Mankwe Tented Retreat

Highlights

• Private 85,000-hectare concession with exclusive game-viewing access
• Morning, afternoon and after-dark spotlight drives are included in the rate
• Mokoro excursions on the Khwai River and access to Moremi and the Chobe Corridor
• Ten Meru-style tented suites on raised platforms beneath mopane trees
• Solar-powered, off-grid eco-lodge with two pools and an open-air boma

You Should Know

• Children aged 7 and older are welcome on game drives; under-7s only at management discretion and on a private vehicle
• Mokoro excursions are open to children aged 6 and older
• An elephant fence surrounds the camp, but guests are still escorted to their tents at night

The Details

Location

Mankwe Tented Retreat sits on a private concession on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Moremi Game Reserve lies a short distance to the west, Chobe National Park is to the north, and Maun is roughly two hours south by road, about 57 miles away.

The lack of fences across the concession and the neighbouring reserves means free-roaming wildlife is the norm, with resident lions, large herds of elephants and a steady cast of plains game moving through the mopane woodland.

Accommodation

The camp has ten Meru-style tented suites raised on wooden platforms, each with a private deck shaded by mopane trees and a canvas canopy. Tents have king-sized beds that can be split into twins, en-suite bathrooms with twin basins and a shower, a fan, charging station, safe, tea and coffee station and a small work desk. The look is understated, with light wood and a Scandinavian-leaning take on a bush camp.

Main Area And Spa

The thatched main area houses a lounge, wildlife library, games space and dining room, with two swimming pools, sun-loungers, pool bars and a series of small lounging nooks linked by elevated walkways. A small spa treatment room sits within the main area, with massages overlooking the bush.

Mankwe is off the national grid and runs on solar power with battery storage, including solar geysers across the camp.

Game Drives

Game drives run in open 4x4 vehicles on the private concession, where Mankwe is the only operator. Morning, afternoon and after-dark spotlight drives are included, with full-day excursions into the Moremi Game Reserve, the Khwai Concession and the Chobe Corridor available too. Full-day drives run for seven to eight hours with a picnic lunch in the bush; half-day drives are three to four hours and night drives roughly two hours.

The area is known for elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog, alongside giraffe, zebra, hyena and a wide range of antelope. Birding is strong year-round, with wetland, grassland and woodland species including Pel's fishing owl.

Mokoro And Boating

A mokoro excursion on the Khwai River is included in the rate, offering a quieter water-based perspective on the Delta from a traditional dugout canoe. When water levels allow, a Xakanxa boat trip on the Okavango Delta can be added at extra cost, with strong chances of hippo, crocodile, red lechwe and waterbirds, plus the possibility of leopard and wild dog along the banks.

Dining

Meals are served both indoors and out, with boma dinners around the fire and the option of a private dinner on a deck. Menus lean on fresh produce sourced from local farms and markets, and the kitchen prepares traditional Setswana dishes alongside everyday safari fare. Guests can join the chefs around the boma fire to learn about local cooking.

Price Includes

• Accommodation in a Meru-style tented suite
• All meals, water, tea and coffee, soft drinks, local beer and house wine
• Two shared game drives per day on the private concession, or one shared full-day drive into Moremi, Khwai or the Chobe Corridor
• Mokoro excursion
• One bag of laundry per room, per stay
• Excludes imported and premium drinks, road and air transfers, spa treatments, the Xakanxa boat trip and the USD 15 per person per night Grow Africa Levy