Mababe River Lodge & Campsite — Hotel in North-West District

A Hidden Gem in the Heart of Botswana

I don’t usually write reviews, but this place absolutely deserves the spotlight. Some close friends of mine have been coming here for years, always telling me how special it is - and now I finally understand why.

Nestled in one of the most breathtaking parts of Botswana, this lodge is truly something extraordinary. It's still relatively unknown online, but that only adds to its charm. From the moment I arrived, I felt the warmth and genuine hospitality that my friends had always spoken about. The staff here are incredibly kind and attentive - whether you're staying in one of the beautiful rooms or on the adjacent campsite, which is just as lovingly cared for.

The lodge itself is a peaceful haven - with a stunning pool, a relaxed bar and restaurant area, and comfortable spots to unwind between game drives. Everything is thoughtfully designed and full of heart. There's internet available, but honestly, the natural surroundings are so captivating, you'll likely forget to check your phone.

And then - the safaris. The game drives you can do from here are simply unforgettable. Within minutes, you're surrounded by wildlife and untouched nature. The tracks feel remote and wild, adding to the magic of the experience. We saw an incredible variety of animals – truly everything you can hope for in Africa, and more.

This place touched me deeply. It’s clear that it’s built and run with love and dedication, and I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced it - finally understanding what my friends have been raving about all...

After 6 months of travel in Africa we found the 2nd place for the worst hospitality after Dwesa-Cwebe NR in South Africa, but has been difficult to decide between the 1st and 2nd place. The campsite is located in a strategic place, have private good ablutions, but the price that you pay, 980 pula for 1 night in campsite is not correlated to the services. Bad value for money!!! Immediately after paying, the receptionist said us that is not allowed for the customers of the campsite go to the bar after 6 pm…. But after seeing the dismay on our faces she said that we could access because there were not many guests in the Lodge…. You MUST book the dinner, BUT the menu is fixed, and if you don’t like the menu you have 2 choices:

1. you don’t eat nothing
2. you eat only to survive We decided to drink something to the bar looking the sunset, and we order 2 French fries….. the answer of the manager: impossible, because we don’t have enough electricity to switch on the deep fryer….. What a shame. I wrote this review while sitting at the bar curious what would have happened, and 30 minutes later the owner of the campsite arrogantly knocked on the windows of my van, aggressively urging me to remove the review. I said: no Sir…. He told me to leave the campsite immediately I reply: perfect, give me my money back He gave me my money back (the only good thing in the evening) These people don't even know the meaning of the word HOSPITALITY, they think they are the owners of a small fiefdom, so, if you can avoid this place, is better...

We were camping out way through Botswana on a self drive holiday. We checked in for 1 night to be told it's BWP 490 per night for the campsite all inclusive. On checking out the next day we were told it's BWP 490 per person per night. We paid double what was advised and by then I was not in the mood to argue. No receipt given, unlikely it was lodged either. The only nice feature is the pool. It's is one of the nicer pools we've used. The camp is unfenced, everything from hippo to other predators will roam through. The camp is pestered by flies during the day and by mosquitoes at night. If you do get to hear hippos feel blessed as we heard the village dogs go off all night. The bar is self service and expensive, so be careful not to tip yourself!! You probably won't get it back!!!🤣🙈🙉🙊. Had I known prior to arriving it was this expensive I would have returned to Maun. Sitatunga Campsite over there was far cheaper, BWP 170 p/person p/night. Fully fenced, had a fully serviced restaurant and a nice pool. Not infinity but at less that half the rate, it's more accommodating. If you think this place is wonderful, you have more money than sense!! Enjoy being the prey in a...