The Okavango Delta (16 000km²) is a wetland wilderness of looping channels edged with tall papyrus. A spectacular oasis rich in wildlife, the Delta is an ever-changing Eden where copper-hued jacanas tiptoe gracefully across lily-lined channels, and the booming bellow of hippos and the haunting call of fish eagles answer the song of reed-frogs. When the grasses mellow to gold, marking the wane of the rainy season, a pantheon of African wildlife is drawn, sometimes in thundering waves, to the perennial water. Sable antelope, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, lion and Africa's monumental wanderers, elephant, drift across the Kalahari sands towards the Delta.

The lounge and dining areas are in the heart of the camp, tucked under a soaring canopy of trees. Shaded decks slung with hammocks afford views across the watery labyrinth and grassland. Sandibe has a shaded swimming pool and well stocked curio shop. The communal areas face into the sunset. The meandering paths of the camp are those used by elephant and wildlife for hundreds of years.

Guided day and night game drives in open Land Rovers allow you to experience both the timeless delight of bird-watching and the awesome sight of great predator kills. Night game drives are especially exciting. We venture out into the night time wilderness and explore the thrilling drama of the nocturnal world. Interpretive bush walks are in the care of a local San (Bushman) guide. This is a rare opportunity to learn traditional bush skills like making rope from the indigenous grasses, how to construct traps, light fires using friction sticks, and how to track animals. In addition to the usual river cruise, you can go on a mokoro (dugout canoe) trip poled by an experienced guide, who shares his knowledge of the environment. Cruising past one of the idyllic floating islands is part of the experience. Back at the lodge, bush breakfasts and elegant bush dinners are delicious highlights. The lodge has a carefully selected collection of wildlife books, magazines and videos for the lazy hours.

The Okavango Delta is a wondrous kaleidoscope of seasonal changes. During the dry winter months from May to September, countless wild animals are drawn to this oasis. The channels start to shrink towards the end of October before the cycle starts again with the summer rains. The rainy season usually ends in March. Rainfall: The northern areas receive up to 700mm while the Kalahari Desert area averages as low as 225mm. The average annual inflow of water into the Delta has been estimated at some 11 000 million m³, and this is augmented by some 5 000 million m³ of local rainfall. The rain falls from about October to March.

In August, the Okavango is at its most impressive, as the floodwaters from the summer rains in the highlands of Angola have seeped through the channels and the champagne-coloured water is at its deepest. The rainwater from the Angolan Highlands seeps through the vast network of narrow waterways, lagoons and broad expanses of the Delta. Over 90% of this water evaporates, but not before it has brought life and sustenance to the wildlife and people of the Okavango. Temperature: The Okavango is semi-arid with hot, humid summers. Summers, from October to April, are very hot, humid and wet. Temperatures can rise to over 40ºC/104ºF and usually drop to 25ºC/77ºF at night. Winters, from May to September, are dry and cool - the nights can be chilly.