
The peak season for an area can differ and is dependent on wildlife movements and the weather itself
Peak Season
Winter is between June and October.
Considered the dry months, this is actually when the Delta floods with waters from Angola (there is no rain during the time), which also effect Khwai
With the floods, the animals gather in vast numbers to the abundant but localised water souces
Off Season
Summer is between November and May
Considered the rainy season. Depending on the year, the rains can be heavy or light and have the effect of filling up waterholes far and wide.
The result is that animals scatter as there is no need to congregate around a scare water source.
