The mokoro trip is the one piece of gear logic most standard safari packing lists don't cover.

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Clothing

Same rule as any safari: neutral khaki, tan, beige, and muted green blend into the bush and hide dust well. Avoid blue and black specifically — both colors are known to attract tsetse flies, present in parts of northern Botswana including areas around the Delta and Chobe. Bright white stands out badly on game drives, fine only for evenings back at the lodge.

• Layering set — men's / women's quick-dry shirt plus lightweight trousers, since mornings on the water can be cold and midday heat builds fast.

Footwear

Closed-toe shoes matter more here than on a typical game-drive-only safari, specifically because of mokoro trips: you're stepping in and out of a low, narrow canoe at the water's edge, often on uneven or muddy ground.

• Closed-toe water shoes or river sandals — worth packing specifically if a mokoro excursion is on your itinerary.

Sun and insect protection

Malaria risk runs across the whole country, not just specific regions — repellent matters throughout, not only in the Delta.

• DEET option: 3M Ultrathon-style 30-50% DEET repellent.
• Picaridin option: 20% picaridin repellent — gentler on skin, a common alternative for those avoiding DEET.
• Wide-brim hat and high-SPF sunscreen — the Delta and Chobe both sit under strong, largely unshaded sun for most of the day.

Camera and electronics protection

Mokoro canoes sit low in the water, and splashes happen — worth protecting anything you're not willing to risk.

• Waterproof dry bag — a small one for a phone or camera is genuinely useful on a mokoro trip specifically, less so on a standard game drive.
• 8x42 binoculars — the standard safari spec here too: steady enough handheld, enough light-gathering for early-morning and dusk sightings. Budget pick: Celestron Nature DX 8x42. Step-up pick: Nikon Monarch 5 8x42.

Health

Malaria prophylaxis is a separate, prescription-only decision — talk to a doctor or travel clinic before you go rather than relying on repellent alone.

eSim: where the cheaper option is also the better one