Welcome to the Okavango Delta

Imagine a river that never reaches the sea. The Okavango River begins its journey in the highlands of Angola and flows 1,200 kilometers southeast — only to fan out into the sands of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, creating one of the most extraordinary ecosystems on Earth.

The Okavango Delta is one of the very few large inland delta systems in the world. Each year, about 11 cubic kilometers of water spread across an area that swells from 6,000 to 15,000 square kilometers — tripling in size. And here is the remarkable twist: the flood peaks between June and August, Botswana's dry winter months, because the water takes months to travel from Angola's rainy season.

This water creates a paradise in the desert. Africa's Big Five — elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhinoceros — roam its islands and floodplains. Over 500 bird species fill the sky. Enormous elephant herds (Botswana has the world's largest population at about 130,000) wade through its channels. And visitors glide silently through crystal-clear waterways in mokoros, traditional dugout canoes poled by expert guides. Let's explore.