OVERVIEW:
Nestled within 180,000 hectares of pristine Okavango Delta wilderness, Mokolwane is a small, informal camp run by Natural Selection in an area boasting the third-highest density of leopard recorded anywhere in Africa. It’s also particularly popular with elephants, who love the palm trees here. Overlooking the Matsebi river, in one of the remotest parts of the Delta, this is the only camp for miles around, so be prepared to share an incredible expanse of space with practically no one else! The unique ecosystem supports a diverse range of wild spaces, including mopane forests, lagoons, floodplains, and grasslands, and it’s home to an abundance of wildlife, including all the Okavango predators. Rates at Mokolwane are full board and include accommodation, all meals and beverages, laundry, daily activities, airstrip transfers, guiding, and park entry fees. Mokolwane is open year round.
ACCESS & LOCATION:
Mokolwane is located within the Xudum concession in the southwestern part of the Okavango Delta. As it’s one of the remotest camps in the Okavango Delta, there are certain times of year when the camp is only accessed on foot. Getting to Mokolwane is an adventure in itself, accessible via a 30-minute helicopter ride from Maun.
ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT SETARI CAMP:
The accommodation at Mokolwane consists of seven simple yet comfortable canvas tents. Six are doubles/twins, and there’s one treehouse-style family unit with a double bed on one side and two twins on the other. All are elevated 10 feet off the ground on wooden stilts, with sliding doors that open onto wraparound verandas shaded by fig, jackalberry, palm, and mangosteen trees. Each tent is en-suite and includes indoor showers, flush toilets, and hot and cold running water. The bathrooms are separated from the bedrooms by a heavy draw-back curtain and have mesh windows with views of the surrounding landscape. All accommodations have ceiling fans, oversized mosquito nets, indoor and outdoor seating areas, writing tables, and hanging storage space. Guests can also book the camp exclusively – ideal for families or small groups.
Communal dining takes place in the camp’s central area on a raised wooden platform, and the adjacent outdoor campfire provides an ideal spot to congregate with other guests under the night sky. The main tent also has Wi-Fi and battery-charging facilities for those who wish to stay connected. There’s a small pool on a raised deck with a few sunloungers under shade and views over the plains.
ACTIVITIES AT SETARI CAMP:
Mokolwane is a wildlife haven, teeming with elephants and known for its substantial leopard population.
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Game drives
– Day and night game drives provide opportunities for guests to explore this incredibly diverse and vast terrain, known for its healthy leopard population, among other predator species. Between 5,000 and 10,000 elephants are in the concession at various times of the year, and buffalo herds are also frequent in large numbers. Guests can expect plenty of giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and various antelopes, including kudu, lechwe, bushbuck, and tsessebe, to name a few. Led by an expert guide, you’ll explore the floodplains and different ecosystems that make the region so diverse and rich in wildlife. -
Mokoro excursions
– Take to the channels synonymous with an Okavango Delta safari and observe these beautiful surroundings accompanied by birdsong and the gentle ripple of the waterways. A traditional dugout canoe ride led by an expert poler, the Mokoro boat ride is an iconic and unforgettable Okavango experience. -
Birding
– Those interested in birdlife will delight in the myriad resident and migration species found in the Okavango Delta. Wattle cranes, Pel’s fishing owl, martial eagles, and quelea are just a few you might tick off the list. -
Scenic helicopter flights
– With its unique, meandering landscape and seemingly never-ending unfenced space, the Okavango Delta is particularly intriguing from an aerial perspective. A scenic helicopter flight allows guests to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Delta and the option to touch down on one of the islands for a glass of champagne. Please note that this activity incurs an extra cost.
*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.