Brilliant Botswana – the Okavango Delta delivers…
Mammoth Safaris recently had the pleasure of journeying to a number of Wilderness Safaris properties and enjoyed a wonderful 6 day exploration of the magical Okavango Delta and the equally special Linyanti Concession to the north. The rainy season had been a good one and the water’s of the “flood” were well on their way into the upper reaches of the delta and as a result both water and game were in complete abundance. Areas in and around the delta have names that resonate with the idea of safari – Chitabe, Savuti, Linyanti, Mombo, Jao – all these places rightly hold a reverence in the world of safari and this was once again so evident.
The exquisite sunset from the Duma Tau viewing deck.
From incredible sunsets, to exhilarating wild dog hunts, from playful lion cubs tackling each other and their mothers, to leopards lounging in trees and elephant around almost every corner, Botswana delivers in abundance. To say that the Okavango Delta and surrounds has everything a safari goer could dream of experiencing is to understate the case dramatically. As seasoned game viewers and safari goers, even the Mammoth Safaris team was blown away by the sheer abundance of life in this most exceptional of destinations.
A handsome young male Leopard surveys his world and gets accustomed to a life in trees.
This photograph was taken on an iPhone 7 using the binoculars as a zoom and just quietly, we are more than happy with the result. Botswana is a photographer’s heaven, offering subjects for the expert and views for the novice alike.
Quick facts about the Delta…
- Rains fall from December – April
- The flood waters arrive from June
- Expect to see – Elephant herds, Wild Dog, Leopard, Lion, Hyena and a plethora of general game from Antelope to Zebra
- These remote camps are best accessed via charter plane (Wilderness Air offer an exceptional service)
A view of the Okavango Delta from the small planes that transfer you from camp to camp.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta represents a phenomenon in so many ways. Waters that descend from the captured rains in the Angolan highlands, flow gently towards what would otherwise be a barren semi desert expanse in the North East of Botswana. Here they spill out inland and form rivers, channels and lagoons that eventually recede around the town of Maun. These waterways and the resultant islands have become home to such an incredible diverse tapestry of life, amidst a gorgeous carpet of deep green vegetation and dark blue waters.
A gorgeous young female Leopard surveys her territory in the Linyanti Concession.
Many of the water based camps also offer boat-based safaris and barge cruises, from where one can gently observe the animals from the watery comfort the channels and experience a different view of delta life.
No better way to experience the waterways of the Okavango Delta than with a gentle mokoro journey.
Diversity is the key in this neck of the woods and this reflects not only in the game viewing but also in the number of activities available to the visitor here. Often the classic vehicle-based game drive safari, whilst enticing enough, can become a little stayed and uncomfortable after a while and it is here that the delta comes into its own. Choose to sublimely and gently float amongst the lilies and papyrus, admiring incredible birdlife and the little things in the delta’s traditional dug out canoe – a mokoro. Search for the gorgeous Painted Reed Frogs glued to the reed fronds and marvel at the dexterous water boatmen flitting across the water. The mokoro ride just allows one to really relax and soak up the African wilderness, gently and in an eerie quiet.
The amazing view from the deck at the luxurious Vumbura Plains North camp (image credit Wilderness Safaris).
All the camps we visited were wonderfully appointed and enormously comfortable, offering the visitor not only exceptional game viewing, but a relaxed and most pleasant lodge experience too. Any time of year offers a guest something to marvel at in the delta, but there really is something to be said for that time when the channels are full and life is extraordinarily abundant (best seen June – September).
For more information on Botswana and the Okavango Delta Safari email info@mammothsafaris.com
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