The Okavango Delta by Will Jones

The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in southern Africa, fed by the Okavango River which collects in the highlands of Angola. The Delta is an extremely diverse and ecologically rich ecosystem that supports some of the finest wildlife on the African continent.

The ecosystems found within the Delta are very diverse, ranging from permanent to seasonal flood plains, lagoons, dry grassland, mopane forest and palm islands. To the northeastern side of the delta the channels are generally shallower and spread out, whilst the northwesterly sector has deeper, faster-flowing channels. As the Okavango River feeds in from the north, the further south you go in the delta the drier it becomes.

A visit to the Delta should try to include at least two ecologically varied ecosystems and therefore also the activities on offer. You should try to combine a deep-water area for water-based actiivies such as mekeroing and a dry-land area which will allow better access to longer game drives and walking safaris. This is a rather simplistic formula which can really be refined when you know what your priorities are and what time of the year you intend to travel.

The water in the Delta is clear as the Kalahari sands do not leach their minerals back into the water. Those that do are washed downstream which keeps the more southerly areas of the delta rich in minerals and salts. The shape and form of the delta is continually changing as sand deposits divert streams and river courses.

The Delta (and Botswana in general) has become synonymous with low volume, high cost tourism. During the wet months (November through to March) the vegetation is greener and thicker. This is fantastic for bird-viewing but the bigger game is dispersed and it’s harder to find the obvious quantities of game for which the Okavango is known. During the dry season (May through to October) the floods arrive about four months after the rains in the Angolan highlands and the game congregates along the waterways and lagoons, making wildlife viewing that much easier.