Mokoro Riding in the Okavango Delta – Written by Aditya Shah

The Okavango Delta forms seasonally as the mighty Okavango River flows into the flat, parched and barren landscape of the Kalahari desert basin. Approximately 11 cubic kilometres of water flow in between March and June, creating a profusion of waterways and canals interspersed by papyrus islands, woodlands, swamps and termite mounds stretching over 15,000 to 22,000 square kilometres. All this abundance creates one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa, including, crocodiles, elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos and leopards, not to mention hundreds of species of birdlife.

I explored these stunning backwater channels in a “Mokoro”, a local dug-out canoe carved out of the local ebony, sausage and mangosteen hardwood trees (recently many operators have adopted fibreglass mokoros for ecological reasons). It is a long, narrow and hollow vessel, some 15 feet in length and propelled from the stern using a long wooden pole, in a manner similar to punting. Its beauty lies in its smooth, silent and stealthy locomotion, which immerses you in the peace and tranquillity of the Delta without any sounds of the outside world invading the privacy of a long-awaited appointment with nature.

Mokoros are especially difficult to balance, vulnerable to hippo attacks and can easily tip over, so you are advised to sit super silent, not make any sudden movements and carry a dry bag for your electronics just in case you do get wet (though if you do fall in the water tastes and is surprisingly sweet and fresh). They do however get you exceptionally close to some of the wildlife and we were lucky to spot and paddle up to 2 feet away from several baby crocodiles, perching precariously on fallen papyrus reeds and warming themselves in the morning sun. Hippos being territorial are quite easily aggravated and threatened, so, unfortunately, we could not get close enough to them for a good photo but observed them from a distance, surfacing and splashing away in their natural jacuzzis.

The highlight excursion of the Delta is a scenic low-level flight in a small 5-seater plane, which gives you an unparalleled bird’s eye view of this vast expanse, very different from a mokoro. Taking in the majesty of this blue and green marsh of wetland wilderness is spectacularly mind-numbing and it is not unusual for passengers to fall silent and even stop taking photos as they sit mesmerized, freezing the moment forever in their mind’s eye. The flights are popular so it is recommended to book in advance to fully experience this jewel of Botswana, the Okavango Delta.