Moroko Trip

Okavango Delta
March 13th, 2009

After reading countless guidebooks highly recommending a Moroko trip we decided we better give it a go. Various campsites and tour operators offered the trip in the dug-out canoe for prices ranging from 550 to 750 pula per person. Looking for a bargain if there was one we asked around town and Mike the Mechanic told us that next door to his workshop was the man who owned the boat station and he could maybe get us a deal. Enquiring next door the man told us that if we drove down to the Buffalo fence we could arrange our own tour for much less.

Guided by the trusty GPS we went on our way only vaguely knowing where to go as the ‘Buffalo fence’ didn’t feature we headed towards the river. One wrong road lead to a dead end with a massive puddle green with moss and home to many a duck. We turned around and tried another. The next road was sandy with a few muddy patches. Driving along we noticed a few people in small groups working. We waved to them, being friendly. Later we noticed a large building, a prison!, and found out that our new ‘friends’ were doing time. No wonder they looked at us a bit strangely.
Turning on to a final sandy road we met up with a village. Approached by several men, our trip was quickly arranged and we met Steven our guide. We walked towards the boat station where several mokoro boats were parked and were immediately in awe. Having no perception of what a mokoro would really be like, we were so pleasantly surprised. The boats were surrounded by thick green and yellow reeds, and amazing lily pads. We got into the boat and headed towards an island Madikubu, named after a female tortoise. It was so relaxing and peaceful floating along at a slow pace admiring the lilies and the flowers. We were also struck by how clear and clean the water was.

An hour and a half later we arrived at the island. The landscape was a curious mix of large trees, palms and tall grass. Walking along we saw some hippo. These were the largest hippo I think I’ve ever seen. One bull was not too happy about our presence and loudly grunted and rose out of the water to look at us. Feeling relieved to be on dry land we snapped a few photos before heading back to the boat.

It was one of the nicest experiences of my life – a slice of heaven I would say where the rest of the world melts away and a complete atmosphere of tranquillity takes over. And the icing on the cake was it was only 150 pula (24 dollars) for the two of us.