Muchenje Safari Lodge

The chalets at Muchenje Safari Lodge are all private thatched cottages. Your cottage will lead out onto a private deck which overlooks the Chobe River. The rooms consist of 2 beds which can be made up as two twins or a king-size bed. The chalets also feature an en-suite bathroom which consists of a large shower, double basins and a WC. For your comfort, ceiling fans and air-conditioning is provided to keep the climate comfortable. Guests will also have tea and coffee making facilities or can grab refreshments from the chalet’s minibar.

The family chalet is spacious and offers two bedrooms. The master bedroom features a large double bed, and the second bedroom has an open sleeping area which is ideal for accommodating 2 children. The family chalet has 2 bathrooms, one of which includes a large and luxurious bathtub. For your comfort, ceiling fans and air-conditioning is provided to keep the climate comfortable.

Guests will also have tea and coffee making facilities or can grab refreshments from the chalet’s minibar. The family chalet leads out onto a large deck, where you will find chairs and a small table – a great spot for enjoying the sunny afternoons.

Muchenje Safari Lodge offers guests a range of home-cooked meals, all prepared with fresh ingredients by the lodge’s chefs. Start the day off with a light breakfast before embarking on your morning safari activities, and return for a delicious lunch. Enjoy a three-course dinner under the stars on the dining deck, with a choice of desserts to finish. The lodge is able to cater for those with dietary requirements as long as advanced notice is given, and vegetarian options are available.

During a full-day excursion to Chobe National Park, the lodge will prepare a mouth-watering picnic for you to enjoy while surrounded by the amazing wildlife that congregates at the river’s edge.

Muchenje Safari Lodge is based 5 minutes from the Ngoma Gate of the Chobe National Park. From here, guests can venture into the quieter side of the park and explore the bush. Chobe National Park is home to a wild variety of game including huge herds of elephants and buffalo, hippos, zebra, giraffe, sable and roan antelope and wildebeest, as well as predators such as lions, leopards, the rare brown hyena and the endangered wild dog.

The 4×4 safari vehicles are open-sided, allowing for amazing photographic opportunities, and the experienced guides will be able to teach you interesting facts about the game and Chobe region.

Night drives take place within the Chobe Forest Reserve. Guests can explore the bush with the safari vehicles searchlights, and search for the nocturnal species that go unseen during the day. The knowledgeable guides will teach you about the small species that come out under cover of darkness, such as civets, bush babies and porcupines.

Drift along the stunning shallows and floodplains of the Chobe River in a dug-out canoe and watch the wildlife from the safety of the water. Learn about the river and its inhabitants while hippos swim alongside you and elephants drink from the riverbanks. This is a seasonal activity, due to the changing water levels, and is best enjoyed between April and December when the Chobe floods onto the western plains. The mokoro trips depart from in front of Muchenje Safari Lodge.

Take a whole day to explore Chobe National Park. Guests will be driven to the jetty on the Eastern side of Chobe National Park before enjoying a boat cruise along the river. The guides will show you the elephants’ favourite places to gather and cross the river and you will be able to spend a leisurely morning watching the aquatic life along the banks.

Enjoy a delicious picnic prepared by Muchenje’s chefs while surrounded by nature, before you set off on a game drive along the western banks. Make the most of your time by spending as long as possible at Chobe National Park and immerse yourself in the stunning wildlife and landscape.

Venture to the places that safari vehicles cannot reach on a guided walk, and spy on incredible wildlife without the noise of an engine to startle them. Enjoy walking through the forest reserve at your own pace and pay attention to the smaller details often missed during a game drive. The professional armed guides will be able to teach you about the fascinating species that live within the reserve, as well as how to recognise animal tracks and marks left in the bush.

Guests staying at the lodge for 3 nights or more will be offered the unique chance to visit the local village of Muchenje. Spend a day with Esther, a local grandmother, and her grandchildren. Learn about this rural community that lives alongside incredible wildlife. The drive will also stop off at the local Mabele Primary School, which Muchenje supports through Pack for a Purpose. Meet the children who are supported through this project and learn about growing up in Botswana.

Muchenje Safari Lodge works with Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that encourages travellers to benefit local communities by using spare suitcase space to bring much-needed supplies. Muchenje has supported the local Mabele Primary School for over 20 years, and also supports the Kachikau Special Unit School for children with disabilities.

Useful supplies, such as pens, pencils, paper, books and notepads can be dropped off at your accommodation and will be used to aid the children at these schools.

Muchenje have collaborated with one of their guests, Chris Gray, to fund a school bus for children in the local area. Chris Gray’s company, CD Gray Consulting Engineering, raised funds in the UK over a period of a few months, and then Muchenje matched their contribution. This means that the school bus is able to keep running and receive maintenance so that the local schoolchildren can get to school more easily.

‘Children have traditionally walked to school, some covering distances of up to 8 km (5 miles) on foot. School starts before 8am, so most kids used to start off from their homes before sunrise. Muchenje Safari Lodge has thus supplied a school bus.’

Muchenje have a policy of hiring Motswana guides from local communities in order to support people in the area in which they operate.

‘Our team of experienced guides – Ali, Lips, Rambo and KB – all of whom have had extensive guide training share a love of the bush they grew up with. They are passionate about Chobe and its surroundings and have a wealth of knowledge about the animals, birds and plants of the region, which they love to share with the guests.’