Mankwe Campsites

A Soul Reset in the Botswana Bush Mankwe Tented Retreat in Botswana was pure magic. Waking up to elephants drinking at the waterhole just 50m from the viewing deck and pool felt like something straight out of Out of Africa. The atmosphere is peaceful, wild, and deeply relaxing — the perfect reset and detox from busy city life. The rooms were spotless, beautifully equipped, and incredibly comfortable after long days out on safari. Every detail made it easy to unwind and reconnect with nature. The food deserves its own mention — Chef Bonx spoiled us with absolutely delicious meals, especially the traditional boma evenings and barbeques around the firepit under the stars. Every meal felt special. Also a special mention to our incredible guide, “John Wick,” whose endless knowledge of the bush, wildlife, birds, and nature made every safari unforgettable. His passion and storytelling added so much depth to the experience and gave us a whole new appreciation for the African wilderness. If you’re looking for an authentic bush experience with comfort, incredible wildlife moments, amazing food, and total tranquility, Mankwe Tented Retreat is unforgettable.

A beautifully decorated, thoughtfully planned eco resort that surpasses all expectations. The staff are so welcoming, the food is outstanding. The rooms are lovely. Great safaris each day, sundowner safaris in the evening. Or you can just sit on the WiFI deck with a glass of wine and watch the elephants, giraffe and hippos parade by. Highlight of a 19 day tour.

A beautiful place too be! We stayed for 3 nights in Mankwe Tented Retreat. All the personal was very friendly and helpful. It was very nice being in Okavango delta area. Our “Tent” was comfortable and everything was there. Not to big but good enough. Because the drinking water is salt, there is always normal drinking water in your tents available. This place is in the middle of the nature. Our ranger MG took us safely in the dark to our tent cabin. In the morning, he wakes you up en brings you safely back to the restaurant area. MG was great and we had a wonderful time with him all the days. Afters the place was burned down in 2005 the new owners made a completely new lodge with all the facilities. Some old reviews are from the time before the new owners rebuild the place. There are no longer apply to this status of Mankwe Tented Retreat lodge. The chef is unbelievably good. The food was truly exquisite, also for vegetarians among us. A good place to stay, with very nice personal en worth your money.

I stayed at Mankwe Tented Retreat for 2 nights and it was excellent. The accommodation was unique. Game drives were exceptional and the staff were knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. The food was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The only downside was how cold the rooms were and that the hot water ran out a couple of times. But it was winter and the turn down service included a lovely hot water bottle which stayed warm all night. Given the isolated location and the use of solar power these two small things did not spoil the enjoyment of being in the bush and hearing hyenas and lions at night. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Spent two nights with a full day game drive. Tented accommodation was superb, comfortable and with a scenic view. Staff and management were welcoming and friendly throughout. SK the game guide was great and knowledgeable. Food was amazing and it was nice to see chef passionate over the menu. A stark contrast from the previous setup. Hope to stay again next time.

We spent a night deeper in the bush, way before the sign, that says that camping is prohibited. That said, we were camping BEFORE the sign, not knowing, that camping in Concession areas is prohibited (no signs at all at this point). The next morning, a vehicle with five or six guys showed up. One of them claimed we had committed a crime and said they had filmed us. They threatened to call the police without any prior warning and warned us about possible vehicle confiscation and other unpleasant consequences — unless we paid a “fine” of 858 Pula (around €56 for 2 persons), which coincidentally matched the price of one night’s stay at the camp. We were told to follow their vehicle, although they had initially said they were going in another direction (from what I understood, they wanted to bring us to a "chief" or the local police office). Eventually, we ended up at the Hideaways Mankwe Tented Retreat and got the distinct impression we were basically checking in — they even issued a receipt. When I asked to see the supposed video footage, they refused. I reminded them of privacy rights and the legal requirement to post warnings if filming occurs. They ignored that. I asked again to see the recordings, but they denied access and repeated their threats. They tried to remain polite but kept insisting we had “committed a crime” and that “it was theft.” The more I asked to see the footage, the more aggressive they became. We let it go, but we’re quite certain no footage existed. Whether their actions were even legal is questionable. We therefore cannot recommend this retreat, as we were not treated fairly.

One of my favourite places we stayed in Africa - very private with beautiful decor and facilities. Loved seeing the elephants daily at the nearby waterhole from the retreat. Staff were excellent with lots of attention to detail and very friendly. Special mention to MG our brilliant game guide and the outstanding chef Baker for all those incredible meals. Absolutely stunned to see the African wild dogs especially. Can highly recommend.

The lodge is excellent. Top location with very kind personal. They have pleasure in there work and that is also great for the guests. Thanks to John for the welcome!