About

Echoes of the Okavango is a unique kayak expedition through one of Africa’s most breathtaking and ecologically significant landscapes—the Okavango Delta in Botswana. In Summer 2025, our team will embark on a 300-kilometer journey, paddling through pristine waterways, encountering iconic wildlife, and engaging with local communities.

But this is more than an adventure. It’s a mission to explore, document, and protect the Delta while raising awareness about the urgent impacts of climate change on this fragile ecosystem.

Our Story

In 2023, Jay Frain attended the premier of a new film 'Polers of the Okavango' by Olly Pemberton. Having never heard of, nor seen the delta before, Jay was mesmerised by the beauty of the Okavango and walked away with a dream to one day visit.

A year of wondering later, Jay decided to make his dream a reality. Thus planning for the Echoes of the Okavango expedition began in November 2024.

Our Mission

Our mission is to explore the Okavango Delta by kayak, capturing its natural beauty and unique ecosystem to raise awareness of the urgent impacts of climate change on this critical region.

Through creative storytelling, we will share the Delta's story with the world to deepen understanding of its environmental and cultural significance and inspire action to protect it for future generations. As a dedicated team, we will contribute to citizen science and creative projects to highlight the need to preserve the delta.

Projects

Documentary film

We will be producing a short documentary about the expedition, showcasing the beauty, wildlife, and local voices of the Delta, highlighting the importance of its protection and the effects of climate change.

Photography series

We will curate a photo series that tells the Okavango’s story, sharing it online or other outlets to connect viewers emotionally to its landscapes and challenges.

Interviews with locals

We will be interviewing local residents and conservationists, sharing their perspectives on changes in the Delta due to climate change and how they feel we should tackle it.

Expedition journal

We will be running a journal of our expedition. From the training and preparation to stories and interviews from the field. This journal will tell the story of our expedition.

Citizen Science project

We're looking to undertake a citizen science project whilst we are on expedition, to support the scientists working to protect the delta and capture data where most scientists cannot reach.

Educational workshops and talks

Following the expedition, we'll be hosting workshops and talks to educational institutes, organisations and those with the power to inflict positive change.

The Expedition

The team will take to the waters of the Okavango, starting at the small settlement of Sepapa before undertaking a 300km journey through some of Africa's most remote and untamed landscapes.

The expedition will take 14days of paddling to complete, with regular stops to complete our filming, photography and citizen science projects as well as speaking to the local people about their experiences in the delta.

The Delta is home to Africa’s most iconic wildlife—elephants that roam the floodplains, hippos lurking just below the surface, and a chorus of birds that fill the air at dawn. It’s a place where nature is in charge, where every decision counts, and where we’ll be at the mercy of the land and the elements. We’ll camp on remote islands under a sky alive with stars, wake at first light to continue our journey, and spend the long days paddling hard, moving forward, and pushing ourselves through the heart of this vast wetland.

The Route

Our expedition will take us approximately 300km from the Northen Tip of the Okavango to its Southern base, Maun. The journey is expected to take 14 days of paddling to complete with our added creative and fieldwork projects.

We will begin in Sepupa, kayaking down the Delta’s eastern channels. Along the way, we’ll stop at local settlements to engage with the local population and explore the impact of climate change that they have witnessed.

The delta evolves with each annual flooding, meaning that we’ll be finding our own route - a true adventure. The expedition will end in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta and it's most southerly point.

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