Mankwe Tented Retreat

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.

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.

Mankwe was the most special place on our two-week journey through Botswana - it has remained as the highlight of our trip. Not only were the landscapes of the Moremi game reserve as well as Chobe absolutely breathtaking, the wildlife sightings with Gosekwang (John) were the perfect symbiosis of adventure, education and safe enjoyment. John was extremely knowledgeable, encouraging, charismatic and enthusiastic about the drives. They were organized wonderfully: we received blankets and ponchos for the cold and drinks as well as AMAZING food on our day drives. Even during dinners John was open to answering all of our curious questions and overall was just such a light on our trip - we won’t ever forget. Looking back into the lodges, we were absolutely blown away by the luxury of staying at Mankwe. All details in the room and the common areas were designed with such intent and aesthetic vision. We received heating flasks every night and were greeted with a number of convenient items for our stay (water, bug spray etc.). The service truly was wonderful - thank you so much to Kelly who managed our room, it was amazing! Even generally speaking, the whole team at Mankwe was such a dynamic delight to interact with each day. From the first introduction, the absolutely fabulous iced tea, to warm towels after every game drive, wonderful conversation during meals and the day-to-day check ins, or accompaniment to the lodges at night, to the last dinner and the heartfelt goodbye we received - Mankwe was a place to cherish and never forget. We’ll miss looking over the pool edge to see a multitude of elephants, game drives with John and enjoying the delicious food and drinks created by the team with the uttermost expertise and kindness. Thank you so so much!!! Serena & Family

The team at Mankwe led by John, is well synchronized and very welcoming. The camp really gives the sense of a retreat like the name says, as the atmosphere is very cozy. The guides Mogae and John were engaging, and attentive to us as guests, making the gaming experience more enjoyable. All in all, I would definitely recommend Mankwe without hesitation