The Okavango Delta is a captivating blend of waterways, lagoons, floodplains and islands teeming with diverse wildlife.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this unique inland delta is by a complex system of rain from Angola, flowing into the delta by way of the Okavango River, and other tributaries which follow the remaining 1,000km of the Great Rift Valley and Fault. Due to the shifting tectonic plates along this fault, the rivers no longer follow their original paths to either the Atlantic or Indian Ocean and, instead, have created this unique water system which 'empties' into the Kalahari desert. Even today, the constantly shifting tectonic plates cause yearly changes in the flow of water direction and water levels and, from one year to the next, a previously arid and desert-like area can experience flooding and with it a complete change in wildlife habitat.

Along the thousands of kilometres of waterways, hippos and crocodiles thrive and the skies are filled with a vast variety of birds in huge abundance. Exploring the waterways is either by traditional mokoro (dug-out canoe) safaris for a close encounter with nature, or with larger metal-hulled power boats which can access the far reaches of the delta.

A top tip of ours is a visit to the Okavango panhandle where, irrespective of season, the waterways and main river run much deeper than in the delta, are full all year round and where bird- and all river-life is at its most abundant and diverse.

A further tip is a visit to Tsodilo Hills to the west of the panhandle, where 3 towering hills break out of the otherwise flat Botswana landscape and where some of the oldest human habitations have been found, along with an abundance of rock art said to date back as far as 100,000 years.

The delta's diverse topography shifts from permanent swamps and lagoons (the wet Okavango) to seasonally flooded grasslands (mixed) and wooded islands, supporting a rich biodiversity. Some areas in the Delta are considered 'dry', where sparse water locations make for great wildlife spotting - as animals are always drawn to a water source.

November to March is the Green Season (paradoxically, this is when the water levels can be at their lowest), and is a paradise season for birds and bird lovers, while the Dry Season lasts from April to October, and is the high season for game and wildlife viewing.