Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta and the safari capital of Botswana. It is a dusty frontier town on the Thamalakane River, with a busy airport, supermarkets, outfitters and a handful of lodges. Almost every Delta journey starts here, and a night or two gives you time to rest, shop and organise your flights.
The town has a friendly, rough-and-ready feel, with donkey carts and small-plane traffic side by side. It is a good place to take a scenic flight over the Delta, visit the Maun Educational Park or the Nhabe Museum, or enjoy a quiet drink by the river.
Maun is a town, though the Thamalakane River has birds and the occasional hippo. The nearby Elephant Sanctuary and the Maun Educational Park offer short wildlife experiences.
Look out for
A flat, sandy town of trees and low buildings, with the river and the open bush on its edge.
Activities here
Maun is hot in summer, with daytime temperatures of 32°C to 36°C and rain from November to March, and warm and dry in winter, with cool nights.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 20 | 100 |
| Feb | 32 | 20 | 90 |
| Mar | 32 | 19 | 70 |
| Apr | 31 | 16 | 35 |
| May | 28 | 11 | 5 |
| Jun | 25 | 7 | 0 |
| Jul | 25 | 7 | 0 |
| Aug | 28 | 10 | 0 |
| Sep | 32 | 15 | 5 |
| Oct | 35 | 19 | 25 |
| Nov | 35 | 20 | 60 |
| Dec | 34 | 20 | 90 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
May to October is dry, and the best time to visit the Delta. Early mornings are cold.
November to March is hot and humid, with afternoon storms and heavy rain at times.
Maun can be visited all year, though most guests pass through quickly on their way to the Delta.
Best time to visit Jun to Oct
Maun has an international airport with flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Windhoek, and light aircraft transfers to the Delta camps. The road from Kasane takes about eight hours.
Citizens of many countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can enter Botswana without a visa for up to 90 days, but please check the rules for your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months.
Maun is a malaria area, with the highest risk from November to May, so please take advice.
WetlandOkavango DeltaGliding through the Delta by mokoro
National ParkChobe National ParkElephants by the thousand on the Chobe RiverCity & TownKasaneGateway to Chobe
National ParkMakgadikgadi PansMeerkats, salt pans and the zebra migration
Wildlife Reserve & SanctuaryMoremi Game ReserveBig cats on the edge of the DeltaOur take
“Our take”
Plan a night in Maun on either end of a Delta trip, because early flights and late landings are common.
Safaris from
US$2,162 per person
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