On our boat ride back to Guma Camp, we stopped to ride on the mokoro boats in the small meandering canals of the Okavango Delta. These boats are shallow dugout canoes traditionally hewn from an ebony or a sausage-tree log. Because these trees take about 100 years to grow and a mokoro lasts only about 5 years, conservation groups are now promoting the boats be made from fiberglass, which is both cheaper, lighter, and more durable. Two people sat on each boat along with a poler who propelled the boat with a ngashi, a long pole made from a mogonono tree (similar to the gondolas in Venice). As I was gliding across the waters, I was surrounded by lily pads with flowers and papyrus that seemed to make a desirable home for both crocodiles and hippos.
