Okavango Delta

This was our jumping off point to get into the Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta area in the world where the river empties into the Kalahari making it green. But this area is also great for wildlife but all of it is friendly. There are large crocodiles here and hence the sign.

A view down the river from the lodge.

We were driven from the lodge to the village where we would pick up our canoes or mokoros as they are called locally. They used to be made from ebony trees but are now made out of fibreglass.

There were two people per canoe and a poler pushed us up river. Although I would have preferred to paddle myself, this was very relaxing.

Our path was blocked for a while by some elephants which took their time to cross the channel in front of us but we got very close.

Another view of how close the elephants came to the lead boat.

More pictures of the elephants.

This was where we pulled in to set up camp for the next few nights. It was raining in Angola and the rivers were filling up but the water had not reached the delta yet but in a couple of weeks this area would be under two metres of water.

One of the three baobab trees on our particular island. We used it as a marker so we would never be lost. The ground is flat and open so we could see a long way.

Some of the island had wildfires and the grass is burnt. Not that the path where the grass has been trampled has been left unburnt. But these areas sprout new grass and the zebras like to graze on the new shoots so this is a good place yo spot zebras. They also like these flat open areas as they can see predators form a long way off.

At last we found what we had been promised. A lagoon full of hippos.

 We stayed for an hour waiting to get the right photo. They ae susceptible to sunburn a=from ultraviolet light so stay largely submerged all day and then venture on to land at night to graze.

And there was still plenty of other wildlife to see such as giraffe.

 And more elephants.

And flocks of white pelicans flying home to roost.

 And several wonderful sunsets.