Okavango Delta Mokoro Canoe Tour: Wildlife & Waterways

Eight hours poling through channels where elephants wade and birds nest in papyrus.

A full-day mokoro tour in the Okavango Delta from Maun combines paddling a traditional canoe through waterways with guided walks on islands, led by a local poler who knows the wildlife and the delta's ecology. Morning pickup from your accommodation, breakfast at the mokoro station, and lunch on an island are all included, along with park fees and refreshments. The day ends with return transport by mid-afternoon.

The experience

The day starts with pickup between 6 and 7 in the morning from your Maun hotel, then a transfer to Ditshiping Mokoro Station where breakfast waits: cereal, yogurt, muffins, coffee and tea. From there you step into a fiberglass mokoro, a shallow-draft canoe that lets you glide through channels too narrow and shallow for motorboats. Your poler, assigned from the local community, propels the mokoro by pole and reads the water the way someone else reads a map. The work takes about an hour and a half to reach the first island.

Once on the island you choose the order: lunch first or a bushwalk first. The walk is unguided in the formal sense (your poler stays with you and shares what they know of the plants, animals and delta rhythms), but it is not a marked trail. After eating and resting you continue exploring, free to ask the poler to stop at other islands if something catches your eye. The channels branch constantly, and the delta has no single "route". The day unfolds by what you want to see and what the poler knows is nearby. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed, but the delta holds elephants, buffalo, hippos, birds and smaller animals year-round, and the water itself (papyrus channels, lily pads, the slow current) is the landscape you came for.

The excursion wraps between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, and you return to Maun by vehicle. Bottled water, fruit, sweets and snacks travel with you all day. The guide speaks English and the tour suits all fitness levels, though the mokoro requires you to sit still for stretches and the island walks are on uneven ground. Children from age 6 are welcome.

What’s included

• Morning and afternoon hotel transfers from Maun.
• breakfast at the mokoro station.
• lunch on an island.
• bottled water, fruit and snacks throughout the day.
• all park entry fees and taxes.
• a local poler guide who speaks English and shares knowledge of the delta's wildlife and ecology.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

AgesAdult (22 and older) · Youth (16 to 21 years) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 6 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Open Sands Safari (Okavango Delta Safari experiences)

Is this one for you?This tour works best for travelers who want to move slowly through the delta and don't mind sitting in a canoe for stretches. The mokoro's silence and shallow draft reach wildlife and waterways a speedboat cannot, but the pace is deliberate and the day is long.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (16 to 21 years); Child (6 to 15 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is a mokoro and how does it move through the delta?

A mokoro is a traditional canoe made of fiberglass, propelled by a poler who stands at the stern and pushes against the riverbed with a long pole. It sits low in the water and moves silently through shallow channels where motorboats cannot go, letting you drift close to wildlife and vegetation without engine noise.

How much of the day do I spend in the mokoro versus on land?

The mokoro journey to the first island takes about an hour and a half. After that, you spend time on the island for lunch and a bushwalk, then return to the mokoro to explore other channels at your own pace. The full day runs eight hours from pickup to drop-off, with the split between water and land depending on what you choose to do.

What wildlife might I see in the Okavango Delta?

The delta is home to elephants, buffalo, hippos, antelopes, birds and smaller mammals. Sightings depend on the season and where the animals are on any given day, so they are not guaranteed, but the delta's channels and islands support year-round wildlife.

What meals and drinks are provided?

Breakfast at the mokoro station includes cereal, yogurt, milk, muffins, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Lunch is a picnic on an island, prepared according to your dietary requirements. Bottled water, fruit, sweets, chips, peanuts and raisins travel with you throughout the day.

Do I need any experience or fitness level to do this tour?

The tour suits all fitness levels. You sit in the mokoro for stretches and walk on uneven island ground, but no climbing, swimming or strenuous activity is required. Children from age 6 are welcome.

What is included in the price?

Pickup and return transport from your Maun accommodation; breakfast and lunch; all beverages and snacks; park fees and taxes. The only common items not included are alcoholic drinks.