Exploring the Wildlife of Botswana’s Okavango Delta by Canoe and Boat

Also known as the ‘Jewel of the Kalahari’, the Okavango Delta in Botswana is a majestic wetland wilderness. Attracting a plethora of wildlife and bird species, this life-giving region consists of a sprawling network of waterways and islands.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Delta is perhaps best explored by traditional mokoro (dug-out canoe) and motorised boat, giving you access to narrow channels and the chance to view wildlife from the water.

The best time to visit the Delta for a water-based safari is from June to August, once the annual floods have brought all the water into the area from the Angolan highlands.

Navigating the Okavango Delta by Mokoro

Traditionally, mokoros were carved from ebony trees, but nowadays, they’re made from environmentally-friendly fiberglass. On a mokoro safari, your guide stands at the back of the canoe and steers you along with a long pole called a ngashi.

Cruising along barely above water level, you’ll have the opportunity to silently make your way through narrow channels and see a variety of wildlife, birdlife, and flora, such as the rare sitatunga antelope, red lechwe, hippos, elephants, and crocodiles. 

Mokoro guides have been doing this since childhood and are walking maps of the waterways. They’ll point out unique flora and tiny colourful frogs – the kind of things you’d never see on a jeep safari.

Mokoro tours are excellent for wildlife photographers who want to capture images of wildlife from a different perspective and against the most phenomenal backdrops. An Okavango Delta safari is not to be missed.

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Touring the Okavango Delta by Motorboat

While a water-based safari on a motorboat won’t be able to take you into the Delta’s narrowest and shallowest channels, it’s still an amazing experience.

You’ll be able to safely navigate hippo and crocodile infested waters, hop onto small islands for short walking safaris, and gaze in awe at the wide variety of wildlife that comes down to the waters to drink and cool off. 

The unique perspectives offered by a boating safari are great for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers and you’ll get to see a wide range of wildlife on the banks of the Delta. If you’re on a boating safari at the right time of day, you’ll get to witness the most mesmerising sunset too.