Okavango Delta Mokoro Overnight: Dugout Canoe & Wildlife

A mokoro poler doubles as your guide, and the silence of the canoe is how you see the animals.

A 1-night, 2-day tour of the Okavango Delta from Maun by traditional dugout mokoro canoe, with a local community guide and poler, overnight camping, and wildlife walks on the islands. Transport in a 4WD vehicle gets you to the mokoro station; a chef travels with the group; all meals, camping equipment and park fees are included. Children from age 2 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel and explore Okavango Delta

• Depart to Okavango Delta
• Meet local mokoro poler guide
• Explore waterways by mokoro
• See elephants, hippos, aquatic birds
• Camp setup under trees
• Have lunch and siesta
• Enjoy tea or coffee
• Nature walk on island
• See zebras, elephants, buffalos, giraffes
• Return to camp and freshen up
• Dinner around campfire
• Chat and cultural exchange with polers
• Experience traditional games and dance

Day 2: Morning walk and return to Maun

• Early morning nature walk
• See wild animals and sunrise
• Have breakfast
• Return to mokoro station by mokoro
• Spot aquatic birds during journey
• Meet vehicle at mokoro station
• Transfer to accommodation in Maun

The experience

You leave Maun in a 4WD and arrive at the mokoro station to meet your local poler, who knows the waterways and serves as your guide. The canoe itself is a hollowed log, and the poler stands at the stern, pushing through channels lined with papyrus and reeds. The water is shallow and clear. The silence means you hear the birds before you see them, and animals along the banks don't bolt at the sound of an engine. You'll spot elephants, hippos, and aquatic birds as the mokoro glides through. When you reach the island camp, the assistant sets up your tent under the trees, and you have lunch before resting during the heat of the day.

In the late afternoon, you walk the island on foot to look for zebras, elephants, buffalo, impalas, and giraffes: what you see depends on the day and the season. Back at camp, you freshen up and eat dinner around the fire. The polers often share stories or play traditional games. The evening is yours to set the pace. Early the next morning, another nature walk catches the wildlife that moves at dawn, then breakfast before you board the mokoro again for the return journey to the station. The trip back is as much about the birds and the light on the water as it is about getting there. Your vehicle is waiting to drive you back to Maun.

A chef comes along with the group, so meals are prepared at camp rather than foraged or basic. You sleep in a tent with linen, blankets and pillows, not a lodge, but not roughing it either. All park fees and taxes are covered in the price, and the mokoro ride itself is outsourced through the local community trust, which means the polers are from the area and the money supports them directly.

What’s included

• Transport by 4WD vehicle from Maun to the mokoro station and return.
• mokoro canoe ride with a local community poler and guide.
• overnight camping with tent, linen, blankets and pillows.
• lunch, dinner and breakfast.
• a chef who cooks at camp.
• all park fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Child (2 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 7 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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Mosu Safari Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying in Maun and want to experience the delta by mokoro: pickup and 4WD transport from town are included, so you can go straight from your accommodation to paddling through the waterways.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 12 years).

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 animals will I see on the Okavango Delta mokoro tour?

Elephants, hippos, zebras, buffalo, impalas, giraffes and aquatic birds are common sightings along the water channels and on the islands, though what you see depends on the time of year and where the animals are moving.

Do I need my own camping gear, or is it provided?

Camping equipment is included: a tent, linen, blankets and pillows are set up for you at the island camp, so you don't need to bring your own.

How does the mokoro canoe work, and is it safe?

A mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe made from a hollowed log. Your poler stands at the stern and pushes it through shallow water using a pole, which is how people have traveled the delta for generations. The canoe moves silently, which is part of what makes wildlife viewing possible.

What meals are included, and who prepares them?

Lunch, dinner on the first day and breakfast on the second day are included. A chef travels with the group and cooks at the island camp, so meals are prepared fresh rather than pre-packed.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel in Maun?

Yes, the 4WD transport from Maun to the mokoro station and back to Maun is included in the tour price.