One of the most sought-after wilderness destinations in the world, the Okavango Delta offers access to the spectacle of wild Africa — the kind dreams are made of. From the heart-stopping excitement of big game viewing to the supreme tranquility and serenity of an untouched delta, the region is filled with evocative scenes of extraordinary natural beauty.
A journey to the Okavango Delta — deep into Africa’s untouched interior — is unlike any other. As you move from wetland to dryland, traversing the meandering palm- and papyrus-fringed waterways, passing palm-dotted islands and dense woodlands resplendent with lush vegetation and rich in wildlife, the many facets of this unique ecosystem are revealed. It is the largest intact inland delta in the world.
The Okavango Delta lies deep within the Kalahari Basin and is often referred to as the “jewel of the Kalahari.” That the Okavango exists at all — deep within this arid land — is remarkable. Shaped like a fan, the delta is fed by the Okavango River, the third-largest river in southern Africa. Over millennia, it has been formed by millions of tonnes of sand carried down from the highlands of Angola.
Swollen with floodwaters from the summer rains, the Okavango River flows from the Angolan highlands and crosses into Botswana at Mohembo in the Caprivi Strip, before spilling into the vast, fan-shaped delta. The timing of the floods is uncanny. Just as the waters from Botswana’s summer rains begin to recede (in April and May), the floodwaters begin their journey — 1,300 kilometers across the Kalahari sands — revitalizing a vast and remarkably diverse ecosystem of plant and animal life.
Major tourist attractions in the delta and surrounding dryland areas include game viewing, birding, and boating — often in the traditional mekoro (dugout canoe). The diversity and abundance of wildlife is staggering. A recent survey recorded 122 species of mammals, 71 species of fish, 444 species of birds, 64 species of reptiles, and over 1,300 species of flowering plants.
Notable species include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, rhino, red lechwe, waterbuck, reedbuck, duiker, impala, kudu, steenbok, wildebeest, hartebeest, sable, roan, tsessebe, lion, leopard, cheetah, genet, serval, and an immense variety of birds — both land and water species
