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1. Botswana's
Okavango Delta - Africa's Most Beautiful Oasis
The Okavango Delta is one of the world's
largest inland deltas, and without doubt Africa's most
beautiful oasis. The delta spreads over 16,000 sq km
in Botswana's north country. Surrounded by the Kalahari
Desert savannah, this lush wetland is an affirmation
of God's mercy for the hardy inhabitants of these domains.
The emerald green delta is an astounding
phenomenon that evokes awe. It has customarily been
dubbed the jewel of the Kalahari and as the miracle
delta. The Okavango delta is Botswana's lifeline and
it is no exaggeration that it is indeed its 'Garden
of Eden'. In these unadulterated lands, all forms of
life- man, wildlife, birds, and plants - draw life from
its pure waters.
The Okavango River, which gives birth
to the delta after a journey of 1609 km, rises from
the highlands of central Angola. It begins life as the
Cubango River, then southern bound flows along the Angola-Namibian
border, and eventually cuts across Namibia's Caprivi
Strip before finally crossing into Botswana. At each
border crossing, the river acquires a new name; it is
Cubango in Angola, Kuvango in Namibia and Okavango after
it crosses into Botswana.
In Angola, the Cubango, which is fed
by numerous tributaries, floods after the summer rains,
triggering a steady southward flow. Flowing over flat
plains, the floods roll in a slow journey. After about
850 km and 3 months, the floods approach Mohembo at
the mouth of the delta in Botswana, at the dusk of February.
At Mohembo, River Ferry boosts the Okavango
as it ventures into the Okavango basin. Safely in the
basin, the incoming floods split, twist, turn and break,
forming a maze of madly meandering waterways. This results
in a pan-shaped delta, with a handle and a somewhat
triangular bowl called the Alluvial Fan. Thus this area
to the north of the delta is known as the Panhandle.
It is dotted with thousands of tiny islets, rising to
escape the waters.
The floods - their rage tempered by
the flat landscape, persist their progress in slow motion.
The waters drag huge volumes of silt into the Panhandle,
raising the outspread delta bed by at least six inches
and water levels by an average of 2 meters. The arrival
of the Okavango deluge brings the delta to life. Elephants
can pick the scent of the waters from as far away as
five kilometres. And midway down the panhandle, as the
water creeps in through the channels, the tiny river
fish pop in and out the water in merriment.
The champagne coloured waters ignite
a festival of celebration. The cacophony of frogs fills
the air; the ground vibrates to the thud of elephants,
and the birds overhead swirl in joy. Even the usually
inscrutable hippos and crocodiles appear visibly moved.
The message is unmistakable; with the waters coming,
the good times have returned to the delta.
The Panhandle, which is Okavango's perennial
canal stretches for 97 km and is 14.5 km wide. Further
down, the waters become clearer, where papyrus reeds
thrive together with the lissom phoenix palm. The woody
phoenix belts the river edges and the permanent swamps,
and extends further south along the drying Thaoge River.
The papyrus flourishes more to the delta's east along
the Moanatshira System. At the delta's unchanging centre,
the Boro River enjoys the lush of both vegetations.
The waters slow march; together with filtration action
in the papyrus groves makes the water surprisingly clear.
Bypassing the areas of Shakawe, Kaokwe,
Nxamaseri, Mawana, Sepupa and Dungu, the Panhandle opens
up into an alluvial delta. Crossing over the Rift Valley's
Gumare Fault, the waters are broken into smaller channels
and spread outwards, but still moving in the characteristic
sluggish manner. The channels further break and split
at several points, snaking their way in as the water
levels step up. The fan soon becomes a spread-out maze
of inland water networks and ox box lakes, islands and
broad lagoons. The lazy waters stumble over swamps and
submerge some islands.
As the summer rains end with April,
winter sets in; the Okavango has never known better
days. The heat of the day subsides and the nights are
cooler. The waters lethargically flow, finding new paths
and enhancing old ones, totally changing the delta's
landscape. The clear waters reflect the sky and the
bayou are covered with water lilies. The birds, grasshoppers,
beetles and numerous insects are all ready to share
in the profusion of the delta, humming away the day
as nature's music. Blue and green are the colours of
the delta; the beauty is breathtaking from the air.
