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Botswana is a country of contrasts and many highlights, and there are many facets to the country, from desert to delta and from lush floodplains to arid savannah.Botswana is a place that will leave an indelible mark on all who visit - and waxing lyrical seems to be the obvious way to describe this unique safari destination but sometimes it is sufficient just to note the highlights of each place in the country.

Rivers and Deltas

Botswana is a country with many rivers that lead away from other rivers such as the Savuti that flows from the Linyanti and the Khwai that is an overflow of the Okavango Delta. The Selinda Spillway is the course that joins the Okavango to the Linyanti.

The floodwaters arrive on the floodplains of the Okavango Delta during the dry winter months when the vegetation is dry. The channels fill before the water oozes onto the floodplains creating patterns of extraordinary beauty that change by the day.

The areas of permanent delta are a kaleidoscope of patterns and colours of green and brown. Papyrus beds and islands dot the landscape.

Water is Life in Botswana

During the dry winter months there is a concentration of wildlife at areas of permanent water such as the Chobe River in the north. The bush is dry and brown and this is dramatically illustrated in the file of an elephant herd heading to or from the water.

The rainy season sees a dispersal of animals from the permanent water into the vast wilderness of Botswana. The pans have filled up and the vegetation has had a chance to recover. When the pans start drying up the exodus back to the permanent water takes place again. Game trails linking the pans are poignant reminders of the search for water in the struggle for survival.

Water is precious in the dry wilderness areas of northern Botswana and clouds lying on the horizon are a powerful symbol of a promise fulfilled or waiting for fulfillment.

Fire and Man in Paradise

Fire plays an important role in the cycle of the delta ensuring regeneration of the plant species. Man however, has begun to carve his initials on the landscape of the delta for material gain. The patterns of man are clearly visible.