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Okavango Delta safari planner + clever cheetah moms + Black Friday Okavango special
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From our CEO – Simon Espley
INVITATION
If you’ve journeyed into Africa’s vast wilderness areas, you will recognise the moment when the chatter of life falls away, when peace and contentment permeate your very soul, and a quiet rhythm steadies your own. In that moment, you understand: all is well.
There is one place that amplifies this sense of calm for me – Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Perhaps it has to do with the natural rhythm of an intact flood ecosystem, or the smell of wild sage, the warble of green pigeons secreted somewhere in a riverine forest, or wild dog tracks entombed in cracked mud. Or maybe it’s all of these sensory triggers combined, and more …
A short while ago, I recounted my latest Okavango Delta sojourn and invited you to visit an old-school bush camp in the heart of one of Africa’s best wildlife areas. Well, I am happy to announce that, based on the response, we have pre-purchased a number of nights at this authentic bush camp during the 2026 prime safari season (June to October). Our journey designers are on standby to tailor-make your private Okavango Delta safari.
Finally, DID YOU KNOW that the Okavango Delta’s peak flood arrives from Angola during June to August, the Botswana dry season, when there’s no rain at all? It’s one of the few places on Earth where the land floods after the rainy season has ended. Other examples include the Sudd in South Sudan and the Cuvelai Basin in Angola and Namibia.
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
Did you know that the source of the Zambezi River actually lies high in Angola, far from the thunder and spray we know downstream? Until recently, this region was rarely studied: remote, tricky to reach, but crucial to understanding the rivers that rise there. Most previous research on the Angolan Highlands, known locally as Lisima Lya Mwono (“the source of life”), focused on their role in sustaining the Okavango Delta. But new findings from the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project now highlight their equal importance to the Zambezi system.
The study, which involved one of the first full scientific expeditions along the entire length of the Zambezi River, shows that Angola hosts the Zambezi’s longest tributary, the Lungwebungu River, and contributes roughly 70 % of the water reaching Lake Kariba. Researchers mapped water flow, sampled sediments, and recorded how forests and peatlands store and release water through the seasons. The paper offers new insight into the importance of the Angolan Highlands: what happens here decides the fate of the Okavango Delta, the Zambezi River, the rivers that feed half a continent – and the millions of people and hundreds of ecosystems that depend on them.
This week, we turn our attention to the iconic Okavango Delta, with a guide to planning your Delta adventure, and explore how cheetahs use precise timing to give their cubs the best chance of survival.
Yours in wild adventure,
Did you know? Your African safari choice makes a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level. YOUR African safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
Our stories this week
OKAVANGO DELTA
Plan your Okavango Delta safari: when to go, where to stay and how to experience Botswana’s iconic inland oasis in intimate camps
CLEVER CHEETAHS
New research shows how cheetah mothers time breeding with baby booms of prey, boosting cub survival
Travel Desk – 2 African safari ideas
From desert to delta – 10 days – from US$9,700pps
Journey through three of Botswana’s most iconic landscapes: the arid Central Kalahari, the lush Okavango Delta, and the mighty Chobe River. Enjoy luxurious lodges, fine dining, and seamless service as you follow wildlife from salt pans and desert dunes to glistening lagoons and wide rivers. This safari is shaped by water and the life it sustains.
Southern Africa wild dog safari – 11 days – from US$10,500pps
This unforgettable 11-day journey through Southern Africa, led by expert guides, will take you to all the best spots to see endangered African wild dogs. Visit Hwange, the Okavango Delta, Kwando Reserve, and stop over in Victoria Falls. Experience guided bush walks, game drives and mokoro excursions – all in search of painted wolves.
Still dreaming of the ultimate African safari escape? Browse our safaris ideas here. Or click here to plan your safari.
Black Friday Special Offer
Our safari guests say…
AG safari guest James went on an epic adventure to the Okavango Delta in Botswana:
Great Botswana Adventure. Africa Geographic booked us a terrific Botswana safari. Christian recommended great camps in top wildlife areas away from crowds. AG also organised the logistics of charter flights around the Okavango Delta. They were responsive during the trip whenever we had a question. We will use them again!
WATCH – AFRICAN SAFARI INSPIRATION:
The Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s most remote and wildlife-rich areas. It is renowned for its exceptional predator density, with regular sightings of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and several active and denning wild dog packs. Here’s two minutes of wanderlust to feed the safari itch. (01:49).
Click here to watch
Cover image: A leopard stalks its warthog prey from atop an anthill. Okavango Delta, Botswana. © Tami Walker.
Photographer of the Year 2020 entry
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