The Okavango River
The Okavango River is a river in southwest Africa. It is the fourth-longest river system in southern Africa. The Okavango River, which gives birth to the delta after a journey of 1,000 miles, rises from the highlands of central Angola. It begins life as the Cubango River, then southern bound flows along the Angola-Namibian border, and eventually cuts across Namibia’s Caprivi Strip before finally crossing into Botswana. At each border crossing, the river acquires a new name; it is Cubango in Angola, Kuvango in Namibia and Okavango after it crosses into Botswana.
As the summer rains end with April, winter sets in; the Okavango has never known better days. The heat of the day subsides and the nights are cooler. The waters lethargically flow, finding new paths and enhancing old ones, totally changing the delta’s landscape. The clear waters reflect the sky and the bayou are covered with water lilies. The birds, grasshoppers, beetles and numerous insects are all ready to share in the profusion of the delta, humming away the day as nature’s music. Blue and green are the colors of the delta; the beauty is breathtaking from the air. It is now about 4 months since the floods entered Botswana.The waters teem with crocodiles, which appear to enjoy the delta’s best views from the clear waters. The vegetation is lush and the southern games have come to the delta in their great numbers. There is plenty for all and the Okavango basin flourishes in wild game, bird life and aquatic life. The lowlands have recorded over 450 bird species, over 250 different species of fish and reptiles, and an outstanding variety of almost every kind of African wild mammal.
