Boat, Mokoro, & Canoeing Safaris

Mokoro safari with expert poler, viewing Cape buffalo on the Okavango Delta plains

From Botswana’s Okavango channels to Zimbabwe’s Zambezi and Rwanda’s lake-dotted Akagera, boat, mokoro and canoeing safaris slow the pace and sharpen every sense. Drift from Eagle Island Lodge, cruise the Zambezi from Matetsi River Lodge, trace Mana Pools near Ruckomechi, and follow the Kunene beside Serra Cafema. Wildlife and birds at water level.

Plan Your Journey

Canoe safari close-up with stork in flight along the Zambezi River

Quiet Water, Wild Encounters

At Nxabega, a mokoro poler glides between lily pads as reed frogs chirp. Afternoon brings the Zambezi’s flow, Old Mondoro’s canoes slip past elephant crossings and yawning hippos. Evening settles at Thorntree River Lodge: a private boat, sunset fizz, and fish eagles calling as the river turns to gold.

QUICK FACTS
Mokoro drifts
Zambezi canoes
Birdlife bonanza
Hippo & croc
Water-level views

Guided canoe safari with elephants on the bank, Lower Zambezi National Park

Close elephant crossing beside safari pontoon, Chobe River boating

Photographic boat cruising Okavango floodplains with elephants grazing in the distance

Experiences & Highlights

Water-based safaris reveal a calmer side of the wild with close yet gentle encounters. In Botswana’s Okavango Delta, mokoro outings from Nxabega, Jacana and Pelo glide through reed lined channels where elephants feed, tiny frogs cling to papyrus, and kingfishers flash past. At Vumbura Plains or Little Vumbura, combine boating with drives on rich floodplains for an easy rhythm between water and land. Further north in the Delta, Jao Camp and Tubu Tree add seasonal boating to explore quiet lagoons at golden hour.

On the Zambezi, canoe or boat from Chiawa Camp, Old Mondoro and Lolebezi to watch hippos, crocodiles and shifting birdlife from a safe, low perspective, often ending with a quiet drift and sundowners. In Mana Pools, Ruckomechi and Nyamatusi bring wide river views backed by acacia woodland, ideal for elephants crossing channels at sunset. Rwanda’s Magashi adds boat excursions on Lake Rwanyakazinga for birding and relaxed game viewing. Guides manage distances carefully, read water conditions, and position you for photographs and still moments that land based safaris rarely offer.