About Okavango Panhandle

© Kabbo house boat, your accommodation on the Okavango river

An aerial view of the Okavango Delta will resemble a pan shaped figure. At its base, the Panhandle as it has become known is the main watercourse for the Delta - the Okavango River.

The Okavango Delta in Botswana has gained a certain prestige and exclusivity as a travel destination. It provides the luxurious safari experience and as it is dotted by exclusive lodges that provide excellent accommodation.

If the Okavango Delta is the destination of the privileged few who can afford to fly-in to these luxurious safari lodges, then the Panhandle offers a more equalitarian alternative. Here you'll find the raw edge of Botswana's safari industry, camps on the edge of the Delta run by the local owners or communities. This destination provides the Okavango Delta's original safari experience.

Origin of the Okavango Panhandle

An aerial view Look of the Okavango Delta will point to the shape of a frying pan, with the main river flowing down the handle, from the northwest. This is how the name 'Panhandle' originated.

Geology and Geography

Even though the Okavango Delta and the Panhandle region is situated on the Kalahari Desert, the landscape and environment of this destination is mostly shaped by the presence of the Okavango river. This river flows in a southerly direction from Angola and then crossing Namibia's Caprivi Strip to flow into Botswana.

In the Panhandle, steep riverbanks on either side prevent the Okavango from spreading out as the river's gradient is very low. The river meanders toward the southeast between parallel fault lines beneath the earth's crust. It moves further while forming broad curves lagoon within the riverbanks.

by Simon Bloomhill

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