Where Mbamba sits
Mbamba is a tented camp in the private NG12 concession in the northern Okavango Delta. The northern Delta holds permanent water, and NG12 is a game-rich private concession that offers good viewing across the year rather than only in the dry months.
The camp
There are twelve rooms. The camp is run by the Uncharted Africa team, and it carries the marks of a Ralph Bousfield operation: classic safari style, and a strong emphasis on guided wilderness experience over resort comfort.
The tents
Tents are air-conditioned, which matters in the northern Delta from September onward, and the camp is arranged so that guests can take a proper siesta in comfort between the morning and afternoon activities.
The main area and pool
There is a camp pool, outdoor dining, and a firepit. The atmosphere is deliberately relaxed rather than formal.
The guiding
Guiding is the thing this camp puts forward first. The operator’s guides are trained in the Bousfield tradition, which places heavy weight on interpretation, tracking and natural history rather than simply delivering sightings.
Land activities
Game drives run on the private concession. Being private land, the camp is not bound by national park hours or road restrictions, which opens up night drives and off-road following.
Water activities
Water-based activities run alongside the drives. In the northern Delta the permanent channels make the water side viable across much of the year rather than only at flood.
Who it suits
Travellers who want a deeper understanding of the environment rather than a checklist of species, and who value guiding above fittings. The relaxed atmosphere and the mix of land and water activity make it a good primary Delta camp for a first Botswana trip.
Combining it
Mbamba pairs naturally with a dry-country camp — Savute, Linyanti or the Kalahari — since its own strength is water and northern Delta game.
When to visit
The camp is open year-round and the concession is described as offering excellent game viewing year-round. The dry months concentrate game hardest; the green season is quieter, greener and stronger for birds.
