Mombo Information
Useful points to take into consideration before visiting
Mombo Camp
Passports and Visas
International visitors require a valid passport together with
onward travel documents. If travelling to South Africa then guests
must please ensure that their passport is valid for at least 6
months after their entry date and that they have a minimum of 2
blank pages (if there is insufficient space in the passport then
entry will be denied) in their passport to enable the entry visa to
be issued. In addition if a father (or mother) is travelling with
his (her) children alone then a letter of consent, certified by
their local police, must be signed by the mother (father) and
carried with them. All passport holders should verify with their
travel agent or relevant consulate concerning visa entry
requirements. If you are extending your journey to other countries,
please establish entry requirements for those countries as
well.
Luggage Restrictions
The luggage restrictions to Mombo are strictly a maximum of 20kg
per guest. There are strict weight restrictions in place on any
itinerary in Botswana including light aircraft transfers for the
following reasons:
- The aircraft are designed with a maximum bodyweight and luggage
weight allowance.
- Most of the airfields in Botswana are over 3000 feet above sea
level and are located in the tropics, and therefore the permissible
aircraft carrying capacity is reduced.
- The aircraft have physical space restrictions.
Some serious issues must please be noted for these types of fly-in
safaris:
- Only soft bags (no hard suitcases as they physically cannot fit
into the aircraft) will be accepted. This includes camera equipment
and hand luggage.
- The maximum dimensions of the soft bags are as follows: 81cm
long x 36cm wide. Please keep in mind that the baggage compartments
on the light aircraft are only 25cm high, so the pilots must have
the ability to manipulate the bag into the compartment.
- Passengers weighing more than 100kg or more, or two guests
travelling together whose combined weight is 200kgs, must please
advise us in advance as an extra seat will then have to be costed
in to the package for safety purposes.
These luggage restrictions for luggage sound like very little but
bear in mind the following:
- Most safari camps / lodges and hotels provide basic toilet
amenities
- Laundry can be done on a daily basis (and many camps provide
this service free of charge but hotels do charge a nominal
fee)
- Mainly casual clothing is required as no formal clothes are
needed at Mombo and throughout Botswana, we recommend that you
limit your luggage to the basics.
Clothing
On Safari - informal and casual dress is appropriate. Comfortable
lightweight cotton clothing in subdued safari colours is practical.
During the day, shorts or trousers are ideal, and the evenings may
be chilly so light cardigans or sweaters are appropriate. For
clients visiting the Ngorongoro Crater, please note that because of
the altitude nights are very cold and so a thick sweater or fleece
is advisable. Long sleeved shirts and trousers are also advisable
in the evenings to lessen the chance of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Many safari lodges have swimming pools, so bathing costumes should
be taken. It is advisable to have a good pair of closed walking
shoes / boots.
Photography
The choice of the correct camera equipment and film will determine
the quality of your photographs on the trip. For good photography
of birds and animals, a good SLR camera and telephoto lens is
necessary. A zoom lens can be extremely useful on safari and the
minimum recommended size is 200mm. Consideration should be given
before travelling with any lens bigger than 400 mm as most
interesting shots are taken using hand held equipment. The new
high-resolution digital cameras are outstanding and give great
quality images, especially if you are using a digital camera body
which takes normal camera lenses. Camera bodies like the Canon D60
and 1D are superb. The advantage of digital photography is that one
can get instant feedback and adjustments can be made in the field
to your techniques to ensure that your photographs are the quality
that you would like. Colour reversal film (slides) will give far
better quality than prints. The guides have found that they are
getting the best results using Fuji film. Fuji has brought out a
good high-speed film that gives good colour with very little grain
(less so than any of their competitors). This is especially useful
when using a big lens in low light situations. The guides' personal
preference is the slower film (either 50 or 100 ASA) as this gives
almost perfect quality for normal light. However, you may consider
going to 200 ASA for a larger lens in low lighting conditions. The
new Fuji 400, we believe is giving great results too. The only
disadvantage with the low ASA film is that you need a tripod for
the early morning and evening shots. IMPORTANT: BRING SPARE FILM
(ALTHOUGH IT IS AVAILABLE IN MOST CAMPS/LODGES) AND A SPARE CAMERA
BATTERY.
