Monachira: Our full report

New to the Okavango Delta in May 2025, Monachira will sit within Botswana’s wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve.

The camp will be fringed by the peaceful Monachira Channel, a permanent waterway that is a year-round attraction for wildlife.

Monachira will be a relatively sizeable tented camp for the Delta, hosting up to 24 people, and prides itself on being family-friendly.

A sister camp to Machaba Camp and Little Machaba in the Khwai River area, as well as Kiri Camp and Gomoti Plains Camp in the south-east of the Delta, Monachira has excellent credentials, and we look forward to visiting it once it opens. We understand that this is what you can expect.

Relatively traditional in style, Monachira will have ten en-suite tents looking across the channel. These will be set up on wooden decks and partially surrounded by reed screens. Canvas “doors” can be rolled back to allow air to flow through, aided by an electric fan.

A canvas-shaded area to the side of each will be ideal for relaxing in the heat of the day, while an outdoor shower means you can freshen up with just the sky above. And if you’re feeling truly indulgent, you can arrange for an in-room facial or massage by the on-site therapist.

Eight of these tents will have double or twin beds, while the other two will be family tents. With two bedrooms and two separate bathrooms, these will be in different parts of the camp: one close to the main area, the second further away.

At the heart of the camp there’ll be a lounge and separate dining area, along with a guest toilet and a small curio shop. Come warm days there’ll be a plunge poolto cool off, perhaps after an alfresco lunch, while towards evening the place to be is the Sunset Bar. Then finish the day with drinks around the firepit before dinner.

Although Monachira will offer limited game drives, the main focus here will be on water-based activities. Boating will offer the opportunity to seek out animals attracted to the river, including elephants, while mokoro trips will enable you to watch birds and animals from water level. The camp’s proximity to the Gudigwa heronries will allow guests to see close up the herons, egrets and storks that flock here in their thousands to nest. Fishing may be a further option.

Our view

We have stayed many times at Monachira’s sister camps in Botswana, and are familiar with the area around the Monachira Channel. We look forward to visiting the new camp as soon as it is open, confident that it will meet our expectations.

Tracy Lederer

Country manager: Botswana

Geographics

Location: Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Ideal length of stay: A stay of three nights would be ideal at Monachira Camp.
Directions: The flight to Monachira will take around 20 minute from Maun, or 1hr 15 minutes from Kasane.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board & Activities
Food quality: Meals at Monachira will follow the normal safari pattern. Based on our experience at its sister camps, we expect the food to be good and well-presented.

You’ll start with an early continental breakfast before the morning activities, returning I time for a substantial brunch mid morning.

After a leisurely siesta, afternoon tea will be served, usually including both a savoury and sweet options.

Dinner will typically be served around 7.30– 8.00pm
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Children

Attitude towards children: Children of all ages will be welcome at Monachira.
Property’s age restrictions: Families with children under the age of 6 will need to book a private vehicle. The minimum age for nature walks is 16 years.
Equipment: Monachira has two family tents, each sleeping two adults and two children.