Mboma Island

Okavango Delta


The grassy savannah of this 100-sq-km island, a long extension of the Moremi Tongue, contrasts sharply with the surrounding landscapes and provides some excellent dry-season wildlife watching – cheetah, lion and buffalo sightings are reasonably common. The 32km sandy Mboma Loop starts about 2km west of Third Bridge and is a pleasant side trip. Boat trips from the Mboma boat station on the island’s northwestern tip are highly recommended.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Okavango Delta attractions

1. Third Bridge

2.7 MILES

Literally the third log bridge after entering the reserve at South Gate (although First Bridge and Second Bridge were, at the time of writing, easy to…

2. Second Bridge

4.96 MILES

Not long before Mboma if you're coming from Maun. In fairly poor condition last time we visited.

3. Fourth Bridge

5.74 MILES

Quite a long, wooden crossing on the trail between Third Bridge and Xakanaxa.

4. First Bridge

5.92 MILES

Blink and you'll miss it. First Bridge is more useful than interesting – depending on its state of repair, an alternative track alongside may serve the…

5. Xakanaxa Lediba

6.98 MILES

With one of Africa’s largest heronries, Xakanaxa Lediba is renowned as a birdwatchers’ paradise. In addition to herons, potential sightings here include…

6. Paradise Pools

8.57 MILES

One of the prettiest corners of Moremi, the area known as Paradise Pools is as lovely as the name suggests. In the dry season, trails lead past forests of…

7. Moremi Game Reserve

20.55 MILES

Moremi Game Reserve, which covers one-third of the Okavango Delta, is home to some of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Best of all, it’s…

8. Dombo Hippo Pools

21.16 MILES

The drive between North Gate (including Khwai) and Xakanaxa Lediba follows one of Botswana’s more scenic tracks, although the exact route changes with the…