The BBC’s latest Big Cats series has had us all on the edge of our seats and dreaming of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. If you’ve been inspired to follow in the footsteps of wildlife filmmakers extraordinaire, and perhaps even meet some of the cast of Big Cats 24/7, here are some ideas from our expert team of consultants to help you start planning your very own big cat safari.
Whilst the Big Cats 24/7 team had the luxury of six months (and some cutting-edge technology) to follow the daily lives of leopard, lion and cheetah, a typical Botswana safari holiday may only include a week or so in the Delta. So how do you make the most of your time to capture the best of the big cat action? Although we can’t guarantee leopards leaping from trees onto unsuspecting impala, or battles between lion ‘kings’, we’ve gathered together our expertise to help you plan the ultimate Botswana big cat safari.
Okavango Delta – the ultimate big cat film location
There can be few more impressive film settings than the world’s largest inland delta. The Okavango Delta is a complex and beautiful ecosystem comprising an intricate web of channels, islands, floodplains and woodland. This UNESCO World Heritage Site offers the perfect habitat, and a stunning backdrop, for some of Africa’s most iconic predators.
Big Cats 24/7 is filmed in the remote 200,000-hectare private Xudum concession, in the south-western corner of the Okavango Delta. The series is a collaboration between wildlife cinematographers Gordon Buchanan, Vianet Djenguet and Anna Dimitriadis and the Natural History Film Unit, Botswana, founded by Brad Bestelink. Brad was born in the Okavango and is the second generation to operate in this region (his father, PJ Bestelink, co-founded Okavango Horse Safaris). In addition to the latest Big Cats series, he has also filmed the Netflix series ‘Living with Leopards’ here.
Brad and his local team have been based in the Xudum concession for four years and witnessed the gradual change from wet, swampland to a much drier habitat. This has brought a more established predator population and some incredible filming opportunities.
Whilst Big Cats has created a buzz around the Xudum concession, the Okavango and adjacent ecosystems have long been favoured destinations for big cat film making. National Geographic filmmakers and conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert have spent more than 40 years filming in the Delta, focusing on the lives and challenges of the big cats here. They established Great Plains Conservation which brought together conservation and tourism and which operates some very exclusive safari camps in the northern Delta (with professional quality photographic equipment included in each guest suite in their top tier camps).
Meet the Big Cats of the Okavango Delta
Each of the big cats featured in the documentary brings a different energy to the landscape.
- Lion: “Kings of the Savannah,” lion thrive in prides, using strength in numbers to hunt large prey like buffalo. The lion pride in the Xudum concession is one of the largest the Delta has ever seen. Whether you’re captivated by the power of the dominant males, the skill of the females on a hunt, or the playful antics of young cubs, the dynamics of lion prides make for fascinating wildlife viewing. Be aware however, whilst lion action is some of the most exciting when it happens, there’s often a good deal of sleeping that takes place too, so patience is a definite requirement for committed followers of lion.
- Leopard: Solitary and elusive, leopards often hide in the shadows of the woodlands and thickets. They are known for their ability to climb trees, often storing their ‘kills’ out of the reach of other predators. Leopards are also predominantly nocturnal and so staying in an area that allows night game drives is something to consider when planning your big cat safari. It’s also important to choose well-established concessions where leopards are habituated to the sounds and smell of vehicles – the film crew in the Xudum concession have spent many, many hours with Xudum (the main female leopard in the series) so she tolerates their presence. A shy leopard is almost impossible to find as they are so good at disappearing into their environment.
- Cheetah: The fastest land animals, cheetah prefer open habitat where there is plenty of prey. Concessions in the Okavango Delta, such as Xudum, that have open grass plains will give the best chance of viewing cheetah, and the current dry conditions are ideal for them. They may be the least powerful of the big cats, but the breath-taking sight of a cheetah sprinting in hot pursuit of prey is a memory that will last a lifetime.
Where to stay to see the big cats of the Okavango Delta
Mokolwane Camp is located within the vast Xudum concession and is the best place to stay for a chance to meet members of the Big Cats 24/7 cast (although being such a large area, interaction with these particular cats is by no means guaranteed). Here are a few reasons why Mokolwane is the perfect base for a big cat-inspired safari:
- Exclusive safari experience – the private concessions of Botswana’s Okavango Delta all offer a relatively exclusive safari with low tourist numbers; but Xudum concession is particularly remote with access to Mokolwane only by helicopter and with no other camps nearby you feel as though you’re truly escaping.
- Superb game viewing – Xudum concession has become a magnet for predators in recent years with a very high density of leopards and one of the Delta’s largest lion prides, alongside cheetah, hyena and wild dog. The camp overlooks a busy waterhole so you don’t have to go far to view wildlife, including plenty of elephant.
