The abundant water in the Okavango’s permanent channels sustains a dense forest of tall trees, which are forced upward in the race for ample sunlight. Little grass survives among the shrubs and creepers in their deep shade. Among the trees in this forest, the sausage tree is notable not only for its pendulous fruit and large, crimson flowers, but also for the fact that traditional mekoro (dugout canoes) are frequently made from its boughs or trunk. The riverine forest is home to prolific birdlife, including the elusive Pel’s fishing owl, and fruit bats are attracted to the abundant fig trees, feeding on the juicy fruit after dark.

Nxabega is situated in an area that boasts a number of permanent river channels that flow throughout the year. The steady water supply creates a distinctive layer of vegetation, with lush beds of tall papyrus, miscanthus grass, evergreen figs and ferns. This is another good birding area. A pair of Pel’s fishing owls are regularly seen near Nxabega, attracted by the large variety of fish found in the channels. Clear lagoons are created where channels open up, dotted with floating rafts of water lilies, water chestnut and other aquatic plants. Families of hippo bask in the open water and Cape clawless otter may be spotted.

Although dry for two thirds of the year, large areas of the Okavango Delta are inundated during the winter months, creating a maze of marshes, small wooded islands and shallow lagoons. Water lilies and other aquatic plants flourish in the shallow water, with water birds such as the wattled crane on the prowl for any of a variety of frog species. The semi-aquatic red lechwe antelope can be spotted around the outskirts of the marsh. When the floodwaters evaporate, these lagoons turn into broad expanses of grassland, where herds of buffalo, tssesebe and blue wildebeest graze.