Bilikiki
Wilderness Mokete offers exceptional and unconventional safari adventures, where time is dictated by nature, not the clock. In this part of Botswana, it’s not uncommon to see lions on the hunt on the plains during the day, which makes for exceptional photographic opportunities. Guests can choose to stay on a game drive as long as they please, or stop for a lazy bush picnic – or stay out with the predators late at night if they wish. Guided walks can be arranged, or guests may be tempted to spend an afternoon in the sunken hide, eye-to-toe with the elephants. Guests may also enjoy a respectful visit to Mababe village for an authentic insight into the culture of the area. Listen to stories told by village elders, learn the art of tracking and basket-weaving, ancient practices in this part of the world. Soar over Mababe on a scenic helicopter flight, and take in the vastness of this extraordinary concession.
Pioneering Wilderness Mokete is a solar-powered tented camp, built in an intentionally minimalist style without forgoing any comfort. With only canvas between guests and nature, a stay at Mokete is an immersive feast for the senses. Due to the open layout and high density of wildlife, only guests 16 and older are permitted to stay. There is a swimming pool for warm afternoons and a Star Bed for cool evenings under the sky (from 2024).
Accommodating 18 guests, Wilderness Mokete is a limited-edition camp. Guests will be welcome from Sep 2, 2023 to Mar 2, 2026, promising a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a select few.
Standard Twin/Double Tent
(9 ROOMS)
To place you in the heart of the drama, we’ve forgone walls and added cantilevered canvas roofs that slide away, revealing never-ending stars. Accommodating just 18 guests in nine tents, pioneering Mokete promises intimate encounters all year. Whether sharing a drink with elephants in the middle of the day, or hearing hyena calls in the dead of night, it’s a feast for the senses.Each spacious en-suite canvas tent has a roof that slides away to reveal the stunning stars above.
Mokete is situated centre stage in a great wildlife theatre. In Mababe, the annual replenishing of the marsh dictates the wildlife movements, with herds in their thousands congregating in the dry season. It’s not uncommon to see 2,000-strong buffalo herds, hundreds of tsessebe, and especially dazzling, an extraordinary migration of zebra in Dec and in Mar Following this great density of prey is a density of predators, with especially high concentrations of spotted hyena. Prides of lion, leopards, cheetahs, packs of wild dogs, bat-eared foxes, jackals, African wild cats and servals make up the predator population, hunting the marshes and mopane woodlands. The mopane belt to the east of the vast plains and the edges of the marsh hosts an impressive number of bird species.
Located between two national parks, Mababe spans more than 50,000 hectares on the eastern fringe of the Okavango Delta and the famed Moremi Game Reserve, to the south of Chobe National Park. Unique in Botswana, the area’s nutrient-rich grasses are fed with a constant supply of water, thanks to the Mababe River and the waters of the Okavango, which drain into the Mababe wetland. The result is an incredible environment, including three distinct habitats: grassland plains, mopane and acacia woodlands, and the marsh system fed by the Mababe River. This environment supports an exceptional ecosystem with impressive herds, an abundance of predators and an array of birdlife. Each year, the 2,600-hectare marsh is reinvigorated by the seasonal inflow, drawing wildlife from all directions in search of the life-giving water-source.
Wilderness Mokete – Game Drives
Explore the Mababe Private Wilderness Area on twice daily game drives, or if guests prefer, one long game drive. Highlights include the extraordinary wildlife that are drawn to the Mababe marsh; an incredible array of birds, the super herds of zebra and buffalo and the predators that follow, often hunting in broad daylight.
Wilderness Mokete – Guided Nature Walks
Walking in the wild with knowledgeable guides is a wonderful, authentic way of connecting to nature. Encounter the smaller creatures, those details of Africa missed when travelling by vehicle.
Wilderness Mokete – Sunken Hide
Spend an afternoon secretly observing wildlife come and go, from the safety of our sunken hide. Bring binoculars, bird books and cameras and wait for the wildlife to arrive.
Wilderness Mokete – Community Village Visits
In Mababe village, learn about the culture of the area; hear stories told by village elders, learn to track the way the locals have done for generations. Try your hand at another ancient tradition of the region, basket-weaving, or join in on a friendly soccer match.
Wilderness Mokete – Helicopter Scenic Flight
Take a thrilling flip over Mababe, and marvel at the size of the mega herds on the plains below. Enjoy vast, natural views in every direction, as Mokete is the only camp in this 50,000-hectare wilderness area.
For more information on Mokete, click HERE