The 7 Monkey Mombo Massage
June 27, 2025
How a troop of baboons and a "virgin" masseuse gave new meaning to a happy ending at the world's #1 safari camP
By Ian Proctor
Mombo Camp, Moremi Reserve, Botswana -
Many of our clients have had the fortune to visit, and fall in love with, Mombo Camp in Botswana’s wild Okavango Delta.
I have known Mombo Camp for many years... It was first built in 1990. The tents were quite basic but the guides would say “with wildlife this good we could serve peanut butter sandwiches and Cokes and people would be blown away”.
Mombo Camp was rebuilt in 1999 and the new Mombo became known as THE must visit location in Africa... funny enough the old Mombo tents were used to build a new budget friendly tented camp in the Okavango Delta – I recognized the tents on a site inspection one day!
Conde Nast readers voted Mombo world’s #1 Hotel (even though it was nothing like a hotel) in 2009 and again in 2010. Travel + Leisure readers voted Mombo #1 in the World in 2013.
Mombo's lease was set to expire in April 2014 however upon hearing that it would be renewed the camp was slated to be rebuilt again... this started in April 2017 and was completed by January 2018. Awards came flooding in... in late 2018 and 2019 Mombo Camp was listed as "one of the world’s best new hotels" by Travel + Leisure, "Best in Africa" by Tatler, and won Andrew Harper’s Members’ Choice Award.
And the awards continue to this day. In 2024 Conde Nast readers voted Mombo Camp "Africa's best resort".
So now we have the current Mombo Camp.
Much has been written about the wonderfully comfortable rooms and beautiful design... but what makes Mombo really special is shit... yes you read that right. Lots of shit.
Mombo offers some of Africa's best wildlife viewing... in fact it is very common to have elephant, buffalo, baboons, leopards and all the other suspects walking through camp day and night... and these visitors leave behind droppings - lots of droppings.
I love watching well heeled couples when they arrive - not batting an eyelid (or putting on a good act) as they step around, and over, piles of dung on the walkways while being escorted to their $10,000 a night suite.
Why is the wildlife so good at Mombo? Mombo Camp's location on the Northern tip of Chief's Island is where the Okavango River splits into its primary channels, and in doing so drops a lot of nutrients. These nutrients turn into nutritious grasses which in turn attract jaw dropping numbers of wildlife.
But I digress... I wanted to tell you the story of one of the most memorable massages I have ever had... and it occurred at Mombo on November 8, 2009.
I had flown in the day before. Warthog ran alongside the plane as we landed... a nice touch. After a short drive I was at camp and being escorted to room #4 (I counted over 20 little brown "gifts" or "offerings" from the animals en route). I enjoyed an afternoon game drive with Cisco and over dinner was told that massages would now be on offer... in fact they were flying in the new masseuse in the morning. As it's my job to test drive everything is I said "put me down for an 8:30AM treatment".
The next morning the masseuse, freshly arrived from the city of Gaberone, was waiting at my room as I returned from breakfast. She had never been in the bush before. She set up her table on my room's back deck under the shade of a large tree. Wildlife could be seen in all directions - it was a shame that I would be laying face down with my eyes closed... the things I suffer for work.
The full body massage started off nicely. After a few minutes a breeze kicked up and seed pods and leaves fell from the tree and stuck to my now oiled back. The masseuse did her best to flick the leaves away while not interrupting the relaxing experience. Then a brood of cicadas started buzzing - an enveloping sound which drowns out all others... in fact they are the loudest singing insects on earth! A small plane full of departing guests flew low overhead… I only noticed as it was much louder than the cicadas!
It was at this point I noticed the troop of 7 baboons that were playing on my room’s roof... climbing to the top and then sliding down the sloped canvas... over and over again. A few moment's later a rather large male baboon, probably nearsighted in hindsight, misjudged his slide and came shooting off the roof. He landed on the deck two feet in front of my prone body on the massage table. We were face to face! The masseusse screamed. The baboon barked loudly (I could see all his teeth which were huge and impressive). He charged sideways through the masseuse's table and off the edge of the deck. In slow motion the table, an assortment of massage oils, and a small clock, flew into the air before crashing back down… The masseuse was frozen in place - her eyes the size of dinner plates.
I shook with mirth before laughing outloud and then sighed... another day in the office. I have never experienced such an immersive massage - and with such close up wildlife viewing!
Now that's a happy ending in my book!
Thinking of visiting Mombo? Let's set up a time to talk. I am happy to share my insights on when to travel, which camps best complement the Mombo experience, and how to secure free flights and even a free night!
Memorably one of our past clients noted "if you visit Botswana and don't stay at Mombo then you haven't visited Botswana". Another emailed saying "we sat and watched all of Africa's wildlife pass by". Without exception all clients have noted it is worth every penny. And I would agree...
Mombo for 2026 starts at US $2,880 per person night all inclusive.
