Little Mombo is situated in an area of very high wildlife densities, in the north of Botswana's Moremi Game Reserve, within the Okavango Delta. It is the smaller and more intimate sister camp of the adjacent Mombo Camp, and is one of Wilderness Safaris' flagship camps.
Little Mombo was built to offer a small, “private camp” feel to groups of travellers, and is perfect for guests who want a more intimate safari experience than its larger neighbour. Mombo Camp and Little Mombo are joined by a long wooden walkway, and guests can walk between the two during the day (it's best to be escorted at night due to the high game levels and the undulating walkways). The camps are essentially very similar, except Mombo has nine rooms and Little Mombo just has three, giving a much more private experience to guests.
Little Mombo Camp is raised on wooden decks, sometimes 12 – 14 feet high, and overlooks a grassy plain dotted with tree-islands. Moremi Game Reserve is renowned for varied and high concentrations of game – and when we arrived at Little Mombo Camp, we were able to spot elephant and buffalo from the main deck – plus a variety of plains game.
The tented suites at Little Mombo Camp are reached by very high wooden walkways, giving the camp a slight “tree-house” feel. Often guests can spot game underneath the walkways – when we visited, we walked right over the top of four old bull buffalo; we were told these bulls, having been kicked out of their herd by younger and more virile bulls, had made camp their temporary home! Each suite has its own section of walkway leading to the heavy wooden door – and the rooms are far apart, giving a good amount of privacy to guests.
There's no denying that Little Mombo is a spectacular camp – the main decked area has both dining and seating areas which are thoughtfully and authentically decorated with big comfortable leather sofas, colourful cushions and an array of tribal and local arts and crafts. There is a separate library, rather like a “snug”, with a very good selection of wildlife books, along with an array of novels for guests to borrow. This has perhaps the best view, and the sofas are built into enormous tree-trunks that form the sides of the room.
In front of the main decked area, reached by a staircase, is the fire pit and boma area. This is where guests can take drinks before supper, and is often the place where afternoon tea is served before the activities.
Little Mombo has a small plunge pool, surrounded by decking and with a selection of loungers and shade umbrellas. This also has a good view of the surrounding plains. Next to the pool is a “sala” – a shaded area with a large “mattress” and plenty of cushions.
As Mombo is within the Moremi Game Reserve, safari activities>/b> offered are 4WD day game drives exploring the surrounding area. The game in Moremi is famous for being prolific and having a fondness for cameras! We were lucky enough to see lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and a good variety of plains game – although we weren't quite lucky enough to see one of the resident white rhino which are often found.
In conclusion ... Little Mombo is a superbly run safari camp in a beautiful spot that's teeming with game, and it's staffed by some excellent guides. However, it's worth remembering that it will have a price tag to match!
Directions: The lodge has an airstrip five minutes' drive away and from there it's a half-hour flight to Maun.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer
Key personnel
Owner: Wilderness Safaris
Food & drink
Usual board basis: Full Board
Food quality: When last we visited, the food at Little Mombo was excellent and varied.
For Breakfast before the activity, there was always a selection of cereals, fruit salad, toast and a fresh pot of tea or coffee.
Our one Brunch during our stay was served in the main bar area – and to our amazement we were served a delicious Calamari (with a further option for Sticky chicken if we wanted it) with a good selection of salads and piping hot fresh bread.
The afternoon teas before the drives were just as good – banana smoothies, cheese scones and an enormous chocolate cake was on offer, along with tea (all types from green to peppermint) and coffee, fruit juice and freshly made lemonade.
We were taken over to the main Mumbo camp for a traditional dlodgeer, which is often offered to guests. This consisted of the traditional “nshima” (mealie-pap) with a good selection of either chicken, pork, lamb or beef relishes, traditional vegetables such as pumpkin leaves with groundnut sauce, and a good selection of salads. For the slightly less adventurous, a barbeque was also serving chicken and beef kebabs and steaks.
Dining style: Group Meals
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Room service: Not available
Cost of meal e.g. lunch: Included
Drinks included: Soft drinks, bottled water, spirits, local beers and a selection of (generally) South African wines are included. Imported wines and spirits and champagne cost extra – and may even need to be requested in advance
Special interests
Birdwatching: The birding in Moremi Game reserve is excellent, with many notable species found in the area. The waterways are home to a variety of kingfishers, waders and darters – there are also good numbers of fish eagles, bee-eaters, slaty egrets, eagles and other birds of prey and the elusive Pel's fishing owl (which we caught a glance of here).
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for birdwatching in Botswana
Wildlife: The Moremi Game Reserve is renowned for superb game-viewing – and the Mombo area is the best in the reserve. It has excellent populations of lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and white rhino. Wild dog are also found here along with cheetah, hyena, black-backed jackal and a wide range of plains game including red lechwe, giraffe, impala and warthog.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for wildlife in Botswana
Children
Attitude towards children: Children are welcome
Age restrictions: 8 years and above
Activities: None
Equipment: None
Generally recommended for children: Yes, above the age of 8 due to the game in the area.
Notes: Families with children aged 8 – 12 are asked to take a private vehicle and there is an extra charge for this.
Central communications
Power supply: Generator
Communications: None
TV & radio: None
Health & safety
Malarial area: Yes
Medical care: All of the managers are first aid trained – the nearest doctor is in Maun which is a 30-minute flight away. The lodge also has radio communications with a nurse in Maun who can give advice.
Dangerous animals: High Risk
Security measures: There are unarmed night watchmen at night and guests are always walked back to their rooms. There is also an alarm foghorn to use at night in case of emergency.
Fire safety: There are fire extinguishers outside the rooms and in the common areas.
Extras
Disabled access: Not Possible
Laundry facilities: A laundry service is included at the lodge - clothes are collected in the morning and returned, washed and ironed, in the evening.
Money: There is an electronic safe in all the rooms.
Accepted payment: Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted, as is cash: US dollars, UK sterling, euros and SA rands.
Little Mombo