In the lower reaches of the Okavango delta, the paddling is gentle and peaceful. The flow is steady and mostly follows narrow reed-lined waterways but also emerges randomly from the reeds to skew your kayak in unexpected directions. Because you are travelling ‘low’ you see the animals that come close to the reed’s edge: fish eagles, with striking and highly visible black and white plumage, perched in vantage points to spy their meal; glowing chestnut-coloured jacanas treading with splayed feet across lily pads; and elephants with trunks upturned to smell the air and taste the approaching paddlers. What is not possible to see are the crocodiles and hippos that are plentiful and move unseen below the water’s surface. At times, some reverse paddling was required to create more distance from a surfacing hippo but with an experienced guide and follow-up boat our 3 days on the Okavango delta did not prove to be a dangerous experience. Would love to do the 10 day trip at some stage in the future.