Recently named the sustainable safari destination of the year by Forbes, Botswana has always been at the forefront of conservation and safari travel in Southern Africa.
In May this year, I was privileged to savor the best of Botswana on a Beagle Expeditions FAM trip. A two-night stay at Little Mombo Camp in Moremi Game Reserve followed this extraordinary experience.
Despite my ever-expanding list of ‘been-there and done-thats’ in Africa, I had never stayed in an expedition/mobile camp or gone on a walking safari in Botswana before. Now that I have done both, I believe it’s an incredible offering for the right client. These camps offer luxury in a different way – being up close to nature, amazing food, and knowledgeable guides. And a bucket shower under Africa’s blanket of stars is an awesome experience!
Read on to discover a few more highlights of my trip.
The greatest luxury of all is experience
That’s Beagle Expeditions’ tagline, and they certainly delivered an unforgettable one! The FAM trip was jam-packed with magical moments, including:
- Helicopter transfers in and out of the camp.
- A sunrise helicopter experience into the Okavango Delta – and a flavorful bush breakfast was the cherry on top.
- A three-mile walk between camps (unfortunately, water levels didn’t allow for a portion of the travel to be completed on board a mokoro – the region’s traditional canoes).
- Mouth-watering wining and dining. The food was fantastic. The most memorable meal was a spread of meat cooked on a fire pit in front of us.
The best thing that happened to me on this trip was going completely off the grid for four days – no cell phone reception, email, or WhatsApp.
I found that without my phone glued to my hand or ear, I could fully immerse myself in the experience. For example, on our walking safari, we stopped for lunch, and I spent hours under a leadwood tree sleeping, reading, and watching the wildlife go by … with no distractions!
Read related content: The 5 most biologically diverse destinations in Southern and East Africa
How often do we get back to the lodge after an amazing game drive, and the first thing we do is check our phone for messages rather than sit around the campfire and share stories?
If you can, disconnect. There’s no better way to reconnect with what truly matters.
Luxurious Little Mombo Camp
Aptly nicknamed ‘The Place of Plenty’, Little Mombo Camp (on Chief’s Island inside Moremi Game Reserve) might be small, but it certainly doesn’t hold back regarding luxuries and creature comforts.
It has just four tents for a more intimate safari experience and is connected to its larger sister camp, Mombo, via a raised boardwalk. The camp has a secluded dining area, spacious boma, well-equipped gym, private sala, spa, lounge, kitchen, and swimming pool. It’s part of the Wilderness collection and a popular choice for travelers looking for exclusive-use Botswana safari properties.
Read related content: Botswana: Discovering the Delta
I loved every second spent at Little Mombo, but the ultimate highlight was the helicopter flip over the Delta. Everyone should do at least one helicopter flip to get a bird’s-eye view of this incredible patch in Africa. It could be in the form of a transfer between lodges, an organized picnic, an airport transfer, etc. But make it happen, because it will be an experience that you’ll treasure for many years to come.
Mombo Camp and Little Mombo Camp have been GILTEDGE partners for a long time, and it was a pleasure to finally experience their offering first-hand. Every time I travel and visit the lodges we support, I realize how lucky we are to be in the travel industry and that the destinations we sell can be life-changing for our clients. We mustn’t take that for granted, which I continuously remind our staff about.
All in all, what a spectacular adventure. I feel extremely privileged to have experienced what I did and more inspired than ever to share those experiences with our clients.
Contact us to chat to a travel expert about creating a custom Botswana itinerary for a safari to remember. I’d love to call it a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ safari, but you can’t call it that when it’s an experience you’ll want to re-live again and again!