How Much Does an Okavango Delta Safari Cost

In short: A full-day mokoro canoe trip from Maun costs $171; a Moremi game drive is $315; a scenic flight is $335–$1,287. These are day rates from a normal town, not lodge prices. The Delta’s reputation is built on $2,000-a-night camps. What most people never learn: you can see the same water, the same elephants, for a fraction of that by booking day tours from Maun.

Full-day mokoro (flagship)$171

Alternative mokoro option$196

Moremi game drive$315

45-min scenic flight$335–$1,287 (budget to private)

Salt pans (Makgadikgadi)$462

6-day overland (Okavango + Chobe + Vic Falls)$3,000

Usually includedTransfers, guide, lunch on some tours

What you’re not paying forLodge markup

Why the Delta got its expensive reputation

The Okavango Delta is world-famous as a luxury destination. High-end lodges in the Delta run $1,500–$3,000 per night, all-inclusive. They used to be the only way to visit. Over the past decade, operators based in Maun — a regular town with an airport and hotels — started running day tours. You still see the same mokoro channels, the same wildlife, the same islands. The only difference is you sleep in town and travel out in the morning.

What $171 actually buys

The flagship mokoro tour ($171) runs roughly 8 hours door to door. It includes hotel pickup in Maun, a transfer to the poling station, a full day pole-and-walk in the Delta, lunch on an island (reviewers mention wrap, salad, muffin), and return to your hotel. Two polers take you in a traditional dugout canoe through channels that 4x4s can’t reach. You sit water-level, see the papyrus up close, spot hippos and crocodiles. The guides are local and explain what you’re looking at. One reviewer, Sherwin Ralph, called it "a must do activity when visiting Maun."

The price ladder

Start with mokoro if water is your thing: $171 (flagship) or $196 (alternative). Both full day, both excellent. Moremi game drive is $315 — a 4x4, same guides, you see elephants and wildlife from vehicle instead of canoe. Scenic flights start at $335 (45-minute doors-off helicopter from Maun) and climb to $521 (fixed-wing scenic flight) or $1,287 (private helicopter with flexible departure). The $462 Makgadikgadi salt pans tour is a different ecosystem: zebra migration (green season) and Africa’s best meerkat viewing. The $3,000 six-day overland bundles Okavango, Savuti, Chobe, and Victoria Falls with camping — roughly $500 a day.

Costs NOT in the tour price

Tours do not include: alcohol, personal travel insurance, visa fees, international flights to Johannesburg, flights Johannesburg to Maun. They also do not include a tip, which is customary ($10 per guest per day for a guide, $5 for a poler).

How to save

Book early through GetYourGuide for the best rates. Base yourself in Maun (cheaper than lodges) and book multiple day tours. The alternative mokoro option ($196) has the same experience as the flagship but less review history, so it books faster. Off-season (November–March) is hotter and wetter, but prices drop and you see fewer tourists. See the best time to visit page for the full calendar.

Check today’s mokoro prices

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Frequently asked questions

How much is an Okavango Delta tour?

From $171 for a full-day mokoro to $1,287 for a private scenic flight. Most popular is the $171 flagship mokoro or the $315 Moremi game drive. Day tours from Maun cost a fraction of lodge prices.

What’s included in the tour cost?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Maun, guide, transfers to the Delta, lunch on most tours, and all activities (mokoro poling, bush walks, game drive commentary). Tip is customary but not included.

Can you visit the Okavango Delta on a budget?

Yes. The $171 mokoro tour is the full experience — water-level canoe, wildlife, lunch. Base in Maun (hotel $30–80 per night) and book multiple day tours. No lodge required.