Health
There are a few basic health matters that require care and
attention. We are obviously not medical practitioners and the
following points are recommended guidelines only. Please consult
your doctor and also check with your health department prior to
departure for any changes in health regulations.
a) Malaria
Malaria can be found throughout much of Botswana. Should you be
visiting these areas malaria precautions are advised.
Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and
wetter months of November through to April. From May through to
October the risks of acquiring malaria are reduced.
The malaria parasite requires a human host in order to complete
its life cycle. In most cases, our camps are situated in remote,
unpopulated areas, so the chances of contracting malaria are very
slim. Nonetheless, it is worth taking preventative measures.
Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are
prevalent in Africa. Malaria is transmitted by a very small
percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are only active in
the early evening and throughout the night, at the times when one
is usually sleeping or sitting around the campfire.
MALARIA prophylactic recommendations for southern African
travellers:
Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria
prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be
contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where
chloroquine resistance has been reported. Please remember that the
best insurance is the preventative kind: avoid being bitten by
using mosquito repellents liberally. Wear long-sleeved shirts and
trousers/slacks in the evenings. If staying in a bungalow or tent,
spray with an insecticide like DOOM to kill any mosquitoes that may
have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are effective.
If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or
even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor
does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria.
Malaria is not a serious problem if you are sensible and take basic
precautions. There have been very few cases of our guests
contracting malaria during our 19 years to date, of
operation.
b) Water
It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially
during the warmer months. It is generally recommended that guests
drink at least 2 to 3 litres (4 to 6 pints) of water per day to
limit the effects of dehydration. This excludes tea, coffee and
alcoholic beverages, which act as diuretics and can actually
contribute to dehydration.
Generally, water throughout Southern Africa is safe to drink
directly from the tap. However, bottled water is readily available,
so please do not allow yourself to become dehydrated.
c) Other Health Issues
There are no other health issues that one needs to be overly
concerned with.
Stomach Upsets
It is advisable to carry medication supplied by your physician for
simple stomach upsets. In the first few days of your trip you may
suffer from mild upsets attributable to a change in food and
water.
Other
We do recommend that you consult your doctor about other
recommended injections, normally the advice is that Typhoid and
Hepatitis injections should be taken.
CAMP INFORMATION
Power at Mombo
Mombo is situated in one of the most remote areas of the Okavango
and we have to generate our own electricity. We do so in a number
of ways but each camp has a generator which runs for about 6 - 7
hours per day (split between morning and afternoon when guests are
out on activities). In most camps, these generators then charge a
bank of batteries known as an invertor system which then provides
220v power in each tented room for lighting and ceiling fans.
Mombo and Little Mombo have 220v plug points in the tents but
these can be used for the charging of batteries only.
Guests should please ensure that if they want batteries charged,
then they need to bring a spare battery for use while the other is
being charged as well as a power converter if applicable as our
power is all 220v. All camps have the following adaptors: 3 prong
round, 3 prong square, 2 prong round and 2 prong flat.
It is not possible to use appliances such as hairdryers or
electric shavers in the tented rooms at Mombo as they have low
wattage fuses which will trip.
Drinks Policy
All drinks are included in the nightly tariff, with the exception
of premium wines & champagne, and premium liqueurs &
spirits.
Laundry Policy
Laundry is done on a daily basis and inclusive in the nightly
tariff. "Smalls" are washed in a smaller, individual bag.
Extras Payment
Curios, imported drinks and tips/gratuities can be billed to the
tent number and settled on check out. Payment can be effected by
cash (US$), travellers' cheques or the following credit cards: Visa
or MasterCard.
The People
The indigenous people of the country are friendly and hospitable.
They are rightly proud of their country, so be sensitive as you
would be anywhere in your travels.
Currency
Botswana's currency is the Pula. You will be able to change
foreign exchange at the bank at the airport and also at any other
banks in the major towns throughout Botswana. US dollars are often
favoured, and most excursions throughout the country, tips in camp,
drinks and curios can be paid for in dollars. We advise clients to
take spending money in the form of US dollars cash or travellers
cheques. Credit cards are also widely accepted