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A very private ultra-luxury safari camp

With a magical location among the endless wildlife-rich plains of the Moremi Game Reserve, Little Mombo Camp should be on every safari enthusiast’s bucket list. A top-to-toe rebuild has elevated the camps to the highest sustainable standards and a style that doesn’t scrimp on luxury.

Renowned as “the Place of Plenty,” the enormous number and variety of wildlife around Little Mombo makes it a hugely sought-after wildlife-viewing destination.

Rebuilt in 2018, Little Mombo is a celebration of conservation and, together with Mombo, is the spiritual home of the Botswana Rhino Reintroduction Project. It combines luxury and service excellence with the amazing natural splendour that is the Mombo wildlife area.

The Mombo Concession comprises 45 000 hectares (111 000 acres) and is located on Chief’s Island – the largest land mass that lies slantwise in the central Okavango. In the interior, mopane woodland is interspersed with belts of Kalahari sand and acacia. Towards the edges of the island, regular seasonal flooding creates shallow floodplains dotted with wild date palm islands and riverine forest.

Botswana

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Rain mm 130 97 86 46 20 8 8 8 20 66 109 112

The Explorations Company, where no two journeys have ever been the same

Mombo harbours prolific concentrations of general game such as giraffe, zebra, warthog, red lechwe, tsessebe, wildebeest, kudu, elephant, buffalo and impala. Abundant predator sightings include lion, spotted hyaena and leopard. Chief’s Island is also home to the only white and black rhino found in the Okavango Delta.

The Mombo Concession is more familiar to those who dream of the Africa of wildlife documentaries with open grassland plains dotted with acacia trees and thickets. Ancient floodplains, long since dried up, form permanent savannah divided by swathes of dense mopane and acacia woodland. Raised, tree-covered islands ranging from a single termite mound to large landmasses are common. Trees such as real fan palms, sycamore figs, jackal berry and mangosteen characterise these island communities separated by open grassland and fragrant wild sage.

The sheer numbers and diversity of wildlife surrounding Mombo Camp all year round ensure that you have a breath-taking big game viewing experience: from herds of buffalo to the diminutive steenbok (a pretty dwarf antelope), to elephant, southern giraffe, impala, blue wildebeest and Burch ell’s zebra.

Many prides of lion and leopard are found there; and even smaller predators like serval and side-striped jackal are occasionally seen. Specialist carnivores like cheetah and wild dog are also regularly seen in this productive area.

Where is Little Mombo located?

Both Little Mombo and Mombo Camp are situated on Mombo Island, an extension of the north-western end of Chief's Island which effectively splits the Okavango Delta into east and west. The whole of Mombo Island and indeed Chief's Island, fall within the Moremi Game Reserve. This zone is also marked for low-intensity safari usage, making both Little Mombo and Mombo Camp incredibly exclusive and remote.

The abundance and variety of wildlife owes much to the Mombo Concession’s positioning on the ecotone between east and west Okavango Delta. To the east lies the ancient Kalahari sands and grassland vegetation and to the west lies the more modern, water-borne sediments and vegetation of the Okavango fan. The annual cycle of flooding also allows large numbers of wildlife to utilise both habitats to the maximum.

What sort of accommodation is available at Little Mombo?

There are three suites that are as spacious as they are stylish. The chalets are open plan. The bedrooms have big beds with nets and mohair blankets, a writing desk complete with guinea fowl feather lamp and silver boxes for pencils. Then, there are large sofas, leather chairs and sherry decanters in the living room. Finally, the bathroom has twin showers with copious hot water, stylish ceramic twin basins, six towels per person, toilet and outdoor shower. A large deck stretches the entire length of the chalet and has sun loungers and tsala (sleeping platform) for the warm afternoons.

The main dining area is rather opulent with library, mahogany dining tables, big bar and viewing platform. There's a small pool and extensive curio shop selling everything from carvings to camera film.

What Activities are available at Little Mombo?

  • ExploreLittle Mombo - Game drives reveal the rich wildlife of the area from predators to prey. The Mombo concession is a bountiful hunting ground for leopard and large prides of lion.
  • RhinoConservation Presentations - Hear the thrilling, ongoing story of the pioneering role in returning rhino to the wilds of Botswana.
  • GoUndercover - Spend time at the hide, just 20 minutes from the camp, for exceptional bird and animal viewing.
  • Workoutsin the Wilderness - For those looking to exercise, there is a gym where you can work up a sweat whilst enjoying a view filled, more often than not, with wildlife.
  • WildernessPampering - Enjoy the rejuvenating indulgence of a massage treatment at the spa.
  • BushBrunch - Experience a delicious, freshly-made brunch out in the bush after an action-packed game drive.

Does Little Mombo cater for families with young children?

Children over the age of six are welcome at Little Mombo although families with children aged 6–12 are asked to take a private vehicle at extra cost. Children between six and 16 years must share a suite with an adult/s.

Little Mombo is a very open camp with dangerous wildlife frequently wandering through. The suites and walkways are raised on stilts and are not suitable for very small children.

When is the best time to visit Little Mombo?

Botswana's dry season is between May and October, when you can expect warm, sunny days and chilly nights. Confusingly, this is also when the water levels in the Okavango Delta are at their highest, creating the waterways and channels Botswana is famed for.

The green season from November to April is a great time to travel if you don't mind the odd shower, as visitor numbers and prices are lower, the scenery pops with verdant foliage and animals give birth to their young.

Between March and May, when the waters arrive, large mammals are able to move into the Chief's Island area, which contains rich resources of grass and acacia woodland. The wetlands are fringed by large hardwood trees, containing shade, cover, nesting areas and food for a wide variety of mammals and birds.

By September and October the waters have started to recede and leave behind vast floodplains of short, green grass when the islands are now at their driest. This is the secret to the amazing diversity and quantity of wildlife in the Mombo region

What should I pack and bring with me?

Dress code is safari casual. Be sure to bring a sweater which may be needed at any time of year. During the winter months (May to October) very warm clothes, including a windbreaker or anorak, are essential.

  • Anti-malarial prophylactics. Consult your doctor or pharmacist.
  • Comfortable walking shoes, sun hats, sunglasses and sunscreen.
  • Cameras and binoculars.
  • Summer: lightweight clothing and swimwear, warm clothing for game drives.
  • Winter: light clothing for daytime, very warm insulated jackets for game drives.

Why is Conservation and Responsible Tourism so important at Mombo Camp?

Simply put, they are dedicated to conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife, and use high-end ecotourism to do this. Their model is responsible and sustainable, changes people’s perspectives on the planet and inspires those exposed to it to effect positive change in their own lives and own spheres of influence.

 

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore – Dream – Discover - Mark Twain - You can view clips of some of our own favourite discoveries here.


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As a guide, the cost of our extraordinary and utterly bespoke journeys tends to start from $1200 per person per day excluding international flights.

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