Monachira Camp

OVERVIEW:

A brand new opening in the Okavango Delta’s game-rich Moremi Game Reserve, Monachira is a great-value camp overlooking the permanent Monachira channel with a strong focus on water-based activities. As it’s part of the Machaba Safaris portfolio, we’re confident it will deliver on all fronts, particularly as a family-friendly camp welcoming children of all ages. Monachira is located close to the Gudigwa heronries, so as well as viewing dense big-game populations, guests can check out the extraordinary nesting ground of countless herons, egrets, and storks. Rates at Monachira are full board and include all meals, local alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, selected activities, local airstrip transfers, and laundry.

ACCESS & LOCATION: 

Monachira Camp is located in Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve in the northern part of the Okavango Delta. Guests fly into Shinde Airstrip by light aircraft, and from there it’s approximately 20 minutes by car to the camp.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT MONACHIRA CAMP: 

The accommodation at Monachira Camp consists of eight en-suite canvas tents for double occupancy and two 2-bedroom family tents. Elevated on wooden decks, the tents face the permanent Monachira channel, offering guests a front-row seat to resident and passing wildlife. Spacious and private, each solar-powered unit is shaded by the forest, with wooden decks and outdoor seating arrangements overlooking the floodplains. The style is simple and understated, yet all guest comforts, including ceiling fans, an electronic safe, electric reading lamps, and charging stations with international 240V plug points, have been considered. The rooms also have Wi-Fi access, though this is not available in the communal areas. Guests can choose between king-sized double or twin bed configurations. Each en-suite bathroom has indoor and outdoor showers with hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, and twin vanities. The bath products are locally sourced and made from organic ingredients. Identical in style, the two-bedroom family tents are ideal for those travelling with children, accommodating a maximum of four guests.

Monachira’s communal areas consist of a tented dining-and-lounge space and an outside deck with a fire-pit where guests can enjoy sundowners and early morning coffee. The camp is solar powered throughout, and all hot water is supplied without interruption via a state-of-the-art Thermodynamic Solar Energy system. Outside, you’ll find a shaded pool deck with a plunge pool and sunloungers ideal for cooling down between safari activities. Guests can also request in-room spa treatments provided by a qualified therapist. Dining is an integral part of the Monachira experience, and there’s plenty of space for sitting outside beneath the night sky and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. Sourced from local farmers, food ingredients are healthy and seasonal, and there are options for atmospheric fireside and bush dining.

ACTIVITIES AT MONACHIRA CAMP:

Due to its wetland location, Monachira’s activities are mainly focused on the water. However, nature walks and game drives are on offer here too.

• Mokoro rides

  – These are the perfect way to explore the Okavango Delta’s nature-filled water channels in silence apart from birdsong, the splash of a reed frog, a wading hippo, or antelope coming to drink at the water’s edge. Led by an experienced poler and dependent on water levels, this is a truly unmissable Okavango experience. Please note that 12 years is the minimum age for mokoro rides.

• Boating safaris

  – When the water levels are high, explore the deeper water channels around Monachira on a boating safari where you can access remote, little-visited areas. This is a particularly fun way to take in the area’s wildlife, including elephant herds that come to drink at the edge of the channels.

• Game drives

  – Although Monachira is a watery camp, game drives in open-air vehicles still offer guests amazing wildlife-viewing opportunities with the chance to cover plenty of ground! The guides here are excellent, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get off the beaten track.

• Nature walks

  – Also led by experienced guides, nature walks offer guests the ideal opportunity for up-close encounters with the surrounding wildlife, particularly smaller species not easily observed from a game drive vehicle. Please note that the minimum age for nature walks is 16.

• Birding

  – Bird enthusiasts are in for a treat here, due to the diversity of species and range of habitats around Monachira. With over 500 species recorded in the Okavango Delta, both resident and migratory, birding is a highlight activity for expert and beginner ornithologists alike.