Okavango Delta
Water, wildlife and wilderness in
constant motion.
The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as one of Botswana’s defining landscapes. Each year, floodwaters from the Okavango River spread into the Kalahari, creating a complex network of channels, lagoons, islands and floodplains. Water levels rise and fall with the seasons, constantly reshaping the environment and determining where wildlife gathers.
During the flood season, animals are drawn to the Delta in large numbers. Elephants move through shallow channels, hippos occupy deeper lagoons and red lechwe and sitatunga are well adapted to life in the wetlands. On drier ground, giraffe and zebra are common, while predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog are regularly encountered, especially along the edges of the Delta.
The Delta can be explored by mokoro, motorboat or on guided walks, offering a slower and more immersive safari experience. The central Okavango is an exceptionally exclusive region, dominated by high-end fly-in lodges and requiring a substantial budget. However, the outer fringes of the Delta are more accessible and can be visited by mokoro or, when water levels allow, by boat from starting points not far from Maun, making it possible to experience the Okavango at a more manageable cost.
