Echoes of the Okavango: An Expedition Through the Okavango Delta
- Jay Frain
- Aug 6
- 5 min read
Last month, the Echoes of the Okavango team set off on an expedition to kayak across one of the few true wildernesses left on Earth: the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Our mission was to capture and share the story of this landscape; its beauty, fragility, and the people who depend on it - in a time of rising threat from climate change.
The Journey Over the course of a fortnight, the team kayaked some 400km across the length of the Okavango Delta.
Sepopa marked the start point of our expedition, following the Cubango River for a short while before entering the iconic flood plains of the Okavango Delta.
Our main focal point was the Boro River, a system of channels that stretch across the South Eastern side of the Delta. The environment changed constantly, from wide open channels through endless plains of papyrus, to lagoons of reeds so enclosed you were essentially dragging yourself through.
Each day brought something new. Mornings filled with birdsong, long paddles through untouched oasis followed by nights by the fire, looking up at the billions of stars overhead. It was hard to believe that this perfect sanctuary really does exist, in a timeline of pinch-yourself moments.
Wild Encounters
The beauty of choosing the kayak as our means of travel is how connected you feel to the environment. You get an overwhelming feeling that the wild is watching you. We are the intruder in this situation after all.
We had some unforgettable encounters - face to face with Elephants, elegantly grazing just meters from our bows, Zebra darting across the channel ahead of us, crocodiles sunbathing by the waters edge.
Nights were spent listening to the symphony of wildlife, frogs and occasional lion as we slowly slipped to sleep in our tents.
One creature that overshadowed the rest, hippos. Ever present, they kept the team on edge as we silently paddled past pods in excess of 60 strong. A few close encounters in the first week gave us a healthy awareness of their capabilities, but it was Day 8 that we truly came to understand their power - and unpredictability.
Whilst paddling through a fairly wide channel, a hippo charged the team, right in the middle of the group - and between our two safety boats. Everyone hunkered down to push past this rather grumpy hippo as it sporadically breached the water around us. You could sense it's sheer size, some 3 tonnes of muscle cutting effortlessly through the water.
It took a jab at our Lead Guide John, only missing him by a foot before returning to the murky waters for a suspiciously long time. Having gotten stuck in a collection of algae which felt like paddling through concrete, I got separated from the group who were now running to shore for protection.
In a split second, the hippo made a thunderous return - this time beneath my kayak and sending me flying into the air above. I soon found myself upside-down, underwater with a rampaging hippo. After a brief moment of accepting my fate, I decided it was best to attempt an escape. A few minutes later, we reunited on dry land, shaken but largely unharmed - and one hell of a story to tell upon returning home.
We were surrounded on all sides by wildlife. Walk out of camp for more than a few meters and you'd find an elephant grazing on the bushes around our privy, hippos bathing by our kayaks and baboons eyeing up our leftovers.
It was beautiful. It was humbling. It reminded us why this place matters so much. Not just as a habitat, but as a living, breathing system full of majestic wildlife.
Meeting the people of the Okavango
Equally powerful were the connections we built along the way - with the local communities, elders, farmers and polers who depend on the waters for their lives. We were reminded again and again that this is not just a conservation issue - it's a human one.
These communities rely on tourism as their primary income, incentivising them to protect the Delta - only taking what they need, and control those that threaten it's well-being. They share jobs between the people, to ensure everyone gets a fair share of work.
Despite tourism's boost to the local communities, most are still living in extreme poverty. Education, healthcare and clean water are a new concept, accessibility to such still being a major roadblock to most.
"Water is life. Without it, there is nothing". - Gee, our Expedition Guide.
What's clear is that life revolves around Water in the Okavango. Towards the end of our expedition, we visited the village of Boro. For the past three years, the annual floods have not reached this settlement, meaning that the whole community was forced to disband and leave the village abandoned.
Now that the water has returned this year, many of the locals have returned and are starting to rebuild. This creates a new problem - could this season be a fluke? Will the water return next year, or will they be forced to abandon their homes yet again?
Despite this, the people of Botswana are some of the most welcoming and loving that we've come across. Every person we met was genuinely pleased to see us - inviting us into their communities and homes to share their stories. Their hospitality will stay with us all.
Why it matters The Okavango Delta is one of the most pristine wildernesses on Earth, but it's a fragile ecosystem that is constantly under-threat from upstream development, water pollution and climate change. What happens here affects not just the wildlife, but the thousands of people that rely on it.
Our mission feeds into broader conservation efforts, like those of the Okavango Wilderness Project, to collect data, build partnerships, and advocate for long-term protection.
What's next?
Our expedition may be over, but the work is only just beginning. In the coming months, we'll be sharing:
A documentary film of our expedition
Photos and stories of the Delta
Scientific insights from this years biodiversity and water data
Creative outputs from our storytelling and community engagement
And more importantly, we’re building toward lasting impact - through partnerships, education, and advocacy.
Final thoughts
Echoes of the Okavango wasn’t just a title. It became our guiding metaphor. Our experiences of the Delta; breathtaking wildlife, welcoming communities and stunning sunsets will stay with us forever.
And we hope it stays with you, too.
The Okavango Delta is more than a destination. It’s a living story. One that deserves to be heard, protected, and passed on.
Follow our journey: - Subscribe to our newsletter - Follow us on Instagram @OkavangoEchoes - Film coming soon!
Photography by Kacper Kordian.
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