Discovering The Okavango Delta – 5 secrets to know before you visit

It’s no secret that the Okavango Delta is
one of Acacia Africa’s favourite destinations. Today we take a look inside this
mysterious, evocative corner of Africa, and uncover just a few of her secrets
for you to enjoy. For the rest… well, you’ll just have to experience them for
yourself!

1.  
Head to the Savuti for a little
peace and quiet

With the
Okavango Delta as popular as it is, finding a truly quiet time can be slightly
challenging. The Linyanti Savuti, however, while still part of Chobe National
Park, lies in a remote northern corner of the Delta. Cameras and people are
rare, and you’ll have the unique chance to experience this wet wonderland in
peace as nature unfolds around you. The Savuti channel dried up in 1983, only
seeing water again in 2008. From roaming packs of wild dogs to elephants in the
dry season, experience a different side of Botswana here at the ‘vanished
river’. The Savuti Marsh area is often called a ‘glimpse into the Botswana of
yesteryear’, and a trip that will humble (and test) even the most seasoned
traveller.

2.  
Your best source of river
secrets

It’s no secret
at all that one of the best ways to experience the delta is via a cruise in a mokoro, or traditional dugout canoe.
It’s easy to get caught up in the splendid animal experiences around you while
you lazily pole down the river-who can blame you? If you truly want to get the
most from the experience, however, it’s time to look down, inward, and all
around with equally open eyes. Your baYei poler, a native of this
heart-catching landscape, has grown up in the area and has a wealth of
knowledge and life experience marinated in their unique culture to share with
you- but only if you remember to ask! Otherwise, they will remain quiet during
the trip, simply stirring the waterlilies with their nagashi to let you drink in the sights.

3.  
Every island is a secret
discovery

Many of us
simply assume that the Okavango Delta is one cohesive, unchanging whole. In
reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Each rain, each season,
brings profound shifts in the landscape. New islands form and disappear in the
Delta almost every month. Ask your poler, and they’ll be able to help you
discover pristine islets unseen by others. No two trips are ever the same. The
Okavango Delta also gives you a unique chance to spot one of the area’s rarest
bucks- a wachwe, or cross between a lechwe and a waterbuck.

4.  
Riding low

The mokoro may be an iconic part of the
journey- but it is an experience in itself. Expect to sit remarkably low in the
water, and note a profound cooling as you push off on your journey through the
hull of the boat. That doesn’t mean you can skimp on sunscreen, however! Be
sure to bring a hat (or parasol if you’re feeling quaint) to ensure you can
experience the area in comfort no matter the time of day. Stick to ‘bush’
colours to ensure the best animal experiences. And try to stay as still as
possible- sudden movement can throw the poler off the boat entirely, and you
don’t want to be that person!

5.  
You will feel tiny

There’s no other
way to describe this feeling. It may start off a little unsettling, as you come
eye-to-eye with almost a ton of hippopotamus fiercely defending its territory,
or lock gazes with the King of the Pride mere meters away. Over time, you will
come to see it as the gift it is- a true and honest perspective of the world.
As sunsets and sunrises unroll before you, and you experience the many
beautiful creatures that call the Delta home, you will find your very sense of
self altered profoundly. Expect to leave awed by the experience!

The Okavango Delta, recently declared a
World Heritage site by UNESCO, is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
It’s a fascinatingly diverse ecosystem, one of the most complex we know, and
home to 200 000 species of mammal, 70 types of fish and over 400 birds. This
includes some desperately endangered species we may well be the last
generations to see without careful curatorship.

In short, the Delta should be on everyone’s bucket list. Why not allow Acacia
Africa to help shape the perfect Okavango Experience[1] 
for you today, and discover more of her secrets for yourself?

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