Nowhere is the distinct topography of the Okavango Delta more apparent than from the air. A bird’s-eye view gives shape and form to the beauty and diversity in the vast wetland wilderness in the middle of the Kalahari Desert. You get this view if you explore Botswana using air transfers, enjoying a helicopter experience, or combining the two on a once-in-a-lifetime safari.
As the Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter skimmed the grassy verge of a large lagoon and swooped up over the treeline, there was a moment of pure exhilaration and then awe at the unfolding wonder far below. An elated glance at pilot Ruben Timmermans from Maun-based Helicopter Horizons confirmed that the thrill was shared; we were birds—eagles—and this was the start of our dance with water, earth, and sky.
When we took off from the helipad (a grassy clearing) near the dirt runway closest to Kwando Safari’s Four Rivers Camp, I hadn’t anticipated how unique an experience I would have. Strapped in, with the cockpit providing 270-degree vistas, we surged upwards over the watery wonderland. We headed over the seasonal floodplains and the permanent lagoons of the Okavango Delta. While drone imagery has made us more familiar with views from the air, it can’t prepare you for the sensory thrill of flight.
I looked down in awe at the well-trodden, interlinked animal pathways that spread out like the lines on the palm of a human hand, connecting dry forest areas to the Delta’s waterways, floating papyrus stands, and islands teeming with wildlife. “Elephants, three o’clock,” said Timmerman. These seven are part of Africa’s largest free-roaming, connected population; a 2022 aerial survey suggests around 230,000 elephants move seasonally between Angola, Botswana, Nambia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Then, he pointed out a pod of hippos in a still pool edged with a large flock of pelicans. A giant crocodile undulated through the crystal-clear water. A small herd of giraffes cast long shadows across an open field.
© Images courtesy of Helicopter Horizons and Moremi Air.
The Delta is unique because it’s formed by a river – the Okavango – which spills into the desert, not the sea. When the bushveld in central southern Africa gets drier in winter, the Delta fills with water from Angola’s highlands. The result? This wild green haven for elephants, lions, wild dogs, buffalos, and many other species, including those specially adapted for the wet conditions, like the elusive Sitatunga. “The water’s just coming in now. We’re expecting another surge,” said Timmerman, commenting on the ever-changing yet eternal landscape that’s one of Africa’s most sought-after destinations.
All too soon, we saw the camp nestled on the verge of a permanent lagoon. Guests here enjoy exclusive use of the western side of the renowned Kwara Private Concession. It’s getting its own runway too, but in the meantime, I wasn’t going to complain about the scenic helicopter transfer, a welcome taste of the many tours Helicopter Horizons offers (see below).
The flight to Four Rivers was my second of the day. That morning, I’d left Nxai Pan Lodge in a small Moremi Air charter. Pilot Ungwang Makuluba flew the plane as though it was an extension of her body – professional, calm and in control. “If I make any funny moves, don’t worry. There has been a lot of bird activity in the area, and I’m just avoiding them,” she said during her safety briefing.
There are about 30 airstrips in the Delta within a 50-nautical mile range and lots of traffic, so pilots must stay on top of their radio communication and be taught to always maintain situational awareness. We flew over the runway and then turned to line up for our approach. The next group of passengers were waiting in the game drive vehicle. Loaded into the small plane just after we landed, Makuluba was off again within minutes. “The safari vehicles always arrive well before the planes land in case they need to chase off roaming animals,” explained Nxai Pan guide JR Maphane. Flying in these wild areas, most pilots will have a story to tell about encountering lions, elephants or other animals on the short bush runways. If something is wrong at the last minute, the vehicles are supposed to drive towards the aircraft on the side of the runway with lights flashing as a warning signal.
This jet setter approach – where you’re on safari spotting animals from the air almost before your holiday has started – has always been a part of Botswana’s safari culture. The country celebrated 100 years of powered flight in 2020. Writer, photographer, and aviation artist Jonathan Laverick writes in his book celebrating this milestone and the role of aviation in establishing Botswana as one of Africa’s biggest and most successful safari destinations. As glamorous as it seems, it’s rooted in practicality. Planes make it relatively quick and easy to reach remote destinations in a fraction of the time it would take bumping over rugged bush tracks: a 40-minute flight instead of a 10-hour overland trip via 4×4 in some cases. In areas of the Delta, boats can be used seasonally, but air is the fastest way to get where you need to go.
Kwando’s marketing manager, Lindi van Rensburg, explained that she was ferried from Johannesburg to Maun in a tiny charter plane at just a few weeks old because driving would have taken her mom days bouncing over dirt tracks in hot weather. Her dad flies, too, and it’s as normal to her as getting an Uber in the city. Many of the staff from the lodges also fly in and out as a matter of routine, and all groceries arrive by air. “In the peak season (roughly June to August), Maun becomes Africa’s second busiest airport in terms of flight movements after Johannesburg,” noted Michael Weyl, owner and CEO of Mack Air, speaking about their charter service. We flew from Four River to Kasane in one of their Cessna 208 Grand Caravans. Most small planes fly low enough to spot a large herd of buffalos or groups of elephants (between 1000 and 3000 feet above ground). For travellers, routine transfers become a scenic flight that’s as much a part of your experience as the game drives, food or luxury accommodation.
