Okavango

Maun is the gateway to the delta, home to much wildlife and therefore a big draw for tourists. One can do a makoro tour in a canoe or take a flight over the vast area where the river spills across the landscape. A group of us did the latter as the sun set a few days ago. This scenic birds-eye view entails a trip to the local airstrip. Here is David at the entry before we hop on the seven-seat plane.

It is an Aussie aircraft that cruises above the delta at a low altitude. Below, Kim enters the co-pilot's seat.

The pilot follows a route north from the town of Maun, passing over shrubs, grassland and wetland. 

Within a few minutes, the delta view becomes clear. It extends as far as one can see. There are elephants, giraffes, lechwe, and many animals below. They appear microscopic and yet they are visible in their habitat.

The river's course shapes the land. As you can see, it meanders through the flat and fans out. From satellite images, it is impressive as it gives the scale of this natural wonder of the world.

After forty-five minutes of aerial surveying, we return to the settled area of Maun. It is a trading centre amid the vast, dry deserts and savannahs of Botswana, a sparsely populated country.