101 Reasons to Visit Namibia: Mokoros – A safari on the water

Today’s safari looks a little different. It has no wheels, the average speed is about 4km/h and it provides a true eye-level shot of animals. No, this is not your typical safari excursion, but rather a journey that resets your soul. Instead of the usual dusty roads we are quietly moving between the reeds. The African Jacana hops from leaf to leaf without even noticing our presence. It is quiet and peaceful. I imagine this is how a hippo and other small animals must feel most of the time when there is no croc lurking underneath the water.

Going on safari, for most people, means sitting at the back of a safari vehicle and driving around in nature with the hope of spotting animals. Most of the time we are lucky enough to see the Big Five; other times, we must settle for the smaller and less spectacular animals. For me, both are special. Unfortunately, many animals run away when they hear a safari vehicle approaching and we only get a quick glance at them. That is why my favourite type of safari is not by car or by boat, but with a mokoro. 

Photo credits: Janke Murray

A mokoro is a traditional, flat-bottomed dugout canoe from the Okavango Delta and Lake Malawi that has been used for many years for transportation and fishing. Nowadays, it is used for wildlife viewing in the northeast of Namibia and Okavango Delta. 

The traditional mokoro is made by digging out the trunk of a large straight tree, either ebony or the African sausage tree. The long and narrow canoe is propelled by a poler, a guide who stands at the rear of the canoe and pushes against the riverbed with a long wooden pole to move the mokoro through the shallow water. Mokoros are very stable and glide silently on the water. 

Photo credits: Janke Murray

A mokoro trip is the ultimate way to observe the wildlife and nature up close. One can hear all the birds singing and maybe take some good photos as well. Occasionally, a crocodile swims past, and the hippos enjoy floating in the deeper water. The golden rule is that when you are not disturbing or invading anyone’s personal space, they will let you be. 

Being on safari is about feeling relaxed. A mokoro trip in the early morning light, the still water, the cool air and the only sound being the soft rhythm of canoe gliding on the water with the world quietly waking around you. Next time you want to go on safari, remember that floating on a mokoro will bring happiness like no other.

Author: Janke Murray