Most major rivers eventually reach an ocean or sea.
But one of Africa’s great rivers does something very different.
The Okavango River flows for around 1,500 kilometres through southern Africa. Yet it never reaches the sea.
Instead, its water spreads across northern Botswana and creates the spectacular Okavango Delta.
Where does the Okavango River go?
The Okavango River system begins in the highlands of Angola.
Water then flows south towards Namibia before eventually entering Botswana.
However, there is no ocean waiting at the end.
Instead, the river spreads into a huge network of channels, wetlands, floodplains and islands.
The water eventually drains into the sands of the Kalahari Basin.
UNESCO describes the Okavango Delta as one of the world’s few major inland delta systems with no outlet to a sea or ocean.
A huge wetland surrounded by dry land
The result is one of Africa’s most unusual landscapes.
The Okavango brings large amounts of water into an otherwise dry region.
Even more surprisingly, its annual flood reaches the delta during Botswana’s dry season.
This creates a striking contrast between wetlands and the surrounding Kalahari landscape.
The water supports permanent marshes as well as vast areas of seasonally flooded grassland.
Wildlife depends on the water
The Okavango Delta supports an extraordinary variety of wildlife.
Elephants, lions, African wild dogs, rhinos and many other species can be found within its ecosystem.
The seasonal arrival of water also plays an important role in the life cycles of plants and animals.
This natural system helped earn the Okavango Delta a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.
A river with no ocean
The Okavango River crosses parts of Angola, Namibia and Botswana before reaching its unusual destination.
There is no coastline and no river mouth opening into the ocean.
Instead, its water transforms part of the Kalahari into an enormous inland wetland.
So while most great rivers continue towards the sea, the Okavango ends its journey in the heart of southern Africa.