The Okovango Delta - Botswana

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Botswana

We took a trip to the Okavanga Delta in Botswana. The Okavanga Delta is the largest inland delta in the world. It is formed by a river which floods and empties into the Kalahari Desert forming a swampy area. We met a local guide who took us in her makoro (a wooden canoe). The locals use a long pole to push off the bottom of the swamp and make the makoro glide through the grass in the water. It is truly a tranquil experience. We saw animals on the small islands as we went past and made our way to our campsite. We took a nature walk on one of the islands and had a campfire that night. The next morning we walked to find animals. We saw several warthogs but the other animals were very far away since the flood water was high. Our guide decided to carry us "piggyback" style through the water so we could see the animals close-up. We were able to see zebra and many different types of antelope. That afternoon our guide taught Ian how to become a "poler" and steer the makoro. We went on a sunset makoro ride and spotted elephants on a nearby island so we tracked them to get a close view. The sunset was magnificent and we arrived back to another campfire at our camp where the guides sang local songs and danced local dances for us. The time in the Delta was a wonderful and memorable experience for us.

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