January 2026 - Wildlife Sightings | Gomoti Plains Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Gomoti Plains Wildlife Stories January 2026

Weather Report

January is fixed snugly in the heart of the green season. A dynamic mix of warm temperatures, high humidity, and revitalising rainfall has transformed the area around Gomoti Plains Camp into a vibrant green landscape. As the rains continued, more and more watering holes appeared, giving animals in the region more options to drink from. Daytime temperatures range between 20 and 35ºC, with cooler weather following sporadic bursts of thundershowers, and in the evenings.

January First

On the very first day of 2026, we met a wave of magnificent wildlife sightings. The first of the day was two beautiful male lions hunting a zebra. At first, they tried to ambush their prey, but later broke out into full sprints. Fortunately for the zebra, it managed to escape from the lions and live another day.

What we saw next was a hippo with her adorable baby. The contrast between the two was spectacular. Mommy was massive, imposing, and intimidating next to her relatively small and adorable calf.

After that, we managed to spot a massive breeding herd of wildebeest. Although big, the herd was nowhere near the biggest we’ve ever seen. Herds of wildebeest can stretch as far as the eye can see, but in this instance, just seeing so many incredible creatures graze in the fresh green grass was amazing.

Machaba Gomoti Plains Camp Wildlife Sightings January 2026 Male Lion In Tall Grass

Big Cat Sanctuary

The Okavango Delta is a hub for some of the world's most fascinating big cats. From the sleek and elusive cheetah to the king of the jungle, the lions, being in the delta is your first step towards encountering such amazing creatures.

During one of our game drives in the Okavango, we spotted a female lion lounging in a tree. Later on, we also spotted a lioness and her cubs feeding on an impala they killed the previous night.

Any Time Of Day

The Okavango Delta has some of the spectacular sightings one can come across on safari in Botswana. Take this safari, for example, during a morning game drive, we spotted a giant eagle owl perched on the top of a tree. Later that afternoon, we encountered a black mamba before setting out for our afternoon drive. While on that drive, we saw African wild dogs hunting in one of the most coordinated pack-hunting displays the animal kingdom has to offer.

Big Cat Corner

We had some incredible big cat sightings as we entered mid-January. We first spotted a female leopard up a tree. Later on in the month, we saw another leopard, a male this time, prowling around the entrance of the camp.

We also saw four lionesses moving across the plains during a game drive. Finally, we spotted the elusive cheetah in the Gomoti Plains area. This is incredibly rare as cheetahs normally prefer open areas, rather than the lush and wet floodplains of the Okavango Delta.