Key Takeaways
- Mombo sits on a private concession at the tip of Chief's Island in the Moremi Game Reserve — the Okavango Delta's famous "Place of Plenty" and predator capital.
- There are two camps: Mombo Camp (eight elevated suites plus a family unit) and the intimate four-suite Little Mombo, linked by raised walkways.
- Rates in 2026 run from roughly US$2,800 to US$4,800+ per person per night, all-inclusive of game drives, meals, drinks, laundry and park fees.
- Every suite has a private plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers and a wrap-around veranda; the camp adds a full wellness Sanctuary and a wine cellar.
- Game viewing is daylight-only (Moremi rules) but exceptionally dense — lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog are all realistic on a short stay.
Why Mombo Is the "Place of Plenty"
Ask any Botswana guide to name the single most productive game-viewing address in the country, and the answer is almost always Mombo. The camp sits on a private concession at the north-western tip of Chief's Island, the largest landmass in the Okavango Delta, where the annual flood pushes vast herds of plains game onto rich, open grasslands — and the predators follow. Wilderness has run a camp here for decades, and the reserve's local name, the "Place of Plenty," is not marketing: the density and drama of the wildlife genuinely set Mombo apart.
Because Mombo lies inside the Moremi Game Reserve rather than a private reserve, activities are daylight-only and off-road driving is limited — but what it gives up in night drives it more than repays in sheer abundance. This is a place where lion prides, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena and Africa's endangered wild dogs share the same floodplains, and where a three- or four-night stay routinely delivers sightings most safaris wait a lifetime for.
Inside the Mombo Camps & Chief's Island
Mombo is not one camp but two distinct properties on the same private land, sharing a guiding team and the finest traversing in the reserve but offering very different atmospheres. Here is how they compare, and who each one is for.
1. Mombo Camp — The Flagship
The main camp, and the one we recommend most often. Mombo Camp has eight vast, elevated canvas suites plus a two-bedroom family unit, all raised on decks and linked by timber walkways so that game wanders freely beneath. Each suite is a self-contained world: a king bed under billowing netting, a separate lounge, a copper bathtub, indoor and outdoor showers, a wrap-around veranda and a private plunge pool looking out over the floodplain. The main areas — library, bar, indoor and outdoor lounges, a fire pit and boma — sit high above the grass, so the wildlife comes to you. It is contemporary safari luxury at its most complete, ideal for couples, families and anyone who wants the definitive Mombo experience.
2. Little Mombo — The Intimate Sister
The four-suite jewel next door, for travellers who want Mombo at its most private. Little Mombo shares the same legendary game area and guiding but keeps to just four elevated suites with their own dining area, lounge, kitchen and boma — a "tree-house" feel with an understated, refined design. It has no air-conditioning (a deliberate, low-impact choice) but every other comfort of the flagship, and a wonderfully quiet, exclusive atmosphere. It is our pick for honeymooners, small families and groups who want the abundance of Mombo with the intimacy of a private camp.
3. The Sanctuary & the Wine Cellar
The touches that lift Mombo beyond a classic bush camp. The Sanctuary at Mombo is a full wellness centre — gym, lap pool, sauna, ice bath, meditation cocoons and treatment rooms for spa therapies — while an extraordinary circular wine cellar holds a cellar list that would not embarrass a capital city. Add a photographic hide, a curio shop and an interactive learning centre, and Mombo becomes a place you could happily never leave between drives.
4. Chief's Island — The Predators
The reason Mombo is spoken of in a category of its own. The concession's open floodplains and tree islands hold one of the highest predator densities in Africa: multiple lion prides, relaxed leopards, cheetah on the plains and — most thrillingly — regular sightings of endangered African wild dogs. It is also a rhino-reintroduction success story. Add elephant, buffalo, red lechwe, zebra and prolific birdlife, and Mombo delivers the kind of concentrated, cinematic game viewing that keeps photographers and repeat safari-goers coming back for years.
Mombo & Little Mombo at a Glance
| Camp | Style | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mombo Camp | Eight elevated suites + family unit, air-conditioned | Couples, families, first Mombo stay |
| Little Mombo | Four intimate suites, tree-house feel | Honeymooners, small groups, privacy |
The Game Experience — Predator Capital of Africa
This is why you come. Mombo's reputation for predators is earned through decades of low-impact tourism on one of the richest concessions on the continent. Morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4s cover open floodplains and wooded islands teeming with lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dog, while the density of plains game — impala, tsessebe, red lechwe, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe and buffalo — makes every drive feel abundant. A photographic hide brings you to eye level with the action, and seasonal water levels open up mokoro and boating for a change of pace.
Because Mombo lies within the Moremi Game Reserve, activities run in daylight hours and there are no night drives — worth knowing if spotlit nocturnal sightings are a priority. For most guests, the sheer volume and quality of daytime game viewing more than compensates.
Food, Wine & Wellness
Dining at Mombo is genuinely accomplished — seasonal, generous and beautifully presented, from long bush breakfasts to private boma dinners under the stars, paired from that remarkable wine cellar. Between drives, the Sanctuary offers spa treatments, a gym, sauna, ice bath and lap pool, and the elevated decks are made for slow afternoons watching elephant drift past below. Service is warm and anticipatory, with a high staff-to-guest ratio and the kind of small, remembered details — a favourite drink, a surprise sundowner set-up — that guests talk about long after.
Rates & When to Go
Mombo is a genuine ultra-luxury property, and the rates reflect it — expect roughly US$2,800 to US$4,800+ per person per night in 2026, fully inclusive of game drives and activities, all meals, local drinks, laundry, park fees and transfers within the concession. The Okavango is a year-round destination: the dry, high-water winter months (roughly June to October) are peak season, with superb game viewing as animals concentrate and cooler, clear days; the green summer season (November to April) brings dramatic skies, newborn game, outstanding birding and better value. We match the timing to what matters most to you and watch for Wilderness's occasional special offers.
Our Verdict — Is Mombo Camp Worth It?
Yes — for the game viewing above all. Mombo is not the cheapest camp in Botswana, and it does not pretend to be. What it delivers is a concentration and quality of wildlife — lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog on the same floodplains — that is genuinely hard to match anywhere in Africa, wrapped in elevated suites, a full wellness Sanctuary, a serious wine cellar and warm, seamless service. For a milestone safari, a honeymoon, a photographic trip or simply the best of the Okavango Delta, it remains one of our very top recommendations. The only real question is which camp is right for you — the flagship Mombo or the intimate Little Mombo — and that is exactly what we are here to help you decide.
Plan Your Mombo Safari
We are a private, tailor-made travel house based in Cape Town, and we have placed guests at both Mombo Camp and Little Mombo. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what kind of stay you dream of — romantic, family, photographic or exclusive — and we will match you to the right camp and build the wider journey around it, from Cape Town and the Winelands to Victoria Falls or a beach finish, run flawlessly from the moment you land.
Ready to stay in the Place of Plenty? 👉 Request a Mombo Camp quote → 👉 Browse our tours & safari packages → 👉 WhatsApp us: +27 74 315 5782
