The seasonal flooding of the Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s most distinctive hydrological phenomena (this phenomena is behind the Delta’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site). Unlike most floodplains, the Delta’s waters do not originate locally but arrive from the Angolan Highlands, where summer rains fall between November and March. These rains feed the Cubango and Cuito Rivers, which combine to form the Okavango River and begin a slow, gravity-driven journey of more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) southward. Because the Delta is an inland basin with no outlet to the sea, the water spreads outward across a vast fan of channels, lagoons, and floodplains, with much of it ultimately lost to evaporation and transpiration rather than runoff.

The timing of the flood is counter-intuitive. Although rainfall peaks in Angola during the southern summer (Nov-Mar), the floodwaters typically reach the upper Delta in April and progress south and west through May, June, and July, often peaking in August. This delay is due to the extremely gentle gradient of the river system and the absorptive capacity of the Delta’s sands and vegetation. As the dry season tightens its grip on Botswana, the Delta paradoxically becomes wetter, transforming arid grasslands into a mosaic of navigable waterways precisely when surrounding regions are at their driest.

For wildlife, this seasonal inundation is the engine that drives abundance and movement. As waters rise, fish populations explode in newly flooded areas, attracting birds in extraordinary numbers, from herons and storks to African fish eagles. Large mammals respond dynamically: elephants, buffalo, red lechwe, and sitatunga concentrate along flood edges where grazing is lush and permanent water is assured, while predators such as lions and wild dogs exploit these predictable movements. The flood effectively redistributes life across the Delta, creating shifting zones of productivity that sustain one of Africa’s richest wetland ecosystems.

For visitors, the flood cycle profoundly shapes the experience, and April–May offers particular advantages. This period marks the early arrival of the waters, when channels begin to open but the landscape remains vividly green from the recent rains. Wildlife is widely dispersed and in excellent condition, birdlife is at its most diverse with both resident and late-departing migrants present, and temperatures are more moderate than in the deep winter months. Importantly, visitor numbers are typically lower than during the peak June–August season, allowing for a more tranquil, exploratory experience that combines early mokoro access with outstanding photographic light, fresh vegetation, and a palpable sense of seasonal transition within the Delta.

CNH Tours has partnered with Dr. Karen Ross, a 30 year Okavango Delta wildlife conservation veteran, to design the ideal trip to this region.  Karen was instrumental in assembling the nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status, and has been called the “Champion of the Okavango” by the National Geographic magazine.  Karen has been leading our tours since we first started offering them in 2022.  We run one or two trips a year to this magnificent part of the world - get all the information here.  

Are you interested in joining us on this trip?
Our Okavango-Kalahari trips tend sell out quite quickly.  If you would like to be among the first to be informed when we publish the details of our upcoming trips and open them up for bookings, sign up to our "keep me posted" list.   

 

 

Cultural & Natural Heritage Tours - Chart Your Path to Wonder

www.cnhtours.com

Galapagos / The Arctic / Antarctica / Okavango / Madagascar / Easter Island / Pantanal... and more!

 

 Contact us for more information

 

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETERS FOR UPDATES ON TRIPS AND OCCASIONAL DEALS