It is now about 4 months since the floods entered Botswana
The waters teem with crocodiles, which
appear to enjoy the delta's best views from the clear
waters. The vegetation is lush and the southern game
have come to the delta in their great numbers. There
is plenty for all and the Okavango basin flourishes
in wild game, bird life and aquatic life. The lowlands
have recorded over 450 bird species, over 250 different
species of fish and reptiles, and an outstanding variety
of almost every kind of African wild mammal. The winter
- May to August, is your best opportunity to loose yourself
in the Okavango.
Birding here, especially at the Panhandle
is rewarding. A variety of vultures, fishers, eagles,
cranes, storks, are but a few of the species that await
birders. In particular some birds you find here include:
Pel's fishing owl, Kalahari robin, lesser gallinule,
African crake, secretary bird, painted Snipe, longtoed
plover, lesser Jacana, greater swamp warbler, sacred
ibis, Pygmy goose, wattled crane, slaty egret, western
banded snake eagle, black coucal, brown firefinch and
dwarf bittern. The best time for birding is between
November and April in the rainy season.
Fishing for sport is a treat you cannot
miss, and the Okavango is Botswana's best angling base.
There is a variety to catch: barbell (catfish) and bream
(tilapia) are the most common, while the most challenging
is the tiger fish.
There is a healthy variety of game in
Botswana's Okavango. While on safari here, you will
almost certainly see the big five -lion, African buffalo,
both white and black rhinos, elephant and the elusive
leopard. You will also see hyena, African wild dog,
giraffe, cheetah, impala, wildebeest and the chacma
baboon. The red lechwe, a swamp antelope, is also common
in and around the delta.
In addition to the usual vehicle mounted
game drives, you can view game in other exciting ways.
The intrepid are welcome to a Mokoro ride, a traditional
dug out canoe carrying one or two people at a time,
poled by an experienced guide. You see the game as you
stealthily rove the water channels of the delta, sometimes
sneaking up and surprising the animals from behind the
reeds. Though less exotic, you can alternatively enjoy
a similar experience by taking a river cruise.
You may also opt to see the animals
as the birds see them from light aircrafts or helicopters.
This is also the way you get the best aerial views of
the delta in its entirety, enjoying its extreme beauty
and calm. Unlike in east Africa, hot air balloon services
are not provided in Botswana. Horseback safaris are
increasingly becoming popular; riding skills are of
course a must. Still, it is essential to have an experienced
guide. In addition, you also have the opportunity of
a lifetime experience offered only by a few campsites
- traversing the wilderness and viewing the wild on
elephant back!
Walking safaris are also on offer, and
are usually taken by adventure types to supplement the
mokoro experience. On this pursuit, the fear factor
must be erased and it is prudent to follow the instructions
of your expert guide. Tracking and sneaking behind the
animals is most exciting, and there is a pump of adrenalin
with every step!
Chief's Island, in the heart of the
delta, is the prime tourist lodging centre. This is
Okavango's largest island, and covers about 1,000 sq
km. It is slightly higher than the surrounding delta's
landmass and it is never on flood. Accommodation here
ranges from budget, standard, luxury to superior. Away
from the island, there are many other lodging and camping
sites around the delta.
Maun is Okavango's commercial and human
life hub. In the Tswana language Maun means the 'place
of short reeds' - though there are hardly any reeds
left as a result of human settlement and development.
The waters finally reach Maun around August. The inhabitants
of Maun have been long in waiting of the floodwaters
and they show it on the first sighting of the flood's
tip, by shouts of jubilation: "the water is coming!
The water is coming!" Business almost comes to
a standstill as people rush to line the drying riverbanks
and await the slow flow. There is utter excitement!
The floodwaters have taken nine long months, since they
stared their journey in Angola.
Maun is the most convenient entry to
the delta and is the backbone of the Okavango economy.
It harbours the delta's main and busiest airport, in
addition to shopping centres, tourist offices and travel
help desks. From this border town, the rest of the delta
is accessible mostly by air. Situated some 250 km from
Mohembo, Maun marks the culmination of the 1,600 km
journey that is the Okavango marvel. Maun is 915 km
to the northwest of Gaborone, Botswana's capital city.
For international visitors, the best way to get into
Botswana is through Johannesburg, the regional air travel
hub.
