Linyanti

The Linyanti Wetlands have a fabulous position to the northeast of the Okavango Delta and border both the Caprivi Strip and Botswana’s iconic Chobe National Park. During particularly good rains the Linyanti has been known to link to the Delta by the seasonal Selinda Spillway. The Linyanti works in perfect combination with the Moremi Game Reserve in the Delta offering a land-based safari with exciting games on offer.

Comprised of papyrus swamps, riverine forest and open savanna, the Linyanti offers diverse habitats which support a wide variety of game. The Linyanti is perhaps best known for its vast herds of elephants which are at their most imposing along the Linyanti River, whilst there is also a wide range of antelope with red lechwe, roan and sable occupying the floodplains along with giraffe and zebra. The big cat sightings don’t disappoint either with cheetah and lion found on the plains, whilst leopard favour the wooded areas, wild dog sightings are becoming more common too. The swamps also give rise to a variety of bird life with colourful species such as bee-eaters, secretary birds and ground -hornbills all common.

In addition to the Linyanti Reserve, the wetlands are protected by the Kwando and Selinda Reserves, all of which offer a more exclusive safari experience than the national parks. The Selinda Reserve protects 135,000 hectares around the Selinda Spillway and is able to offer more of a water experience than elsewhere in Linyanti with canoeing, boat safaris and fishing all available when there is enough water. The floodplains offer excellent game viewing with wide open grasslands which allow you to spot game in the distance. To the north, bordering the Caprivi Strip is Kwando Reserve which covers a total of 230,000 hectares. The Kwando River provides a year-round source of water which can lead to large herds congregating during the dry season. Elephants are attracted to the river at this time, whilst wild dogs are often seen around Lagoon Camp where they have chosen to den.