The Okavango Delta is one of the few African regions unspoilt by human interference. This is thanks to the Botswanan government, which made a conscious decision to discourage mass commercial tourism and cater only to tourists with deep pockets. Denying average travellers the unique wander of the world’s largest inland delta might seem like an unethical money-making scheme, but it ensures that the indigenous wildlife and natural cycle continue to flourish as they have for thousands of years.
The Okavango comprises of a series of lagoons, lakes and water channels and covers roughly 17,000 square km. It’s unique nature is courtesy of seasonal flooding as rain water from Angola slowly makes its way down the towards the Okavango basin. Here the high temperatures cause the water to evaporate quickly and the whole process starts again.
The seasonal influx of water is accompanied by a large-scale wildlife migration, as animals of all kinds follow the water and suddenly abundant plant life. Tourists are treated to hippos, lions, African bush elephants, white and black rhinos, baboons, and the endangered African wild dog. There are also over 400 species of birds, including ostrich, sacred ibis and African fish eagle. And then there are the crocodiles, which lurk between the floating papyrus and reeds.
The best time to visit the Okavango depends on your passion. If you’re an avid birder then you should visit during the rainy season, which is from November to April. This is also the best time to see the diverse vegetation. Game viewing is best from May to October when the flood waters have receded. Take note that the region is in a malaria danger zone, so you will need to take precautions. You also need to be aware that the summer months can get very hot and humid; temperatures have been known to exceed 40°C and humidity levels can reach up to 80%.
There are around 40 lodges and camps in the delta and very few of them can be reached by road. There are a number of government camping sites in the Moremi Game Reserve while private lodges can be found in the National Park or on private concessions. You can reach them by light aircraft which fly out of Maun or Kasane.
There are a number of activities in the region, such as 4×4 game viewing, game viewing flights, walking safaris and even excursions on elephants. One of the more popular and highly recommended activities is a tour of the waterways on a dug out canoe or mokoro.
Photo from here.
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