In October, barely three months since
the delta came into full flood, the unforgiving Kalahari
slowly regains the upper hand. The delta begins to dry
up; the Maun channels are no more, and the Okavango
begins to retreat, sometimes shrinking to less than
9,000 sq km. 11 billion cubic meters of water vanishes
into the ground and most of what remains evaporates
into the atmosphere. Thamalakane River, the delta's
southern salvation retreats as well cutting its supply
to Boteti River, which by then is bone dry.
The animals depart, to seek refuge elsewhere.
Many leave too late and do not make it for the next
year's festival. In this season the horizon is littered
with bones, bones and more desiccated bones. The catfish
snuggle under the mud to survive the uncouth drought.
Hopelessness grips the wetlands. But the cycle will
be repeated, when the rains return, and with them life
back to the Okavango Delta.
David Livingstone - the celebrated missionary
and explorer, is recognised as the first white man to
reach the Okavango Basin. Arriving here in 1849, he
was astonished at the seasonal miracle entrusted with
sustenance of life in the harsh desert frontiers. But
this man of God would have been slow to understand how
the Bayei people viewed the Okavango spectacle. Legend
has it that at the peak of the Kalahari dryness, Chief
Mazzekiva would sacrifice a human soul to appease the
river gods. Upon accepting his forgo, the gods would
finally allow the river to once again flood and flow
freely.
The Okavango Delta is home to 140,000
people. The indigenous people classify into five ethnic
groups: Bugakwe, Dxeriku, Hambukushu, Wayeyi and the
Xanekwe. They have all traditionally been under the
political governance of the Batawana people, otherwise
known as the Tswana. The Bugakwe and Xanekwe are Bushmen
peoples - otherwise referred to as San, while the rest
are Bantu. Bushmen are hunter?gatherers, who do not
plant but partake of natures freely given bounty. The
women mainly gather- eggs, roots, fruits, nuts, while
the men hunt and fish.
Though modern government and the cash
economy have changed things, the people of the delta
were originally itinerants. They hunted in the drought
and fished and farmed in the rainy seasons and floods,
weaving basketry at their leisure.
The delta nurtures other ecosystems
outside its bog lands. It nourishes the Moremi Game
Reserve and the Chobe to the southern end and the Linyati
wetlands via the Selinda Spillways to the east. Lake
Ngami to the southwest and the Makgadikgadi Pans Wildlife
Reserve are other beneficiaries almost totally cut off
in the drought. Otherwise, 97% of the water that flows
into the delta is soaked into the sands and lost through
evaporation.
Well aware of this fact, the governments
of Botswana and Namibia - both of which have vast thirstlands-
have at one time or another come up with schemes to
pinch some of the waters flowing into the Okavango Delta.
But local and international conservation groups have
-with success- strenuously objected, citing possible
negative ecological and social impact to one of the
world's largest and most important inland wetland. As
a result, the three Okavango River countries of Angola,
Botswana, and Namibia in 1994 established a Permanent
Okavango River Basin Water Commission to seek harmony
on the use of the Okavango River waters.
The delta is also under pressure from
increasing human population, and water abstraction for
irrigation, mining and domestic use upstream and around
the delta. The delicate ecological position was recognised
when the great Okavango Delta System was identified
as a wetland of international importance and designated
a Ramsar site in 1997. The Ramsar Convention is an international
treaty whose aim is to halt the worldwide loss of wetlands.
Botswana's climate is hot and dry for
most of the year. Summer - the season favoured by the
rains, runs from November to March. Temperatures are
then very high- up to 44°C, though cloud cover manages
to bring some cools moments. Winter begins in May and
ends in August, bringing sunny and dry days. But nighttime
temperatures in winter can fall below freezing. If you
have come to Botswana to see wildlife, your best time
will be between April and October. The weather is then
good and viewing game is easy as animals gather around
diminishing water points.
A trip to the Okavango needs to be well
thought out and planned, making your bookings well in
advance. It is recommended that you take an organised
Okavango Delta and Botswana safari package, which includes
accommodation, meals, guides, and transport logistics.
The peak season falls between May and October.
You are advised to pack lots of sunscreen,
very comfy walking shoes, at least a pair of snug waterproof
boots, summer cotton wear, a brimmed hat or cap to protect
you from the scorching sun, a pair of good sun glasses
and some insect repellent. Warm eveningwear is advised,
as the nights tend to get a little chilly. While out
camping in the wilderness, note that smoking dry elephant
dung could help to keep away the nagging night insects.
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