Mankwe Bush Lodge
Mankwe Bush Lodge offers the quintessential Safari Experience at justifiable rates. Situated between the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park at the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta, there are few places in Northern Botswana that benefit from the same bountiful and consistent game sightings as Mankwe Bush Lodge. A range of land and water-based safari game viewing excursions through the Moremi Game Reserve, private concessions and neighbouring islands await you, led by experienced guides, indigenous to the land. All inclusive rates ensure that you are free to indulge in a range of locally sourced food and beverages, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Three set meals are served throughout the day in a communal dining setting, either indoor or alfresco. Children aged 6 years and older are welcome, however, they must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Mankwe Bush Lodge, Botswana
Mankwe Bush Lodge is located on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta, situated between the infamous Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park, nestled within a private 300 000-hentare concession. This is a prestigious and animated territory within the northern regions of Botswana, where the lack of fences allows for free-roaming wildlife such as lions, elephants and numerous other safari staple creatures.
Mankwe Bush Lodge is located 85km from Maun and is easily accessed by self-drivers from Maun Airport. Alternatively, a road transfer from the airport to the lodge can be arranged. Self-drivers travelling from Maun Airport will exit Maun in the direction of Mababe on the Seretse Khama road, cross the vet fence and eventually keep right at the fork, continuing towards Savute. Mankwe Bush Lodge is sign-posted on the left, where you will arrive at your destination.
- All-inclusive rates, including food, beverages and all standard activities
- Day and evening game drives inside a private concession
- Comfortable and airy accommodation comes with modern en-suite facilities
- Clear, unpolluted night skies provide ample conditions for pristine star gazing
- Excursions into the Moremi Game Reserve for whole day safari activities
- Self-service in-camp bar available
- Children aged 6 and over are welcome
In September and October, temperatures can soar to the mid-40°Cs, reaching the driest period, with game keeping close to the remaining water. The rain begins in summer and runs from November to April and transforms Botswana into a prime birding destination. For unforgettable big game viewing, the winter months (June, July, August) are the best as the bush is thinner, making visibility better, and water is scarcer, meaning the permanent waterholes and lagoons are brimming with wildlife.
Accommodation is comfortable and airy, with a host of modern amenities such as shower facilities with hot running water and an en-suite bathroom. The private viewing decks reveal astonishing vistas that stretch out over the encompassing bushland environment.
Back at the lodge, you’re free to indulge in a range of luxuriously prepared feasts and bottomless beverages, all-inclusive as standard. Atmospheric indoor and alfresco communal dining areas provide the perfect dining platform to indulge in lavish cuisine, comprising a mix of local flavours and western cuisine.
A total of 8 tented suites stand elevated above the ground on raised wooden platforms, extending onto private decks with pristine views of the surrounding bushland environment. Tall mopane trees provide mottled shade to every tent, while a canvas canopy roofs the deck and outdoor furniture. Interior is reminiscent of the classic African safari style, with a host of modern amenities such as en-suite toilets, shower facilities and vanities. Each tented chalet can accommodate a maximum of 2 people.
Amenities Include:
- En-suite bathroom
- Shower facilities
- Balcony/deck
As the old adage goes, ‘no one ever goes hungry on safari’, which is most prevalent at Mankwe Bush Lodge. The fine array of dedicated catering staff work tirelessly to provide sumptuous cuisine throughout the day to keep you satisfied between activities. Mealtimes are a scrumptious affair in the communal dining tent, after a traditional drum beat beckons guests to the table. Three set meals are provided throughout the day, with a host of lite bites and snacks served in-between. Evening dinner is the most lavish meal served, with three courses, comprising local flavours and western cuisine, freshly prepared for you to enjoy.
High tea presents the perfect opportunity to unwind amidst the junction of a day’s activities with a range of refreshing beverages and sumptuous snacks. Soak in the atmosphere with high tea alfresco for an atmospheric midday refreshment for a classy and memorable reprieve.
Guided game drives provide the opportunity to traverse expansive delta lands in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Thriving game populations within the Moremi Game Reserve make for ample wildlife viewing potential as you travel across open landscapes and merging eco systems. Lion, leopard, lechwe and tsessebe are among some of the major attractions that entice guests year-round, as well as the larger safari staples such as elephant, hippopotamus and buffalo, as do herds of giraffe, frolicking zebra, kudu and wild dog.
Spot-lit evening game drives are permitted within the private concession on the eastern boundary of Moremi Game Reserve. Evening game drives add new depth to the safari game viewing experience, with scores of nocturnal predators that prowl around the darkened savannah landscape in search of prey. A full day game drive will take guests from Mankwe, through the Moremi and traverse the final distance via boat to a remote camp on the private Xobega Island where the evenings game drive may commence.
Birding within the Moremi Game Reserve is a unique and insightful experience that attracts wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike from all around the world. Over 450 species make for a unique and unparalleled viewing experience. Knowledgeable guides, familiar with the many indigenous birds and their beckoning calls will familiarise you by pointing out different species as you progress. Some of the rarer avian species include the illusive Pel’s fishing owl, endangered wattled crane and the majestic African fish eagle.
Nothing quite compares to the feeling of calmly gliding through delta channels on a traditional style African dug-out canoe – colloquially known as mokoro. Your experienced guide, seasoned in the art of mokoro polling will lead the way through papyrus grass filled waterways, revealing intricate waterlilies, aquatic game and the rich aroma of the wild. A safari circuit linking with Xobega Island facilitates daily boat and mokoro cruises from Mboma Boat & Mokoro Station.
Guided wildlife tours within the Moremi Game Reserve allow you to take in the sights, sounds and scents of the ecological paradise that surrounds you. Seasoned guides will immerse you in the knowledge of the environment, pointing out indigenous flora and medicinal plants, presenting you with the facts and trivia of the land.
Set sail for open delta channels with Mankwe style motorised cruise excursions. This enthralling maritime safari adventure facilitates a host of inherent activities such as game viewing, birding and the chance to sample exotic barge cuisines while in the company of your private guide and friends. Observe the abundance of life around you as you calmly traverse delta channels in search of exotic game and staple safari creatures while enjoying sundowners with friends.
Mankwe Bush Lodge is constructed from primarily recyclable and locally sourced materials. In order to mediate the inherent footprint on the immediate environment, all in-camp facilities and accommodation are built on timber decks, thereby placing less stress on the ground, with no permanent structures to speak of. This practice ensures that any construction pieces can be easily and efficiently disassembled, allowing for the swift recovery of the land on which these installations are built – usually returning to its original state within 1 ½ years.
The application of locally sourced and recyclable materials greatly offsets the environmental impact of constructing a property in what can only be considered an environmentally sensitive area, with diminished need to have industrial quantities of lumber and construction materials hauled long distances through otherwise undisturbed ecosystems in order to commence construction.
Mankwe Bush Lodge incorporates the use of solar power electricity in the functions of the property – i.e. providing electricity for lighting and water heating. Solar power initiatives are rapidly becoming the new standard for all ecotourism destinations situated within Southern Africa and beyond, as an increasing number of operators are investing in new, cutting edge renewable energy sources and deviating from ecologically detrimental alternatives such as conventional diesel-powered generators. With the abundance of sun inherent to Northern Botswana, the installation of solar farms like those implemented at Mankwe Bush Lodge proves to be financially viable and ecologically sustainable.
Children aged 6 and over are welcome at Mankwe Bush Lodge, but parents are reminded that it is an unfenced camp and children are to be supervised at all times