Okavango Delta National Park
The Okavango Delta must truly be one of Africa’s most enchanted places. A swirl of lushness in a desert of Kalahari sand, the Delta is a remarkable phenomenon. It owes its origins to the emergence of a rift valley across the course of the Okavango River. When exactly this occurred is not certain but, geologically speaking, it is likely to have been a relatively recent event. The process is still developing and constant movement in the earth’s crust may well explain the shifts in water distribution which are so much a feature of this remarkable area. Windblown sand and sediment delivered by the river have filled the rift valley and its floor now lies as much as 300 metres below the fan-shaped delta that we see today.
The annual flood is a characteristic of the Delta. The Okavango River, which rises in Angola, brings the result of heavy rains to Botswana’s border. The swollen river breaches its low-water banks and begins again the annual inundation of its flood-plains. No two floods are ever the same but it can be said that the permanent delta, where Camp Okavango and Xugana are located, is some 6 000 km² in extent, whilst a big flood may seasonally cover as much as 13 000km².
In general, at Mohembo, where the Okavango enters Botswana, the flood begins as water levels rise from November onwards, but the peak is not reached until February or March, and it can take six months to work its way through the labyrinth of channels and lagoons to pass Maun. More than 95% of the Okavango’s water is lost in evaporation but finally it reaches the Thamalakane River near Maun, which drains the delta, with the remainder of the outflow leading into the Boteti River and Lake Ngami in the Kalahari.
The flooding of the Okavango is not a violent process. The waters spread gently down the channels and across the plains. The total fall in height from one end of the Delta to the other is only 62 metres, and that over a distance of some 250 kilometres. The slow movement of water means a low sediment load and hence the incredible clarity and purity of the Okavango’s water, for which it is justly renowned.
Unique as one of the world’s few inland deltas, the water wilderness of the Okavango Delta offers a safe haven for innumerable bird and wildlife species. The elusive sitatunga antelope has found refuge in this pristine wetland ecosystem, while birds such as the African fish eagle, Pel's fishing owl and many others are magnificent in their spectacular display.
The Okavango Delta offers a number of activities for the visitor where fishing and bird-watching are obvious attractions, but game viewing, especially for rare species, is also possible. One can also take to the waters of this magical world of islands and lagoons by canoe, mokoro or powerboat, all offered at Desert & Delta lodges. Aircraft can also be hired and a flight across the Delta is a memorable experience.
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