Mbamba

Name: Mbamba
Address: Okavango Delta

Situated beneath a grove of ancient leadwood trees, Mbamba is named after the Bukakhwe San Bushman greeting for ‘hello’. As part of Ralph Bousfield’s Uncharted Africa portfolio, the camp features his signature vintage safari style, backdropped by a landscape that shifts seasonally from grasslands and ilala palm islands to glistening waterways. You can expect exceptional year-round game viewing, including lion and huge elephant and buffalo herds. Whether you’re exploring by land or water, the Mbamba setting delivers a first-rate wildlife experience from one of Africa’s pioneering safari families.

An old-world luxury camp in the Okavango Delta’s NG12 concession, neighboring Vumbura, Duba Plains, and Moremi Game Reserve

Two lounges, communal dining, drinks cabinet, small library, fire pit, and swimming pool

family tent exterior, mbamba, botswana - Yellow Zebra Safaris

Total of 12 safari tents, including 2 family units, all with a four-poster bed and private verandas

Game drives, night drives, boat trips, mokoro rides, fishing, and Tsodilo Hills visits

pool view at mbamba, botswana - Yellow Zebra Safaris

Our Yellow Zebra Opinion

One to discuss with us

Mbamba has huge potential, but as a newer camp – it opened in early 2025 – it’s still finding its feet. The area is diverse with incredible wildlife, though you do have to work for your sightings. That said, the mokoro here was hands-down one of the best I’ve done in the Delta. A camp ideal for those seeking adventure over polished luxury.

Emma Dunn Product & Sales Development Director

Activities

Mbamba boasts a wide range of activities, thanks to it’s proximity to water.

Game drives

Night drives

Boat trips

Mokoro rides

Fishing

Tsodilo Hills visits

Game drives take place in the 220,000-acre NG12 concession, where seasonal floodplains, waterways, and savanna are inhabited by large elephant and buffalo herds, sitatunga antelope, big cats, and plenty of resident and migratory birdlife. There are impressive concentrations of lion, and African wild dog might be spotted around a denning area close to camp.
Head out with a high-voltage spotlight just before dark sets in, and encounter some of the concession’s lesser-seen species, including genets, civets, aardvark, porcupine, honey badger, and the bright-eyed bush baby.
Explore the deeper, wider channels of the Okavango Delta by motorboat, when you’ll cover plenty of ground and enjoy sightings of hippo, crocodile, and elephant herds coming to drink at the water’s edge.
When seasonal conditions allow, traditional mokoro rides are the perfect way to explore the shallow channels of the Okavango Delta. Without the noise of a motor, you’ll drift along silently at a leisurely pace, focusing on small details such as dragonflies skimming past, brightly colored frogs, and varied birdlife.
Catch-and-release fishing is another memorable way to spend time out on the water with your expert guide, while casting a line for tigerfish, bream, or catfish. Please note that this activity is prohibited in January and February for breeding season.
Referred to as the ‘Mountain of Gods’ by the San people, the sacred Tsodilo Hills are home to more than 4,500 ancient rock paintings. Accessed by helicopter, this remarkable site can be enjoyed via expertly guided scenic walking trails. Please note, this activity is available at an additional cost.

Access & Location

Mbamba occupies the 220,000-acre NG12 concession in the northern Okavango Delta, neighboring Vumbura and Duba Plains, and adjoining the Moremi Game Reserve. If you’re arriving at Maun, it’s approximately 45 minutes by light aircraft followed by a 2-hour game drive to the camp or a short hop by heli charter.

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This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.

Facilities

The main mess area at Mbamba blends classic 1920s expedition luxury with an eclectic mix of patterned sofas, antique cabinets full of treasures, and fringed lamps.

There are two lounges, a well-stocked drinks cabinet, and a small library with a selection of reading material on history and local wildlife. Meals are served family-style at the long dining table or outside by lanternlight, followed by stargazing. A few steps from the mess tent, down a sandy path, the campfire is lit at night, inviting guests to gather for pre-dinner drinks and conversation. The camp also has a refreshing pool on its own sundeck with a selection of sunloungers and a shady pavilion. Mbamba is run sustainably, combining solar power with careful waste management to ensure the lightest possible footprint. Wi-Fi is available.

Amenities

Mbamba has a total of twelve canvas tents, comprising four doubles, six twins, and two family units.

Raised on wooden decks, these are shaded by leadwood trees and overlook the grasslands of the NG12 concession. Inside, the old-world Ralph Bousfield style is instantly recognisable from the red-and-gold striped canvas lining, dark hardwood floors, and features such as four-poster beds, Persian rugs, mahogany furniture, campaign chairs, and storm lanterns. There are mosquito nets, over-bed cooling systems and standing fans for guest comfort. At the back, curtains separate each bedroom from its vintage-inspired en-suite bathroom, complete with brass basin and freestanding wooden ladder towel rack. All shady viewing decks overlook the surrounding bush and are furnished with canvas directors’ chairs and a small tray table.

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Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.

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