Downtown Africa
Okavango Delta in the heart of Southern Africa is an Eden on earth. The swampy oasis is an inland delta of the Okavango River, forming where its streams hit a tectonic trough. The resulting features make the delta one of the most beautiful places in Africa. It is a maze of overgrown islands, sparkling lagoons, and meandering channels.
The jewel of the Kalahari Desert floods at the beginning of the year, receiving massive amounts (11 cubic kilometers) of floodwater from the Angola highlands. The waters of the delta, however, never make it out of the desert. Most of it either evaporates, or is tapped by plants and lost to the environment through transpiration. A minute quantity of the water flows to the nearby Lake Ngami.
Between June and August, the delta’s floods peak, as Botswana enters its dry season. Because of this, the delta and its many islands draw in wildlife by the droves. In these months, the Okavango delta holds the highest wildlife concentration in Africa. In fact, the Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s seven natural wonders, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The oasis holds some of the continent’s premier luxury camps, and is a perfect photo safari venue. Massive numbers of birds breed in the area, and its wetlands pulsate with life, making for breathtaking sight-seeing.
