Reviews of Lebala Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
195 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Lebala Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Jun-2018, 37 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Lebala Camp.
Lion
100% success
Leopard
50% success
Cheetah
18% success
Wild dog
47% success
Elephant
100% success
Giraffe
100% success
Zebra
100% success
Wildebeest
97% success
Hippo
91% success
Buffalo
76% success
Spotted Hyena
47% success
Roan antelope
32% success
Sable antelope
29% success
Brown Hyena
16% success
Pangolin
3% success
Aardvark
0% success
Mr & Mrs K
Oklahoma
"Lebala Camp review"
3 nights Arrived 3 Jun 2015
"We saw so many lion here! Was a bit frustrating not to see the wild dogs in our three days here, but we did see them once in Lagoon. I would say the guides here were not quite as good, in terms of working as a team across all the vehicles. That made it harder to find animals compared to say Chitabe where there were multiple vehicles in constant contact about animal locations. In Lagoon, our driver seemed only to be in contact with one other driver, even though there were usually 4 vehicles out at any time.
Again, one camp manager, OP was terrific and the other, BK ( a different BK than at Lagoon) was not. This camp was also the scariest when it came to my gluten-free diet. For one example at a dinner, the starter was put in front of me and the server told me, "I don't know if you can take this or not". It was just harder to figure things out dietarily here." See all these reviews: 11n in Botswana
Again, one camp manager, OP was terrific and the other, BK ( a different BK than at Lagoon) was not. This camp was also the scariest when it came to my gluten-free diet. For one example at a dinner, the starter was put in front of me and the server told me, "I don't know if you can take this or not". It was just harder to figure things out dietarily here." See all these reviews: 11n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Average
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs J
Milwaukee
"Excellent safari"
3 nights Arrived 28 May 2015
"Best camp we stayed at in Botswana. Excellent guides and staff was great. Great game viewing!! Rooms were beautiful."
See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr D
Hanger Hill
"Lebala Camp review"
2 nights Arrived 28 May 2015
"We stayed 2 nights here at the beginning of our very first safari and wished we'd stayed at least another night!
Everything here was fantastic - the quality of the guide and tracker were top rate, the variety of wildlife in the concession was incredible and we even managed to see a good sized pack of Wild Dog on our first day. Suffice to say, we were somewhat spoilt here, having the privilege of seeing a successful lion hunt, a wild dog chase, giraffe and elephant to name a few.
The atmosphere in camp was an unexpected bonus here; albeit we may have gotten lucky with a good group of fellow guests, the staff certainly played up to this and made the feeling around the grounds very positive. We particularly loved one evening where the staff sang some African style songs and really got the atmosphere going- fab!
The quality of the accommodation and facilities here were above and beyond our expectations, especially given the remoteness of the location. We particularly enjoyed listening to the wildlife wandering through over the course of the evening...!
We can't recommend this place enough. Many thanks for such an enjoyable stay!" See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana
Everything here was fantastic - the quality of the guide and tracker were top rate, the variety of wildlife in the concession was incredible and we even managed to see a good sized pack of Wild Dog on our first day. Suffice to say, we were somewhat spoilt here, having the privilege of seeing a successful lion hunt, a wild dog chase, giraffe and elephant to name a few.
The atmosphere in camp was an unexpected bonus here; albeit we may have gotten lucky with a good group of fellow guests, the staff certainly played up to this and made the feeling around the grounds very positive. We particularly loved one evening where the staff sang some African style songs and really got the atmosphere going- fab!
The quality of the accommodation and facilities here were above and beyond our expectations, especially given the remoteness of the location. We particularly enjoyed listening to the wildlife wandering through over the course of the evening...!
We can't recommend this place enough. Many thanks for such an enjoyable stay!" See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Dr C
Newmarket
"Lovely Lebala; what a gem."
3 nights Arrived 15 Apr 2015
"This camp is well run, the staff are invested in making your experience exceptional. I met so many friendly faces who shared their talents and kind hearts.
Bate & Mr. Mo made this trip exciting and fun. Their combined knowledge of animal behavior, plant life & star gazing skills made this journey full, rich and memorable.
I have no hesitation recommending this lodge to family and friends and would return in a heart beat." See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Bate & Mr. Mo made this trip exciting and fun. Their combined knowledge of animal behavior, plant life & star gazing skills made this journey full, rich and memorable.
I have no hesitation recommending this lodge to family and friends and would return in a heart beat." See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs H
Hampton
"A good ending to a brilliant holiday"
3 nights Arrived 4 Nov 2014
"we stayed at Lebala for the final 3 days of our trip. The room was was excellent and spacious, and the overall feel and style of the lodge was just right.
