Almost all tourists entering the Okavango do so through Maun, situated at the gateway to the Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. Maun is the tourism capital of Botswana and the administrative centre of Ngamiland. It is also the headquarters of countless safari and air-charter operations whose signs and offices dot almost every intersection, particularly towards the airport.
Since the town's establishment in 1915 as the tribal capital of the Batawana people, Maun has had a rough and ready reputation as a hard-living 'Wild West' town servicing the local cattle ranching and hunting operations. But with the growth of the tourism industry and the completion of the tar road from Nata in the early 1990s, Maun has developed rapidly, losing much of its old frontier town character. It is now home to over 30,000 people.
Regular supplies of almost everything can be bought in Maun, and the town boasts several good shopping centres, filling stations, as well as car and four-wheel-drive vehicle hire. The Maun Airport, which was officially opened in 1996 after extensive renovations, is - if one counts the light aircraft charters to the various Delta camps - one of the busiest airports in Southern Africa.
The name Maun is derived from the San word "maung", which means "the place of short reeds". The village began in 1915 as the capital for the Tawana people. The capital was moved from Toteng after glorious victory over Ndebele King Lobengula.
This metropolis is now spread out along the wide banks of the timeless Thamalakane River where red lechwe can still be seen grazing next to local donkeys, goats and cattle.
Areas of interest in and around Maun include the small Maun Game Reserve which covers just 8km2 of woodland. It follows the Thamalakane riverbank upstream from the Riley's Hotel and includes the original "Place of Reeds" from which the town takes its name. The reserve is open every day and is traversed by numerous walking trails for which a small entrance. Various cultural tours can be arranged, where one would have the opportunity of learning more about the customs of the locals.

Related links:

• Camping sites in Botswana's national parks

• Linyanti Game Reserve

• Moremi Game Reserve

• Moremi Game Reserve map

@ Audi Camp
@ Cresta Riley's Hotel
@ Crocodile Camp
@ Discovery B&B
@ Drifters Maun Camp
@ Gunn's Bush Camp
@ Gunn's Main Camp
@ Island Safari Lodge
@ Macatoo Camp
@ Maun Lodge
@ Motsentsela Tree Lodge
@ Okavango River Lodge
@ Rhino Executive Lodge
@ Sedia Riverside Hotel
@ Sitatunga Camp
@ Thamalakane River Lodge
@ The Old Bridge Backpackers

Activities in the area:

@ Mobile Safaris