Okavango Delta

 Botswana
S19 16 60 E22 53 60
Date of Inscription: 2014
Criteria: (vii)(ix)(x)
Property : 2,023,590 ha
Buffer zone: 2,286,630 ha
Ref: 1432
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• Botswana
• BW – Okavango Delta

This delta in north-west Botswana comprises permanent marshlands and seasonally flooded plains. It is one of the very few major interior delta systems that do not flow into a sea or ocean, with a wetland system that is almost intact. One of the unique characteristics of the site is that the annual flooding from the River Okavango occurs during the dry season, with the result that the native plants and animals have synchronized their biological cycles with these seasonal rains and floods. It is an exceptional example of the interaction between climatic, hydrological and biological processes. The Okavango Delta is home to some of the world’s most endangered species of large mammal, such as the cheetah, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, African wild dog and lion.

The Okavango Delta is a large low gradient alluvial fan or ‘Inland Delta’ located in north-western Botswana. The area includes permanent swamps which cover approximately 600,000 ha along with up to 1.2m ha of seasonally flooded grassland. The inscribed World Heritage property encompasses an area of 2,023,590 ha with a buffer zone of 2,286,630 ha. The Okavango Delta is one of a very few large inland delta systems without an outlet to the sea, known as an endorheic delta, its waters drain instead into the desert sands of the Kalahari Basin. It is Africa’s third largest alluvial fan and the continent’s largest endorheic delta. Furthermore it is in a near pristine state being a largely untransformed wetland system. The biota has uniquely adapted their growth and reproductive behaviour, particularly the flooded grassland biota, to be timed with the arrival of floodwater in the dry, winter season of Botswana.

The geology of the area, a part of the African Rift Valley System, has resulted in the ‘capture’ of the Okavango River that has formed the Delta and its extensive waterways, swamps, flooded grasslands and floodplains. The Okavango River, at 1,500kms, is the third largest in southern Africa. The Delta’s dynamic geomorphological history has a major effect on the hydrology, determining water flow direction, inundation and dehydration of large areas within the Delta system. The site is an outstanding example of the interplay between climatic, geomorphological, hydrological, and biological processes that drive and shape the system and of the manner in which the Okavango Delta’s plants and animals have adapted their lifecycles to the annual cycle of rains and flooding. Subsurface precipitation of calcite and amorphous silica is an important process in creating islands and habitat gradients that support diverse terrestrial and aquatic biota within a wide range of ecological niches.

Criterion (vii): Permanent crystal clear waters and dissolved nutrients transform the otherwise dry Kalahari Desert habitat into a scenic landscape of exceptional and rare beauty, and sustain an ecosystem of remarkable habitat and species diversity, thereby maintaining its ecological resilience and amazing natural phenomena. The annual flood-tide, which pulses through the wetland system every year, revitalizes ecosystems and is a critical life-force during the peak of the Botswana’s dry season (June/July). The Okavango Delta World Heritage property displays an extraordinary juxtaposition of a vibrant wetland in an arid landscape and the miraculous transformation of huge sandy, dry and brown depressions by winter season floods triggers spectacular wildlife displays: large herds of African Elephant, Buffalo, Red Lechwe, Zebra and other large animals splashing, playing, and drinking the clear waters of the Okavango having survived the dry autumn season or their weeks’ long migration across the Kalahari Desert.

Criterion (ix): The Okavango Delta World Heritage property is an outstanding example of the complexity, inter-dependence and interplay of climatic, geo-morphological, hydrological, and biological processes. The continuous transformation of geomorphic features such as islands, channels, river banks, flood plains, oxbow lakes and lagoons in turn influences the abiotic and biotic dynamics of the Delta including dryland grasslands and woodland habitats. The property exemplifies a number of ecological processes related to flood inundation, channelization, nutrient cycling and the associated biological processes of breeding, growth, migration, colonization and plant succession. These ecological processes provide a scientific benchmark to compare similar and human-impacted systems elsewhere and give insight into the long-term evolution of such wetland systems.

Criterion (x): The Okavango Delta World Heritage property sustains robust populations of some of the world’s most endangered large mammals such as Cheetah, white and black Rhinoceros, Wild Dog and Lion, all adapted to living in this wetland system. The Delta’s habitats are species rich with 1061 plants (belonging to 134 families and 530 genera), 89 fish, 64 reptiles, 482 species of birds and 130 species of mammals. The natural habitats of the nominated area are diverse and include permanent and seasonal rivers and lagoons, permanent swamps, seasonal and occasionally flooded grasslands, riparian forest, dry deciduous woodlands, and island communities. Each of these habitats has a distinct species composition comprising all the major classes of aquatic organisms, reptiles, birds and mammals. The Okavango Delta is further recognized as an Important Bird Area, harbouring 24 species of globally threatened birds, including among others, six species of Vulture, the Southern Ground-Hornbill, Wattled Crane and Slaty Egret. Thirty-three species of water birds occur in the Okavango Delta in numbers that exceed 0.5% of their global or regional population. Finally Botswana supports the world’s largest population of elephants, numbering around 130,000: the Okavango Delta is the core area for this species’ survival.

Suggested Bases:

Maun is an important village (with town status pending) in Botswana, and major gateway to the Okavango Delta. Maun Education Park is easy walking distance from downtown and well worth 2 to 3 hours either early morning or late afternoon. It is the hidden jewel of Maun – with over 10 giraffes, wildebeest, kudu, impala, zebras, lechwe, warthogs and great birding. Nhabe Museum has regular exhibitions and friendly staff to answer your questions or give advice. Don’t miss their gift shop. There is an ancient bridge that is supported by living trees in Matlapaneng,on your way to Moremi Game Reserve. The bridge is in a poor state and you might be the last to see it. There are several small operators on or near the Maun airport. They provide a combination of transfers of tourists between Maun and safari camps in the Okavango, plus sightseeing flights, plus charter flights to other points. They mostly fly small, piston-engine propeller planes carrying three to 10 passengers (Cessna 206, Cessna 210, Cessna 172, and the like) [read more].

Shakawe is a village located in the northwest corner of Botswana at the beginning of the Okavango Delta, close to Namibia and Angola. Shakawe is awakening from its former status as a sleepy little outpost on the Okavango. For travellers, Shakawe means a Botswana entry or exit stamp or a staging post for a visit to the Tsodilo Hills, 40 km away. For Southern African holiday-makers, it is most often the start of a fishing trip in the Okavango Panhandle. It also provides access to the Caprivi Strip. The village is served by Shakawe Airport. It is the gateway to the northern part of the Okavango Delta and the Linyanti area. Direct charter flights are operated to the aerodrome, with the main airline in the area being AirShakawe. Flight is the most efficient form of transport in the area. Travel by road is slow. Tarred roads have been constructed but have deteriorated over time due to under-maintenance [read more].

Kasane is a city in the Okavango-Chobe region, the northeast corner of Botswana. Set on the south bank of the Chobe River, it faces Namibia’s Caprivi Strip to the north. Zimbabwe and Zambia lie nearby. Kasane is a tourist hub, a jumping-off point for the Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls. See: Game drives in the Chobe National Park just to the west. It seems like every lodge offers game drives, so there are many to choose from. They typically last three hours to all day. There is a fee to enter the park, which may be included in the game drive fee. Self-drive game drives are also possible. Be sure you have a proper 4×4 vehicle, proper gear, enough water and fuel, and campsite reservations for the park. Chobe river cruises. These are offered by many operators, likely including your lodge. They typically are 3 hours long, from about 3PM – 6PM, through the sunset [read more].