The Okavango Delta in Botswana has to be Africa’s most incredible wildlife and wilderness sanctuary. What makes Botswana’s Okavango Delta most remarkable is that it is an 18,000 square kilometre wetland paradise located within the arid Kalahari Desert.
The Okavango Delta rests between shallow fault lines at the end of the Great African Rift Valley. Deserts are low on annual rainfall and the Okavango Delta is no exception. However, each year floodwater flows into the Okavango from its source in the Angolan Highlands over 1000 km away. These floodwaters flow from their catchment area southwards and into the Kalahari Desert to create a unique wetland that supports and sustains a huge diversity of wildlife. Apart from the beauty of the wetland habitat, game viewing in the Okavango Delta is excellent right the year through.
The heart of the Okavango Delta is the Moremi Game Reserve. All the major habitats of the Okavango are preserved here. Around the Moremi Game Reserve are large private concessions that are leased out to safari companies under strict guidelines and carrying capacities. Botswana’s private reserves offer the very best safari experiences with massive expanses of pristine wilderness and privacy which are these days encountered in very few places in Africa. One can go out all day in some areas of the Okavango Delta and not see another soul, besides of course the animals on the savannah.
To make the experience of the Okavango Delta even more enjoyable many varied activities are available. Safaris by boat and dugout canoe (mokoro) are the best way to see the water areas, while game drives and night drives by vehicle are best for tracking animals. For a truly awesome experience try a horseback safari or for the ultimate life changing experience a safari done entirely on the back of an African Elephant. Wildlife "hides" offers a great way to enjoy game viewing and birding, especially during the midday siesta hours.