A 1950s-style camp within the wildlife-rich Khwai Community Concession
Lounge, library, dining area, bar, spa therapist, fire-pit, and swimming pool
Four guest tents, including two family tents, each with a private deck and an outdoor bath
Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, mokoro excursions, and local community visits
Little Machaba offers consistently good game viewing with a mostly game drive focus (though mokoro boating and nature walks are also possible here). Please note that a private vehicle must be booked for any party that includes a child or children aged under 6 years. Additionally, there’s a minimum age requirement of 12 years for walks and mokoro rides.
Little Machaba is located in the Khwai Community Concession, a combination of savanna, woodland, and waterways supporting an astonishing wealth of wildlife. It’s also close to Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. Vehicle safaris from camp take place during the morning and late afternoon into the evening and last approximately 3 hours per drive. Keep an eye open for four of the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. The reserve’s smaller predators include cheetah, hyena, jackals, and wild dog, while other herbivore highlights consist of giraffe, zebra, and plenty of antelopes. The birdlife is also spectacular here.
Led by expert armed guides, a walking safari is a fantastic way for wildlife enthusiasts to learn about Khwai’s plants, insects, and birdlife in exquisite, up-close detail.
A mokoro is a dug-out canoe led by an experienced poler, who guides the boat from the front. Unlike a motorised vessel, it floats silently through the water, offering opportunities for all aboard to focus on the hypnotic sounds of nature and wildlife sightings such as elephant, hippo, and some vibrant bird varieties. Look out for tiny reed frogs, dragonflies, and butterflies as you glide along the water.
Guests of Little Machaba are invited to visit the local community. This is an excellent opportunity to interact with people from the area and learn about their customs and traditional ways of life.
*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.
Little Machaba is positioned on a scenic island within the 35,000-hectare Khwai Concession adjacent to Moremi Game Reserve, in the north-eastern Okavango Delta . Access is by light aircraft flight (approximately 30 minutes’ flying time from Maun) followed by a 30-minute game drive transfer.
Many of the communal areas at Little Machaba are housed in the camp’s mess tent, accessed from the guest tents along raised wooden walkways through the trees.
Inside, there’s a homely lounge with plenty of comfortable sink-in seating, a library, a well-stocked bar, and a communal dining table. There’s also a curio shop with a selection of jewelry, crafts, and local mementoes. A short distance from the mess tent, the convivial fire-pit is a welcoming spot for guests to assemble, and bush dinners are set up beneath the stars. An on-site therapist offers a range of relaxing massages on request, while the camp’s small swimming pool is ideal for catching some downtime between safari activities.
Linked by walkways that weave through the riverine trees, Little Machaba’s four well-spaced Meru-style canvas guest tents are well designed, comfortable, and functional, two being suitable for family use.
Each has its own roomy wooden deck with shaded outdoor seating, where guests can dine privately or enjoy an open-air massage on request. Entering the tent through a zip-up canvas door with a layer of mesh to keep out the mozzies, you’ll find a double bed (twin configuration is also available), bedside tables with reading lights, a writing desk, and an armchair. Amenities include a standing fan, a tea-and-coffee station, a coat and hat stand, and a simple canvas storage unit. The en-suite facilities are found at the back of the tent, and they comprise a flush toilet, twin washbasins with two hanging mirrors, and a shower. All tents have an outdoor bath, and three have a shower outside as well. The two family tents are connected via a shared lounge area, with the option to roll down the canvas walls to provide a little privacy if required. Please note that limited Wi-Fi connection is available only in the rooms. Access for disabled travellers can be put in place – for further details, please contact a member of our team.
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