A canoe excursion comes in many ways. From an overnight budget camping adventure to an activity that lasts a few hours. It’s a thrilling experience to be so close to the African wildlife. Popular locations are the Okavango delta (Botswana), Lower Zambezi (Zambia or Zimbabwe), Lake Malawi or the Orange river (Namibia).
There are full participation canoe safaris – usually the cheapest – where you’ll take all your gear and provisions in the boats and camp overnight on an island or the mainland beside the river. Typically, all the meals are taken care of by the guide, with the canoeists assisting in camp life by cleaning or fetching water. It’s usually quite rudimentary, with small bow tents or mosquito nets draped over a paddle for your accommodation. However, for the intrepid traveller, these canoe safari experiences offer the most fun, adventure and flexibility.
If you need a little more comfort on your safari holiday, look into a backed-up trip. These canoe safaris will involve a crew supporting you as you progress down the river, and more luxurious overnight stops at large mobile tented camps. The meals are high quality – as you’d expect from more permanent facilities – and there’s the added advantage of vehicles and walking options for a break from the canoes and the river. You’ll also have high quality professional guides in Africa helping you make the most of your trip and the wildlife you encounter.
There are also special types of canoe safaris for different groups, such as safaris exclusively for children (led by professional guides), photography canoe safaris and combination walking and canoe trips. For a shorter taste of canoeing experience, some permanent camps also have canoe trails which you can use for just a day or afternoon safari.
