Published on May, 2023
Boteti Tented Lodge was perfect for us! We had limited time and did not want to spend a fortune for a lodge when we were barely going to be there. Instead we wanted to get a taste of a safari and stay at a private and comfortable location. Well, this was PERFECTION. We booked the three-day experience. The location was not far from Maun, where we arrived at and were picked up from by Viola, our Boteti driver. He immediately made us feel at ease and drove us straight to the lodge. The sandy road was well-marked all the way to the entrance of the Lodge. I can see how smaller or low clearance vehicles could have difficulty driving if the sand is loose at the time. But, we did not have to worry about that on the vehicle we were picked up in.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by Ana and Beneh, our friendly hosts during the stay. They checked us in, gave us a welcome drink and assigned us our tents. They had staff carry all of our belongings into the tents. The tents were beautifully decorated and very comfortable for two people. It was quiet, clean and ready for us. We were then given a briefing informing us of our upcoming activities and the lodge's amenities. We had selected a sunset mokoro safari and full-day vehicle game drive. But Boteti seemed to offer other options including a helicopter ride that left right from the location.
Our meals were included and served at the reception/dining area. The food was excellent, prepared in-house by Chef Ona. She also prepared packed breakfast and lunch for the day we spent out in the vehicle safari. Delicious!
Our mokoro safari was relaxing and easy. Our drivers (Viola, Kayser and the other gentleman) were excellent and all you have to do is sit down, relax and enjoy. We did not see any water animals, but were treated to a large amount of bird sightings and the MOST SPECTACULAR sunset! Simply stunning! They took up and down the River Boma for around an hour or so.
Our full-day game drive was AMAZING! Early pickup and drive right into the Moremi Reserve with our driver and guide Relax. Surely that is his nickname, but his demeanor honored his nickname, which made for an unforgettable day. He was extremely knowledgeable and patiently tracked the animals. We saw a large variety of animals and three out of the big five (no rhinos or leopards). Relax served us the packed breakfast and lunch and communicated with the very few other guides we came across to find lions as we had not been successful at the time. With his knowledge of the area (it is obvious he has been doing this for years), we tracked and found a group of 13 lions after around 30 minutes. What a treat that was as there were only two other cars who left a few minutes after we arrived. Relax kept us safe and allowed us to soak it all in! We returned to the lodge with a full heart after a great day and were greeted with a delicious dinner and drinks. The next morning we had breakfast and were taken by our driver Viola, to the Maun airport for our flight.
Again, this lodge is perfect for a comfortable stay. The communication with Nedine from the time we booked was very professional. The staff at the lodge was very friendly and attentive and the lodge itself is beautiful. This is not a fancy, over the top lodge, but is a great value. It is private, secluded, clean, and beautiful.
The only negative is the ants we encountered at the tents and common area. They did not bother us (and did not bite) while dining but they were present in the mornings and in the tent, especially in the open bathroom. We were prepared with Permetherin clothing spray which we applied liberally on the bathroom floor and bedroom areas. The spray killed the ants immediately and prevented new ones from being in the space. All four tents in our party had lots of ants, but we all treated the spaces with our own sprays and the problem was solved. The owners of the Lodge should invest in getting treatment around and under the tents and have the staff spray the common areas daily to prevent these pesky insects from bothering guests. This will NOT deter us from going back or recommending the Lodge, it is just a word of advice to the owners and to future guests so that nobody is caught off guard. We were there the last week of April.
THANK YOU Boteti Tented Lodge, for making our days in Botswana the highlight of our holiday. And to Ana, Beneh, Chef Ona, Viola and the rest of the staff: you were amazing, kea leboga!
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