Okavango Delta

The Okavango River rises in Angola's well-watered Benguela Plateau and flows 1,000 miles south eastwards until it divides into a number of lesser watercourses. A series of movements in the earth's crust diverted the Okavango River from its original course causing it to make its way into Botswana's Kalahari Desert, where it forms a vast delta. The Okavango Delta is one of the world's largest inland deltas with 9,000m2 of floodplains. This geographical process has resulted in an astonishingly luxuriant wilderness of flood plain and forest, stream and pool, the occasional large expanse of open water and numerous labyrinthine channels. Many islands dot the Delta and the water flows so languidly that there is no sediment to blur its clarity. The Delta is a bustling haven and the lifeblood for thousands of animals birds and fish.

Fauna

Amongst the Delta's many species are elephant, leopard, lion (in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve) hyena, eland, kudu, giraffe, zebra and buffalo. The north eastern part of Delta is home to the rare sitatunga, an agile and shy swamp antelope, which, when frightened, hides in the water with just its nostrils above the surface. Red lechwe, reed buck and impala also thrive here. The hippopotamus is a ubiquitous sight along the channels of the Delta, although they do spend most of the day grazing below the water before moving onto the shores in the evening to graze on the land.

In the water

The waters are home to bream, tiger fish and barbel - and small Nile crocodiles inhabit the Delta too. The enormous water monitor is also a resident here as are numerous tiny frogs along with bell frogs and larger bullfrogs.

Birdlife

The birdlife is prolific and the Delta is a paradise for birdwatchers. Here are just some of the species you are likely to see; storks, egrets, parrots, shrikes, kingfishers, jacanas, bee-eaters, snakebirds, purple herons, great white herons, greenbacked herons, hoopoes, ibis, snakebirds, pygmy geese, lilac-breasted rollers, Pel's fishing owl, goshawk, bateleur eagle and African fish eagle.

Flora

The channels and islands of the Delta are lush with papyrus, reeds, palms, beautiful pink and white water lilies, grasses, willows, figs, acacia, ebony and the extraordinary looking sausage tree. In January, the African mangosteen and marula fruits will be ripe for the picking and in July and August, the delicious ebony fruit is ready.

With thanks to Sanctuary Lodges, Wilderness Safaris and Moremi Safaris for use of images