Flying also opened up Botswana to scientists, like the ones involved in the aerial elephant survey, a feat that could never have been performed on the ground. “It’s an incredible experience to see these huge numbers of elephants in some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. Up there, it’s more than just counting elephants; it’s like having a front-row seat to a spectacular nature show unfolding right before your eyes,” said Darren Potgieter, the Aerial Survey Coordinator.
Veteran pilot, award-winning filmmaker, and passionate conservationist Mike Holding from Afriscreen Films knows first-hand how important flying is to sharing Botswana’s stories. For about 35 years, he’s been the principal wildlife cameraman on numerous high-end blue-chip natural history films and TV series. He also volunteers his time—and plane—for conservation-related work.
“I have been flying here for years” says Mike “and the wonder of the Okavango from the air never loses it’s thrill. Every time I fly, I learn something new. There’s really no other way to appreciate the immense complexity of this fragile wetland – the myriad islands and snaking waterways, the slowly spreading flood, the oasis in the desert – it really comes alive when you experience it from the air. I use the plane extensively for our film projects – monitoring the flood, finding new areas to film, watching the animal movements – it’s a vital component of our filmmaking activities. And of course, wherever I can, I volunteer to help with research activities – tracking collared animals, wildlife surveys, monitoring the flood and fires. Experienced eyes in the sky are vital for conservation.”
Flying made my varied, thrilling safari experience possible. I stayed in some of Botswana’s most beautiful and iconic locations. Nxai Pan is part of the world’s largest complex of salt pans, startling in its stark beauty. Four Rivers epitomises luxury in the heart of the utterly unique waterscape of the Delta. The remote Lagoon Camp on the Kwando River is part of a critical wildlife dispersal area. I went on half a dozen game drives, walked through golden-maned grasslands and experienced life at the surface of the waterways of the Delta on a ride in a traditional mokoro. I marvelled at a leopard with cubs, lions hunting red lechwe, large herds of giraffes and dancing zebras, and endless other plains game, birdlife and elephants.
On the final night of my trip, floating on the Chobe River, sipping an Okavango Gin and watching silvery hippos leave the water, I was filled with reverence. It was for the wildlife and the endless space. But it was also for the freedom of the skies and that incredible dance with water, earth, and sky that I would never forget.
The Helicopter Flip
Don’t underestimate a helicopter’s agility in a skilful pilot’s hands. Maun-based Helicopter Horizons serves the whole Delta, working with different lodges and operators to provide a range of bespoke experiences. As well as transfers between lodges, there are ‘doors off’ scenic flights (excellent for photographers), where the pilots have a lot of freedom and no specific route to follow. They also offer deeply romantic champagne setups and conservation and coexistence experiences that let you meet the people of Botswana living on the fringes of some of its wildlife areas, adding a rich social and cultural dimension to your safari.
Flying in Botswana
Botswana offers young helicopters and fixed-wing pilots a dream environment to hone skills and record hours. According to civil aviation data, at any one time, about 70 general aviation aircraft are based in Maun, flying 365 days a year. The hops between camps mean pilots can easily do half a dozen take-offs and landings daily. It’s not all easy flying. The greater the thermal activity in hot weather, the bumpier the ride and the aircraft loses performance. The rainy season can involve dodging massive thunderstorms and navigating slippery runways. Still, all this is part and parcel of the life of a safari pilot. And in good weather, at least for the passengers, nothing compares to seeing the landscape from above: a masterpiece of life, shadow and light.
Safety
These flights are statistically very safe, and the aviation companies that operate them are monitored by government bodies to international standards. There are occasional accidents, sometimes serious, but road travel in most countries is far more dangerous.
Where to stay
I travelled with Kwando Safaris to three of its many camps in several prime safari locations in Botswana. Many destination and safari operators are marketed through the private sector, membership-driven tourism group Africa’s Eden. The group is open to all businesses in the tourism sector and wildlife areas in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and is a great resource for travellers.
Top tip for a fly-in safari
Chat with a doctor or pharmacist before you fly if you suffer from air or travel sickness.
How to get there:
Most flights into Maun, Botswana’s gateway to the Delta and surrounds, come from Johannesburg in South Africa. See www.flyairlink.com.
For other charters and safaris, see Africa’s Eden.
My Five Senses Experience:
- How the landscape changes colours with the light.
- The barking geckos
- Freedom
- The stars (the food was good, I was just there for other reasons and didn’t note it down)
- Cold night air on my face
