When you think of travelling to Africa, there's a strong chance one of the first images to come to mind is that of a lush natural landscape, teeming with wildlife unlike anything you've ever seen. Elephants splashing themselves with water, a herd of buffalo trekking across the open ground, and the flash of a Zebra's striking coat catching your eye through the trees.
While this might sound like something out of a movie, this scene is one that you can experience for yourself at the Okavango Delta. Set against the stunning backdrop of northern Botswana, this large inland river delta is home to a myriad of different animals, and is also one of the key destinations on our Northern Experience tour.
Okavango Delta
Interestingly enough, the world has very few large endorheic deltas (inland bodies of water that don't flow out to sea) and the Okavango is one of them. Due to its unique wetland system and minimal development, UNESCO describes the Okavango Delta as being relatively pristine - a contributing factor to the area's 'Outstanding Universal Value' and World Heritage site status.
Covering a vast area of around 600,000 hectares, it supplies water to the arid Kalahari Basin in a fan-like formation, flooding the surrounding grassland and transforming the otherwise dry region into a lush wetland.
The plants and animals that make their home in the Okavango are well-adapted to the region, even with the flooding that occurs in winter in Botswana. It's during this season that great animal activity can be witnessed by the lucky adventurer, including some of the world's most endangered large mammals such as lions, cheetah and African wild dogs, as well as both white and black rhinos.
About the Northern Experience
On this very special tour with Bench Africa, you'll travel from Cape Town into the Cederberg Mountains, explore the Orange River by canoe and marvel at the Fish River Canyon. Your journey takes you through spectacular sand dunes, in Sossusvlei before heading into Etosha National Park. Then it's time to uncover the magic of the Okavango Delta and then Chobe National Park. The safari comes to an end at the majestic Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
To get started planning your African trip with Bench, you can request a brochure or call 1300 AFRICA (237 422) to speak to one of our travel experts today.
