Botswana’s Okavango Delta has to be Africa’s most incredible wildlife and wilderness sanctuary. What makes the Okavango most remarkable is that it is a wetland paradise located within the arid Kalahari Desert. The Okavango 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 moist Angolan highlands over 1000 km away. These floodwaters flow from their catchment 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 is excellent right the year through.
The heart of the Okavango Delta is the Moremi Game Reserve. All the major habitats and ecotones of the Okavango are preserved here. Around the Moremi Game Reserve are large private reserves (locally known as concessions) that are leased out to safari companies under strict guidelines and carrying capacities. These private reserves offer the very best safari experiences with massive tracts of pristine parkland and privacy encountered in very few places in Africa these days. One can go out all day in some areas and not see another soul, besides the animals on the savannah.
There are private concessions where guests are able to have exclusive experiences in the Okavango Delta. To make the experience 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. Walks (at the discretion of the camp manager) give the best feel for being in touch with nature. Wildlife “hides” offer a great way to enjoy game viewing and birding, especially during those midday siesta hours.
