The mokoro, also called makoro (plural mekoro), is a traditional canoe-like boat once vital for fishing and transporting goods in the Okavango Delta, and now a favorite for game-viewing safaris. It’s become an iconic symbol of the Delta, giving visitors a peaceful way to explore its winding waterways. Traditionally, these 20-foot (6-meter) boats were made by hollowing out tree trunks with hand tools. But since wood rots over time and cutting trees isn’t sustainable, modern mekoro are built from molded fiberglass—durable, long-lasting, and still full of charm as they glide through papyrus-lined channels. Each typically carries one or two passengers, with a ‘Poler’ standing at the back, guiding it forward using a long pole called a “ngashi.” In the past, only certain older, straight trees like Jackalberry, Sausage, and Mangosteen were chosen for their buoyancy and shape, while long Terminalia branches were used for poles. Before metal tools, builders hollowed trunks with controlled fires, then shaped them with an adze, a curved chopping blade, until the boat was complete.