What to Do When Mombo is Booked???
 

Mombo is booked for all of September, 2005.

We must either (1) find another lodge to combine well with Jao or (2) switch our visit to March/April.

Luxury is top priority. Game is a close second.

Thanks in advance for your help!

We only have 4 days in Botswana - what about just giving all 4 days to Jao?

i wouldnt do all jao. if you like luxury go to vumbura as well so u see some great game. apparently WS is renovating vumbura so that by mar/apr 2005 it will be in teh luxury category with mombo/jao. vumbura has great game and you wouldnt want to miss it. i went there in sept 2002 and saw leopards and lions everyday and 3 cheetahs. there is great game there in sept.

I wouldn't move my trip to another year because of one camp. After having a safari that had some of the most luxurious camps and hotels and also some simplier ones, I have to say many find "luxury" is over-rated in Africa. Meaning you can go anywhere in the world and find luxury. You can only see African game in the wild in Africa. You will be so excited about the great game to see, about the people, about the air, that as long as you have good food and enough comfort (even camps that are not luxurious have en-suite real bathrooms) you might see your priorities shift. I haven't been to Vumbura but I would go with bigcountry's opinion - I just wouldn't wait.

Bigcountry,
I'm intrigued by your Vumbura suggestion. What do you know about their renovations? Where can I get more info?

hi ericka, this is from the ultimateafrica.com website updates,

Wilderness Safaris Summer Update, August 8 2004

In 2005 Wilderness Safaris of southern Africa plans to build a brand new 12-roomed lodge at a beautiful location in Botswana's Okavango Delta - at the same level of comfort as Jao, Mombo and Kings Pool. Nearby Mombo is often completely booked up, so they felt they needed an alternative - another superb Okavango game viewing camp what will rival the Mombo experience. It will be in the Vumbura area because the game there is outstanding - especially around the new site - and guests can do night drives, walks and boating there. This new camp will open at the end of April 2005 and will be located in a totally new area to the east of the present Vumbura Camp. Bookings for the existing Vumbura continue right up until the new camp opens (at which time the old Vumbura will close). The new camp is to have 10 twin rooms, two of which will be honeymoon tents, and they will probably divide this camp into four small and intimate sets of 3 roomed camps so that they maintain a small and exclusive atmosphere. Little Vumbura will continue on as is with 6 rooms

Excellent. Thanks!