One of the most sought after wilderness destinations in the world , the Okavango Delta gives entrance to the spectacle of world Africa such as dreams are made of – the heart stopping excitement of big game viewing , the supreme tranquility an serenity of an untouched delta , and evocative scenes of extraordinary natural beauty.
A journey to the Okavango Delta – deep into Africa’s untouched interior – is like no other . Moving from wetland to dryland – traversing the meandering palm and papyrus fringed waterways, passing palm – fringed islands and thick woodland, resplendent with lush vegetation , and rich in wildlife – reveals the many facets of thus unique ecosystem , the largest intact inland delta in the world.
The Okavango Delta is situated deep within the Kalahari Basin , and often referred to as the jewel of the Kalahari. That the Okavango exists at all – deep within this thirst land- seems remarkable. Shaped like a fan, the delta is fed by the Okavango River , the third largest in southern Africa . It has been steadily developed over the millennia by millions of tones of sand carried down the river from Angola.
Swollen with flood waters from the summer rains , the Okavango River travels from the Angola highlands crosses into Botswana at Mohembo in the( aprivi , then later spills over the vast fan – shaped Delta . The timing of the floods is uncanny. Just as the waters from Botswana’s summer rains disappear ( April , May) so the floodwaters begin their journey – 1300 kilometers of which is Kalahari Sands – revitalizing a vast and remarkably diverse ecosystem of plant and animal life.
Major tourist attraction in Delta and the dry land areas are game viewing, birding and boating, often in the traditional mekoro. The diversity and numbers of animals and birds can be staggering. A recent overview of the Okavango records 122 species of mammals, 71 species of fish , 444 species of birds , 64 species of reptiles and 1300 species of flowering planting
Major species to be seen, include elephant , buffalo, giraffe, Zebra, hippo, crocodile , rhino red/ echwe , water buck, reedbuck , duicker, impala, Kudu, steeribok , wildebeest , hartebeest sable , roan , tsessbe , lion leopard , cheetah , genet , serval, along with an immeuze variety of birds – lands and water.
