The Okavango Delta, Botswana
The Okavango Delta is a must for any first time visitor to Botswana. From the air, the waterways of the Okavango Delta glistens like the fine silks of a spider's web. The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s largest inland water systems. Its headwaters start in Angola’s western highlands, with numerous tributaries joining to form the Cubango river, which then flows through Namibia (called the Kavango) and finally enters Botswana, where it is then called the Okavango. Today, the Okavango River has no outlet to the sea, instead, it empties onto the sands of the Kalahari Desert.
The Delta results from the inflow of the Okavango River that enters in the north of Botswana and continues to flow in a south easterly direction before fanning out into perpetual and seasonal swamps and floodplains. The resulting flora includes grasslands and palm forests, while the islands and lagoons serve as superb breeding grounds for an abundance of wildlife and are a haven for birds and aquatic life.
The makoro - a dug out canoe which is 'poled' along by your Guide is the most evocative way of exploring the numerous waterways.