Welcome to the Okavango Delta!

Okavango Delta is Africa's largest freshwater wetland, the watery fingers of its ‘hand' extending up to the sun scorched Kalahari. A unique oasis in Botswana's harsh, unforgiving bush land, the Delta's large, flourishing populations of wild animals make it a sought-after safari destination all through the year. Being such a popular destination, you can be sure to find the Okavango Delta hotels that will most suit your needs.

There are few sights that can equal the dream-like beauty of dawn in the Okavango Delta, as curls of mist arise from its still clear waters it feels like the world has come to a complete stop!

What draws visitors to the Delta is its phenomenal natural diversity - vast stretches of whispering reeds and papyrus, a myriad of water channels, riverine trees leaning over shimmering lagoons, and the sprawling floodplains dotted with jewel-green islands. Tumbling down into the Okavango Delta from the Angolan Highlands and Namibia, the river fans out into a maze of waterways. As the water courses down, the landscape flattens out and gradients become softer. The sandy soil in the river naturally filters and cleans the water, in the process also lowering its mineral and nutrient content. However, these nutrients then accumulate in the delta, encouraging the growth of lush vegetation, which in turn supports an amazing diversity of wildlife.

The town of Maun, Botswana's tourist capital is an important travel hub. Maun, derived from the San word 'maung' means 'the place of short reeds'. It is located along the broad banks of the ancient Thamalakane River, as can be seen on the Okavango Delta map , where red lechwe (antelopes) graze alongside goats, donkeys and cattle.

Maun is one of the busiest centres in the country, with daily flights from Victoria Falls, Gaborone, Namibia and South Africa operating from its small airport. It serves as the perfect entry point to the region's main attraction - the Okavango Delta. In addition, the Chobe-Zambezi Area, Okavango and the Moremi Game Reserve are also nearby and can be reached in the space of a few hours.

The Okavango Delta region does not have a very dense human population, though. Its oldest inhabitants are the Banoka, a Khoisan tribe who are basically hunter-gatherers and have been living in the region since the Late Stone Age. About 300 years ago, the Bayei, a Bantu tribe fleeing conflict, joined the Banoka and both tribes have since coexisted peacefully, pooling their knowledge and expertise to mutual benefit. The Bayei excel at fishing and hippo-hunting, while the Banoka are skilled at trapping.

Women living in the villages of Gumare and Etsha, located in the northern part of Botswana, are known for their skill at crafting baskets using local, natural dyes and Mokola palm. They weave three types of baskets - large, lidded baskets used for storage; smaller plates for winnowing pounded grain; large, open baskets for carrying objects on the head or for winnowing threshed grain. Traditionally, closed baskets with lids are used as storage containers for sorghum beer (boljalwa) and various grains and seeds. These baskets are now produced for commercial use and are woven in designs and colours that have been specially developed to enhance their aesthetic value.

In Northern Botswana, the Hambukushu tribe is renowned for artistic carvings, predominantly of animals, and for their stylised human figurines. The shops and craft centres located in Gumare, Ghanzi, Serowe, Francistown, Maun and Kasane sell an excellent variety of crafts and wooden arts. So as not to miss out on any of those shopping opportunities, book yourself on one of the Okavango Delta tours.

The three-day Maun Festival is the biggest festival celebrated in north-western Botswana, in lieu of the former Maun Carnival. This festival showcases Botswana's ethnic culture, music and crafts. Also on offer is live entertainment through music, theatre, poetry and dance. Booking your hotel in Okavango Delta early around the time of this celebration, will not only allow you to go on your long awaited tour in Okavango Delta, but also that you can enjoy the festival and mingle with the locals.

The opportunity to experience nature's munificence in a pristine environment is what draws travellers to Botswana. Driving safaris through the game-packed woodlands and floodplains on the delta's fringes, punting downstream in a guided mokoro to look for aquatic antelope and rare birds or relaxing on a boat cruise as the sun goes down in a blaze of colour - these are just a few of the many highlights that will make for a memorable vacation in Botswana.