Lodge · Machaba
Monachira
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Monachira
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Monachira
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About the lodge
An overview of Monachira.
Monachira Camp sits on an island in the Moremi Game Reserve, raised on wooden decks above the floodplains of the Monachira channel in the north-eastern Okavango Delta. Ten tents combine game drives with mokoro, motorboat trips and island walks, with access to the Gudigwa heronries and a chance of sitatunga and Pel's fishing owl.
Highlights
- Island setting in the Moremi Game Reserve on the Monachira channel
- Water-based safaris by motorboat and mokoro, plus island nature walks
- Close to the Gudigwa heronries with thousands of nesting herons, egrets and storks
- Chance to see the elusive Pel's fishing owl and rare sitatunga antelope
- Ten raised tents with sweeping floodplain views
You Should Know
- All ages welcome, but children under six must be booked with a private vehicle
- Minimum age for mokoro is 12, and for island nature walks is 16
- Access is fly-in only via Shinde or the new Monachira airstrip
- Cooling is by fan only, with no air conditioning
- Wi-Fi is in-room only and limited by the remote location
The Details
Location
Monachira Camp lies on an island in the north-eastern Okavango Delta, inside the Moremi Game Reserve. The Monachira channel runs past the camp, with permanent water year-round and floodplains stretching out in front of the decks. The camp is close to the famous Gudigwa heronries, one of the delta's most important nesting grounds for herons, egrets and storks.
Accommodation
The camp has eight luxury tents, each with a single bathroom, and two two-bedroom family tents with two bathrooms apiece, taking maximum capacity to around 24 guests. Tents are raised on wooden decks for floodplain views and built in eco-luxury safari style: canvas walls, running hot and cold water, flush toilets and electricity, with fans rather than air conditioning. Wi-Fi reaches the rooms, and one tent has a bath.
Activities
Activities combine land and water. Game drives go out morning and afternoon in open vehicles seating six guests, with the chance of elephants, lions, leopards and a wide variety of delta species across the islands and floodplains. Motorboat trips on the permanent channels and quiet mokoro glides through the water lilies bring guests to water level for a different perspective on wildlife and birds. Island nature walks reach more remote pockets of the reserve.
Spa
A qualified therapist offers facials and massages as in-room treatments, so guests can unwind in their tent between activities.
Price Includes
- Accommodation and all meals
- Lodge activities including game drives, mokoro, boating and walks
- Return road transfers between camp and the airstrip
- Local-brand alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
- Laundry and taxes
- Excludes premium imported drinks, internal flights, travel insurance, visas, gratuities and the Machaba Conservation and Community Levy
The same as booking direct
Rates and pricing.
Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.
Valid until 10 Jan 2027
Why book through us
You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup. What you get on top is a specialist who knows Monachira personally, looks after every detail of the trip, and stays reachable on WhatsApp from the moment you enquire to the day you come home.
By season
Green season
1 May 2026 – 31 Oct 2026
All Inclusive - Accommodation, all meals, laundry, lodge activities, return vehicle airstrip transfers, alcoholic & nonalcoholic beverages (excluding imported and premium drinks)
$1,680
Shoulder
1 Nov 2026 – 10 Jan 2027
All Inclusive - Accommodation, all meals, laundry, lodge activities, return vehicle airstrip transfers, alcoholic & nonalcoholic beverages (excluding imported and premium drinks)
$1,205
Rates are per person sharing, per night. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.
Exclusive offer
Available right now.
Stay & Pay
Stay three nights and pay for two at Monachira Camp, valid 15 November to 31 March (excluding 20 December to 10 January inclusive). Conservation levies charged per person per night.
Honeymoon
Bride pays 50% on accommodation when honeymooning across Machaba Safaris lodges with a minimum five-night stay. Includes one complimentary couples massage (lodge dependent), a private dinner and a bottle of sparkling wine. Valid all year, cannot be combined with other specials, and a valid marriage certificate from within the past six months must be provided at the time of booking. Conservation levies for the bride are charged for the duration of the stay.
Family policies
Travelling with children.
What our safari specialists know about bringing children to Monachira: minimum ages, activities, family rooms and child rates, current as of May 2026. They plan family trips here all the time, so anything below that needs arranging, they will sort. For the bigger picture, see our guide to safari with children .
Minimum ages
- Stay
- All ages
- Game drives
- 6+
- Walking safari
- 12+
Programmes & care
No dedicated kids' programme.
Accommodation
Family unit available.
Child rates
Children 6–11 years charged at 50% of adult rate (e.g. high season per person sharing). Children 0–5 years free of charge, but a private vehicle ($550/night) must be booked.
Notable exceptions
- The Quick Reference notes "All ages. Exclusive Use", suggesting that fully unrestricted access for very young children may require exclusive-use bookings. Separately, the rate table requires a private vehicle ($550 per night) for children aged 0–5 to join game drives. Minimum age 12 applies to mokoro rides and walking activities. The camp has 2 family units alongside 8 luxury tents.
Water safari
Out on the water.
Mokoro, canoe, kayak and boat options at Monachira. The silent dugout mokoro is a different product to a motorised sundowner cruise — check the category on each.
Mokoro
Mokoro & Boating
Monachira offers both mokoro excursions and boating as included lodge activities in the Okavango Delta. These water-based activities are part of the fully inclusive rate and are available to all guests staying at the camp.
Included in lodge rates. Boating is water-dependent (subject to water levels). Activities listed: Game Drives, Mokoro & Walking, Boating. Camp is year-round with airstrip 5 minutes away.
- Cost
- complimentary
- Availability
- Included in lodge rates; boating is water dependent
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Cultural
Beyond the game drive.
Community visits, cultural walks, and dining experiences documented at Monachira.
Cultural walk
Tsodilo Hills Experience
A helicopter-accessed half-day trip to the Tsodilo Hills, one of Botswana's most culturally significant sites. Guests are accompanied by a San guide who explains the ancient San rock art, offering a rare and intimate insight into San culture and history. The rate includes entrance fees, a private San guide, and a picnic lunch.
Approx. half-day trip by helicopter ex Monachira Camp. Price: $995 per person (min 2 pax). Includes entrance fees, private San guide, and picnic lunch. Rates valid 01 Jan–31 Dec 2026.
- Cost
- $995 per person
- Availability
- Advance booking required; subject to availability; valid 01 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
Community project visit
Conservation & Co-Existence Cultural Experience
A helicopter-accessed experience combining visits to two community coexistence projects deep in the Okavango Delta. The first stop visits CLAWS (Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably), where guests meet the head herdsman, hear about human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and tour the community-run cattle bomas. This experience is ideal for guests with an interest in both conservation and local community culture.
Price: $644 per person ex Monachira Camp (min 2 pax). Includes entrance fees and a donation to the projects. Rates valid 01 Jan–31 Dec 2026. Involves a guided tour and talk with community herdsman.
- Cost
- $644 per person (ex Monachira)
- Availability
- Advance booking required; subject to availability; valid 01 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Imagery
A closer look.
21 photographs · click any image to expand
Speak to a safari specialist
Plan your dream safari at Monachira.
From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Monachira: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.
Ready when you are
Let's design your stay.
Your specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours with availability, exact pricing, and suggestions for what to combine it with.