The Okavango Delta is a maze of channels, palm islands and floodplains, and from a helicopter it opens out below you within minutes of take-off from Maun. Below you are bushland, ”hippo highways” cut through the grass, scattered palm islands and seasonal floodplains. From a boat you see a few channels at a time; from the air you see how they link up across the landscape. Five of the six tours on the Okavango Delta hub fly over this southern part of the delta.
The Okavango Delta Doors-Off 45-Minute Helicopter Tour is the simplest way to see it: about 45 minutes in the air with the doors off, from US$335 per person, private, minimum 2 guests (US$670 for two). The route heads from Maun into the delta and returns over the floodplains, and you are likely to spot wildlife such as elephants and lechwe, though no sighting is guaranteed. The departure tax is included.
The Okavango Delta Photographic 60-Minute Helicopter Tour gives you about 60 minutes with the doors off over a larger area, with more varied landscapes and habitats, and the pilot sets up sightings for photos; it costs from US$445 per person, private, minimum 2 guests (US$890 for two). The Okavango Delta Drinks Stop 45-Minute Helicopter Tour is a 45-minute doors-off flight with a 15-minute stop on a deserted palm island for a drink, from US$385 per person, private, minimum 2 guests (US$770 for two).
Two longer trips combine the flight with time on the ground. The Okavango Delta Helicopter and Mokoro Safari flies low over the south-western floodplains with the doors off to a remote mokoro station for a 3-hour dugout canoe trip, from US$550 per person, private, minimum 2 guests (US$1,100 for two). The Okavango Delta Helicopter Flight and Lodge Lunch crosses the Buffalo Fence with the doors on, then flies a 40-minute doors-off scenic over permanent waterways and lagoons before lunch at a delta camp, from US$610 per person, private, minimum 2 guests (US$1,220 for two).
The booking is for your group and the pilot only, with a guaranteed window seat for up to 5 guests, depending on the helicopter. Headsets carry the pilot’s live commentary, in English only, and you can bring a camera bag and equipment on board.
Tours start at the helicopter office opposite the main entrance of Maun International Airport. Bring your passport, which is needed for airport security, and be ready 30 minutes before your start time; the exact start time is confirmed after booking. Pickup can be arranged for some bookings.
Guests over 100 kg, or groups of three or more guests who each weigh over 90 kg, may need a larger helicopter, which may cost extra. Luggage is limited to 20 kg per person in soft bags, and the flights are not suitable for people with altitude sickness.
You can cancel up to 7 days before, for a fee. Flight times are approximate and may change because of weather, air traffic or aircraft maintenance, and the pilot decides on the weather; if no suitable new time or date can be arranged, you get a full refund.
Flights run year-round. To see the floodplains with the doors off, book the 45-minute doors-off flight.
Se Okavango Delta Floodplains från luften: Okavango Delta · Okavango Delta Doors-Off 45-Minute Helicopter Tour.