Machaba Camp

These large tented rooms were designed with luxury in mind, with giant double beds made with soft and breathable linen sheets. The rooms also feature comfortable armchairs and an elegant writing desk. The sides of the tents roll up to reveal beautiful 180-degree views of the vast floodplains and Moremi Game Reserve, and guests will likely be able to watch game from the comfort of their own bed. The tents open out onto a private verandah where guests can sit and enjoy the landscape with a refreshing drink, or a private and romantic dinner.

The verandahs also feature a secluded spot for guests to receive rejuvenating spa treatments. Each tent has an outdoor shower and bath, as well as an indoor en-suite bathroom. Every tent features 220V plug points which can be used to charge batteries and power sleep apnoea machines. Machaba Camp is built on one level and is accessible to wheelchair users. Tent 4 also includes railings in the toilet to aid disabled guests.

The spacious Family Tents are fitted with all of the amenities and conveniences of the Luxury Tented Rooms, while being able to accommodate twice as many guests. Family Tents consist of 2 large bedrooms, one furnished with a double bed and the other with two twins. Separating the two bedrooms is a homely lounge area, which is perfect for spending some quality time together while resting between the camp’s exciting activities. The front of the tent opens out onto an extended private verandah which features both a seating area and a separate dining area.

Guests can sit together and watch the African sunset turn the sky orange, before enjoying a private family meal under the stars. The Family Tents include an outdoor shower and bath, as well as an indoor en-suite bathroom. Every tent features 220V plug points which can be used to charge batteries and power sleep apnoea machines. Machaba Camp is built on one level and is accessible to wheelchair users. One of the Family Tents also includes railings in the toilet to aid disabled guests.

All food is freshly prepared by the camp’s kitchen. Each morning, guests will awaken to a delicious breakfast in the main tented area, located at the heart of the camp, before embarking on their first activity of the day. Brunch is served at 11am and guests will be treated to Afternoon Tea at 3:30pm. On returning from afternoon activities, guests will be presented with one of a variety of mouth-watering dinners. Guests will be able to try a range of local delicacies in the outdoor communal dining area under the dazzling African stars, or on their private verandah. The main area includes an indoor bar, where guests can enjoy a local South African wine while listening to the sounds of snorting hippos and growling lions.

Sit back and relax as you drift along the stunning Okavango waterways in a dug-out canoe and watch elephants drink and bathe at the riverbanks while curious hippos swim alongside you. Learn about the river and how it sustains the environment around it, and enjoy amazing game viewing from a unique angle. Due to the changing water levels of the delta, this activity may not be available every day of your stay but should be possible year-round. For safety reasons, guests must be 12 years or older to travel in a mokoro.

Embark on an exciting game drive and see the Moremi Game Reserve’s amazing wildlife. Watch herds of antelope charge across the plains, experience the sheer size of an elephant up close, and witness the dramatic hunting attempts of predators – all from the safety of a 4×4 safari vehicle, designed for traversing the Okavango Delta. The safari vehicles are open-sided, allowing photographers clear and stunning views for capturing images. The camp’s experienced guides will share their broad knowledge of the extraordinary creatures that live on the Okavango Delta, as well as showing you hidden spots that are perfect for viewing game.

Night drives are also available and offer the unique chance to find some of the reserve’s nocturnal creatures. The darkness adds an extra immersive element to this experience as you hear the growls and snarls of predators in the dark. Night drives often focus on the delta’s smaller inhabitants, such as nocturnal bushbabies and civets which cannot usually be found during the day.

Walking safaris usually take place during the morning before the temperatures become too hot. Explore the bush with a professional armed guide and discover clues that will lead you to exciting game viewing opportunities. Your guide will teach you to recognise different tracks left behind by the game. Without the noise of engines, guests can sneak up and watch the animals behave naturally. The guided walks are leisurely so that guests have time to observe all of the details that would be missed on a drive.

Visit a local village and learn about the culture and heritage of the local community and its surrounding landscape. Meet the people who know Botswana most intimately, and watch a traditional tribal dance performance. Guests will also be able to visit some of Machaba Safari’s social responsibility sites and learn about the projects they are working on in order to help support local communities.

Machaba Safaris support the Main Camp Primary School, which is located in a remote village that borders the Hwange National Park. The support they give provides teacher’s wages, facilities, textbooks and a new solar-powered computer lab. In May 2019, they also built the first Gonnye Sethlare Pre School which provides 36 children with an education. There are also plans to build more of these education centres in other locations that Machaba Safaris work in. Their youth development project gives local youths the opportunity to gain work experience and the necessary training for becoming a safari lodge manager.

Machaba Safaris work to identify infrastructure needs within the communities and countries that they operate in, and find ways of creating these necessities. This includes providing water to vulnerable communities, establishing sustainable vegetable gardens, putting up animal-proof fencing, and building homes for impoverished families.

Machaba Safaris collaborate with local stakeholders and communities so that together they can safeguard the vital ecosystems that exist across Botswana and Zimbabwe. Their work includes providing educational programmes and talks that teach how humans and wildlife can coexist, as well as giving aid to anti-poaching patrols which protect endangered species in Southern Africa.

Machaba Safaris and their camps are eco-conscious and employ a range of practices to lessen their impact on the environment. Muchaba Camp is run with solar power and a backup generator in order to reduce carbon emissions. The camp also uses energy-efficient fridges in their kitchens, which are switched off at night to conserve power, as well as low-energy consuming appliances and light bulbs. In addition, the camps do without the luxury of some high-consumption appliances such as air-cone and hairdryers to lighten their carbon footprint. The non-permanent nature of the tented camps also means that the landscape can quickly return to its natural state after the tents and decking have been removed.