We wake up and get fed a truly delicious breakfast before walking back over to the port, we have another day in this amazing Okavongo Delta. Today our single activity is in the morning, so soon enough we head out to the dock, get back in the boats and hit the bird infested waters. I’m once again struck by the beauty of the delta, and the birds within it.

Jake on our motorboat takes us to the drop off point where we meet out local pole men who will take us to some islands a bit deeper into the delta using mokoros, the local Botswanan canoe made of wood and used to navigate this unique ecosystem.  I manage to get one on my own with my poler making it easier to take photos of these beautiful waterways.

The polling isn’t especially quick especially once we enter the smaller canals that are literally made by hippos and elephants, forcing there way through the papyrus and soft ground and leaving openings for the water to enter in their wake. It’s cool to imagine them making these fairly narrow passages in the landscape.

The water lillies are incredible and with just one person in the mokoro I’m one of the first to land on the island and I take advantage of this by snapping pictures of everyone arriving after me.

On the island a few of the select poler’s take us on a guided walk around this big island, where Elephants often roam, if you believe them. To be fair there is some very old elephant poop but no big animals to be scene here and once again I wish we’d gone deeper into the delta.  Still for what we don’t see in animal life we get in information about the trees,giant termite nests that maintain the fragile ecosystem of the delta, and even some other insect that dwell on these little patches of land.

The polers give us lunch on the island then around 1230 say it’s time to head back to the hotel. We we’re told 3 pm but when they say the other option is to sit here in the heat doing nothing we all agree to go back, at least on the water we might see some stuff.  The pollers do make some pretty flowers from the water plants for all the ladies, and somehow I acquire one.

Back with Jake on the motorboat we start to see a lot more birds again as we head back towards the hotel.  As we motor through the Delta  a pair of giant fish eagles soar above us, and the sound of our motor sadly disturbs all the beautiful birds nestled in the thick groves of papyrus. One thing I will say is it makes for some great pictures.

As we pass by another fish eagle perched on a tree top to a left, our attention is pulled away by a truly massive croc in the water right near the shore.  We’re on the first boat and so get there fast in time to capture some cool photos and videos of this prehistoric like beast moving around and taking a good long look at us, which is creepy.

As the crocodile disappears we head back to the hotel only to be greeted by a huge group of velvet monkeys in the trees overhanding the water beside another hotel that doesn’t seem to mind a small group of photographers using there boardwalk to better capture these beautiful black faced monkeys.

As I follow the monkeys around I catch sight of a brilliant orange bird perched fairly close to the monkeys.  It’s beautiful but can’t compare to the capering und utter humanness of the white and black creatures.  Like anywhere else in the world, monkeys are just way too much fun.

We head back to the hotel grounds and hang out for a while. I read in the tent before hearing a commotion and coming out, the monkeys have decided to come and join us and lots of us spend the next 90 minutes or so watching them play in the trees above us.  It’s pretty fun to spend time with this creatures who are wild yet still playful throwing some things from the trees but never coming too close to us.

It’s been another great day in the delta but again an activity from 830 until 1 just doesn’t feel like enough when we’re in such a beautiful place in the world and this is probably my biggest qualm with the nomads tour, although a few more certainly exist. They weren’t bad and there staff is all excellent, but If I we’re to do this trip again I’d likely try out another company.  Still the Delta was incredible, and I’m lucky to have seen even the edge of it.  I go to sleep just after a late dinner, as tomorrow well be on the way again, crossing into Namibia, then back into Botswana on route to Chobe National Prk.