BOTSWANA HIGHLIGHTS THE OKAVANGO DELTA


Channel hopping U


nlike most rivers, which flow to the sea, the Okavango River carves a course through the


Kalahari Desert sands, where it spills out onto a vast fan-shaped Delta, creating a lush wetland wilderness of lagoons, channels and ox-bow lakes. 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 islands, and thick woodland with lush vegetation and rich in wildlife, reveals the many facets of this unique eco- system, the largest intact inland delta in the world.


THE RIVER RUNS DEEP There are three main geographical areas: The Panhandle, The Delta and Dryland. The Panhandle begins at the Okavango’s northern


reaches, and extends for about 80 kms. Its corridor- like shape is contained within two parallel faults in the Earth’s crust. Here the river runs deep and wide and the swamps are perennially flooded. The dominant vegetation is vast papyrus beds and stands of Phoenix Palms. The main tourist draw cards of the Panhandle are fishing, birding and visiting colourful villages. At Seronga, the fan-shaped Delta


The Okavango Delta's lush wetland of channels, lagoons and papyrus-fringed islands adds up to a wildlife-watching wonderland that is totally unique


emerges and the waters spill over the Delta, rejuvenating the landscape and creating stunning mosaics of channels, lagoons, lakes, flooded grasslands and thousands of islands. At the Delta’s lower reaches the perennial swamps give way to seasonal swamps and flooded grasslands. To the southeast, the landscape turns to the third vegetation: dryland.


SPECTACULAR GAME VIEWING There are three major land masses here: the Matsebi Ridge, Chief’s Island and the Moremi Tongue. It is to the Delta that large numbers of mammals retreat during the dry winter months. Major tourist attractions in the Delta and dryland areas are game viewing, birding and boating. If there is anything that characterises the Okavan- go it is the mokoro, a locally-made dugout canoe. In bygone days, the mokoro was hewn from the trunk of a sausage or ebony tree, but nowadays, fibreglass has replaced wood, for conservation reasons.


Navigating the waterways that wind through giant


papyrus, arching palm fronds, lush floodplains, water lily-filled lagoons and open grasslands is a


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SELLING TIP BOTSWANA'S LUXURY SAFARI camps are intimate - with A MAXIMUM OF 24 BEDS


highlights of a visit to the Okavango. The diversity and number of animals and birds is


staggering: 122 species of mammals, 71 species of fish, 444 species of birds, 64 species of reptiles and 1300 species of flowering plants. Visitors can expect to see elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, rhino, red lechwe, waterbuck, reedbuck, impala, wildebeest, lion and leopard. The Moremi Game Reserve is situated in the central and eastern areas of the Okavango, and includes the Moremi Tongue and Chief’s Island. The first reserve in Africa to be established by lo- cal residents, it offers great game viewing and bird


Clockwise from top: An elephant-back safari; The African Jacana is a colourful Delta resident; Lily-covered wet- land; 4x4 safaris have to overcome aquatic challenges in the Delta


watching and is popular for self-drive camper trips. The ‘Delta’ is the location of many luxury camps situated in secluded – and often exceedingly beautiful – concessions.


The number of camp guests is kept to a minimum, and the feeling is often one of a pristine paradise completely removed from the world as we know it today. Access is through chartered flights in small aircraft. •


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