An Okavango Delta helicopter tour takes the doors off and puts you over one of Africa’s great wetlands: channels winding through papyrus, palm islands scattered across the Okavango Delta floodplains, hippo trails cut through the shallows, and elephants and lechwe likely below, though no sighting is ever guaranteed. Within minutes of leaving Maun you are over the water.
Every flight on the Okavango Delta hub is private, for your group and the pilot only, with a guaranteed window seat and a minimum of 2 guests. You pick between a pure scenic flight and one that puts you down somewhere in the delta.
Scenic Okavango Delta helicopter flights
- Okavango Delta Doors-Off 45-Minute Helicopter Tour, from US$335 per person (US$670 for two). The classic flight: 45 minutes, doors off, over bushland, palm islands and the seasonal floodplains.
- Okavango Delta Photographic 60-Minute Helicopter Tour, from US$445 per person (US$890 for two). An hour over a larger, more remote area of the delta, with the pilot positioning the helicopter for each sighting. First and last light give the best photos.
- Okavango Delta Drinks Stop 45-Minute Helicopter Tour, from US$385 per person (US$770 for two). The 45-minute flight with a 15-minute stop on a deserted palm island for champagne, gin or craft beer; non-alcoholic drinks on request, and under-18s get a non-alcoholic drink.
Flights that land you in the delta
- Okavango Delta Helicopter and Mokoro Safari, from US$550 per person (US$1,100 for two). About 45 minutes of doors-off flying low over the south-western delta to a remote mokoro station, then 3 hours gliding through the channels in a dugout canoe with a local guide. About 3.5 hours in total, ages 10 and over.
- Okavango Delta Helicopter Flight and Lodge Lunch, from US$610 per person (US$1,220 for two). A short doors-on hop across the Buffalo Fence, a 40-minute doors-off scenic over permanent waterways and lagoons, then lunch and drinks at a delta camp. About 2.5 hours in total.
- Tsodilo Hills Helicopter Day Trip from Maun, from US$1,440 per person (US$2,880 for two). About 70 minutes each way, doors on, across the delta and the Okavango Panhandle to Tsodilo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 4,500 ancient rock paintings, where you spend 3 hours walking with a private rock art expert. About 5 hours in total.
If you want the delta purely as a view, the 45-minute flight does it; photographers should take the 60-minute one at first or last light. If you want to touch the water, the mokoro safari is the one, and the Tsodilo Hills trip is a full day out rather than a scenic.
Before you go
- Where: the helicopter office opposite the main entrance of Maun International Airport. Be there 30 minutes before your start time with your passport, which airport security needs. The exact start time is confirmed after booking, and pickup can be arranged for some bookings.
- Group: private flights only, minimum 2 guests, with up to 5 guests depending on the helicopter. Commentary is in English only.
- Weight and bags: guests over 100 kg, or groups of three or more who each weigh over 90 kg, may need a larger helicopter at extra cost. Luggage is limited to 20 kg per person in soft bags; camera gear is welcome.
- Who can fly: no minimum age is stated except on the mokoro safari (10 and over). Not suitable for people with altitude sickness.
- Cancellation: cancel up to 7 days before, for a fee. If weather, air traffic or maintenance means no suitable new time can be arranged, you get a full refund. Departure tax is included; gratuities are not.
Not sure which flight suits your group? Email us at hello@flyovertheworld.com and we’ll help you choose.