The Okavango Delta is by far the most visited of the two WHS’ in Botswana, but still there aren’t many people that have visited it. We visited the Okavango delta from both north and south in April 2019. It was the dry period between raining season and the yearly flooding of the delta.

While visiting Tsodillo Hills we stayed at a lodge at the riverside of Okavango Panhandle. The northern part of the Okavango site is quite different from the south. It is not yet a delta but more like a couple of rivers.

We had two afternoon boat rides on one of the rivers with a local guide. As a native he could tell and show us a lot about the area, the animal life and the delta in general. He really cared for the place. He thoroughly picked up garbage from the water while telling his stories. The river is a bird paradise - a heaven for ornithologists! Our best catches were a “hard to see” Pel's fishing owl and a shy Sitatunga. Last sunset was amazing, a kind if Africa-on-fire experience! We didn’t have high expectations, but it turned out to be special.

About a week later we visited the delta from the southern side. We stayed in Maun and did one long daytrip into Moremi Game Reserve and one Mokoro trip. Moremi is great for animal spotting. We hoped for "the big five" and a lion in particular. We made 4/5 wich is great, but the lion managed to avoid us. The highlight was a couple of leopards, one was an old male with a fresh pray.
It was very little water this season the guide could tell us.

The following day we did the mokoro ride. A kind of "slow experience" of the delta, gliding through reed looking for animal life. In the first "pond", just some 50 m away, we saw 8-10 hippos - staring at us. Kind of scaring really. We did an island hike and came across more elephants and some zebras.

We did not see the inner part of the Okavango Delta, but given the period we were there, with no flooding yet, and this year probably very little water, we probably didn't miss much.

The Okavango delta experience is about the flooding of the land and the water withdrawal - every season. To experience it all you have to stay for a season. As most travellers, we didn't have the time. I think we got as much as we could out of it.

 

### Randi & Svein