Africa

From the haunting beauty of the harsh dry deserts to the emerald green bushes that hug the banks of its life-giving rivers, the startling diversity of natural habitats and resultant variety of wildlife has ensured that Botswana remains one of Africa's premier safari destinations.

The greatest of all Botswana's natural wonders is the Okavango Delta. Over one thousand kilometres away in central Angola, the Kavango River starts its incredible journey towards Botswana and, owing to the earth's fault lines, is unable to reach the sea.

After flowing down the 'panhandle' it hits the sands of the Kalahari Desert, transforming them into a unique world of palm-fringed islands, myriad lagoons and water channels lined with wafting papyrus grass. Seated in your mokoro you glide through these glassy waters filled with golden reeds and flowering water lilies and marvel at the profusion of life.

Further south the Makgadikgadi region and its great salt pans, once part of southern Africa's ancient 'super-lake', reveal a unique and fascinating ecosystem. Within its dry and dusty midst can be found some intriguing wildlife as well as the scattered tools and other remnants of a forgotten people. Summer rains bring about one of the most startling natural transformations as this shimmering mirage of semi-desert bursts into life with migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra converging on the fresh green grass and pink clouds of flamingoes constructing their nests.