- Authentic tented camp – Mokolwane Camp will suit those looking for a more down to earth safari experience. While very comfortable, the camp is not luxurious, and focuses instead on blending into its environment with a light footprint, relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff.
Other places to stay
The Okavango Delta offers a range of accommodation from private mobile camps and authentic tented camps to some of the most sophisticated tented lodges in Africa. Here are a few which are particularly suited to focusing on the big cats:
Kwara – the Kwara concession is at the opposite side of the Delta to Mokolwane Camp and is particularly good for those wanting to focus on predator viewing with game drives being very much orientated towards this. Water-based activities are also possible, and the camp itself offers a lovely, comfortable base.
Duba Plains Camp – the private Duba Concession features in many of Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s wildlife films and the fact that they have chosen to call Duba Plains their home gives a clue that there might be some exciting big cat action to be found in the area. The camp itself is a beautiful, luxurious tented lodge in a very exclusive corner of the Delta. The big cat highlight here is the lions who have adapted to the local conditions and can regularly be seen swimming the water channels in pursuit of lechwe or other prey. Each guest suite comes equipped with a professional camera set including body and lenses and vehicles are all perfectly equipped for the optimal wildlife photography experience. Explorations on foot and by seasonal mokoro (canoe) are also possible here, giving the full Delta experience.
Kanana Camp – located in the south-west delta, bordering the Xudum Concession this well-established tented lodge offers some of Botswana’s best predator game viewing, especially leopard. Cheetah, in particular, will cross over from the Xudum concession. Water activities are usually possible (just dependent on time of year and water levels) and the camp has a really friendly, exclusive feel.
Wilderness Chitabe – this very comfortable and well-run tented lodge has been known for its’ superb big cat sightings for many years. The wonderful habitat of woodland, palm islands and open grassland can produce a cat sighting at almost every turn. This is classic big game territory, and water activities are not possible.
Wilderness Vumbura Plains – for the ultimate luxury big cat Botswana safari, this camp combines supremely comfortable accommodation with wildlife viewing encompassing the full range of Okavango habitats and activities.
Privately Guided Big Cat Safari
If you’re serious about focusing on big cats and want to commit to spending from dawn until dusk and beyond tracking feline behaviour, then booking a private guide and vehicle would be essential, which is possible at most camps. This gives you complete flexibility to time game drives to suit and to focus solely on big cats so you can sit watching a pride of lions, or a leopard up a tree, for as long as you desire.
When is the best time to see big cats in the Okavango Delta
The best time to see big cats in the Okavango Delta is during the latter stages of the dry season, between July and early November. The Okavango usually floods between May and August, and water levels can affect the movement of big cats, for example cheetah may move to drier regions which suit them better. But in some areas, high water can increase sightings, for example a leopard may be restricted to staying in a certain area, not wishing to cross surrounding water. The green season, from December to April, is the hardest time for big sightings as the grass is long and the foliage thick, but you can still find them!
Conservation at the heart of wildlife filmmaking
Of course, behind the dramatic storylines and mesmerising footage of Big Cats 24/7, lies a more serious message. In addition to highly honed camera skills, wildlife filmmakers hold a fierce passion and reverence for the natural world. The goal for these filmmakers is to captivate the audience and create a connection between viewers and wildlife, in turn building awareness and love for these incredible big cats.
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are as well known for their conservation efforts as they are for their stunning and poignant filmmaking – the latter a (highly successful) vehicle to convey their conservation message. Dereck and Beverly have taken things further, stepping out from behind the camera and being instrumental in research and conservation work themselves. The more recent creation of Great Plains Conservation has enabled them to expand their conservation outreach. Great Plains now manages over 1 million acres of critical ecosystem, driving many hugely impactful conservation initiatives including funding projects aimed at preserving land for big cats and reducing human-wildlife conflict.
For those who feel inspired to travel to Africa, to capture moments with the big cats, a proportion of any safari contributes, through conservation fees and levies, to the vital protection of Africa’s wild places. Many safari camps also contribute far beyond this through supporting conservation and community initiatives in the areas they operate.
Conclusion
A safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, inspired by the captivating footage from Big Cats 24/7, is a dream come true for wildlife enthusiasts. The chance to witness lions, leopards, and cheetahs up close, while staying in an exclusive safari camp, makes for an unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re watching a pride of lions as the sun rises or spotting the slink of a leopard at dusk, this journey will leave you with memories that last a lifetime.
If you’d like to plan your own big cat safari in the Okavango Delta we’d be delighted to help. Please call our friendly team of experts on +44 (0) 1787 888590 to discuss your requirements, or email us via our Contact Us page.
With thanks for images to: Natural Selection (Mokolwane Camp), Great Plains Conservation (Duba Plains Camp), Wilderness Safaris (Wilderness Vumbura Plains), Kwando Safaris (Kwara Camp) and Tony Enticknap.
