Few places inspire quite like the Okavango Delta, a lush labyrinth of waterways ripe for exploration, with lagoons, floodplains and islands, and some of the most intense concentrations of wildlife on the planet.
Asked to imagine a safari in Botswana and you’ll probably think of the Okavango Delta. And why not? The world’s largest inland delta breathes life into the surrounding Kalahari – a network of floodplains, channels, islands and dappled woodland supporting creatures great and small, from the wallowing hippopotamus to the tiniest reed frog. The birdlife is second to none here, including rare species like the Pel’s Fishing Owl and Slaty Egret, though there’s plenty of action on the ground as well, with legion of elephant, zebra, buffalo, giraffe and hippo present, not to mention lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog.
Fed by rivers originating in Angola, the delta is in a constant ebb and flow, the floodwaters reaching their peak between April and October, making this the best time to explore by traditional mokoro (canoe), poled by an expert guide.
At the heart of the delta is the Moremi Game Reserve, virtually surrounded by life-giving flood plains. The oldest reserve in the area and one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, Moremi is known for incredible big cat sightings and excellent year-round game viewing. Not for nothing is it called the predator capital of Africa.