Our guide, Leso and our tracker, Shoes, were the highlight of our time here - both were knowledgeable, keen and great company as well. Less game than at the other locations, but that, I'm sure, is a factor out of anyone's control other than Mother Nature!" See all these reviews: 11n in Botswana; 3n in Zambia
Our guide, Leso and our tracker, Shoes, were the highlight of our time here - both were knowledgeable, keen and great company as well. Less game than at the other locations, but that, I'm sure, is a factor out of anyone's control other than Mother Nature!" See all these reviews: 11n in Botswana; 3n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs R
Leatherhea
"The focus on big game delivered cats and more"
3 nights Arrived 30 Sep 2014
"From the time our guide and tracker picked us up from the airstrip and delivered us to our huge, comfortable tent with its delightful outdoor shower, we enjoyed the whole experience.
Although they were focused on finding big cats, and we saw many lions and a leopard, they were also willing to indulge our interest in the birds, smaller game and wider environment. We saw the wild dogs, honey badgers and pelicans roosting in the baobab. If we had any criticism it is that the guide tended to go too close to the animals and did not explain as they were tracking game.
All the staff went out of their way to make us welcome and look after us - we enjoyed their singing and dancing on Independence Day. The food was excellent and early breakfast round the fire was a bonus." See all these reviews: 23n in Namibia; 9n in Botswana
Although they were focused on finding big cats, and we saw many lions and a leopard, they were also willing to indulge our interest in the birds, smaller game and wider environment. We saw the wild dogs, honey badgers and pelicans roosting in the baobab. If we had any criticism it is that the guide tended to go too close to the animals and did not explain as they were tracking game.
All the staff went out of their way to make us welcome and look after us - we enjoyed their singing and dancing on Independence Day. The food was excellent and early breakfast round the fire was a bonus." See all these reviews: 23n in Namibia; 9n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs H & Mr R
USA
"Lebala Camp review"
3 nights Arrived 11 Sep 2014
"Our first camp and we loved it. Being first time safari travelers we did not know totally what to expect, although I did a ton of research. This and all the camps so far exceeded our expectations. This camp is charming and the animal sightings were exceptional; leopards, lions and everything else! Our guide, Bate and our tracker, Borman took excellent care of us and always found the animals. We were so lucky to experience a baby leopard and her mother feeding after a recent antelope kill. The guides are patient, the new friends and guests we met were wonderful and the staff took such good care of us.
I always felt safe even when being walked back to our "tent" late one evening when we literally ran into a hippo when we came around the corner! Our guide just walked around him and escorted us into our room so that we could listen to our hippo munch the grass throughout the night. Being surrounded by elephants one night, while they brushed against our tent walls and pulled branches off the trees above us really brought the safari experience to life for me!
The food was wonderful.....and I could go back 100 times!" See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
I always felt safe even when being walked back to our "tent" late one evening when we literally ran into a hippo when we came around the corner! Our guide just walked around him and escorted us into our room so that we could listen to our hippo munch the grass throughout the night. Being surrounded by elephants one night, while they brushed against our tent walls and pulled branches off the trees above us really brought the safari experience to life for me!
The food was wonderful.....and I could go back 100 times!" See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Ms N
San Francisco
"Locally managed, relaxed, great wildlife"
3 nights Arrived 3 Sep 2014
"This camp reminded me a bit of Nkwali in its communal feel and animal life. It is relaxed, which made it a favorite of mine, but may not have the sophistication that other people may seek. I also really liked the fact that everyone was local as opposed to having a non-African serve as the lodge face to guests. This was unique across all the lodges with the exception of Puku Ridge.
Lodge and Room
The lodge is located in a fairly open area. Elephants and hippos will occasionally come into camp. More often, a parade of elephants will pass by daily but at a bit of a distance.
There is a fire pit where people hang out and comfortably chit chat with the camp manager and guides.
Meals are eaten communally and were very good.
The rooms are huge with a big bathtub inside and a shower outside. I had a bit of trouble with the shower. It was either scolding hot or freezing cold. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get the adjustments to work. Also, it was unseasonably cold so they didn't have their hot water bottles available. This meant the bed could be quite cold at night. The room and it's view was beautiful though.
This was the only lodge where I couldn't charge my equipment in the room. There were plenty of plugs in the main area though so it wasn't really an inconvenience.
Wildlife and Guide
Wildlife was plentiful, the greatest concentration I experienced in Botswana. We saw leopards, lions, wild dogs as well as the more common animals and birds. The lion prides were in the open with a good number of them (both males and females). The wild dogs had a litter of 13 puppies (across 3 moms) and they were adorable. We even saw ostriches. Roger, our guide, went to great lengths to ensure our drives were successful." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia; 5n in Botswana
Lodge and Room
The lodge is located in a fairly open area. Elephants and hippos will occasionally come into camp. More often, a parade of elephants will pass by daily but at a bit of a distance.
There is a fire pit where people hang out and comfortably chit chat with the camp manager and guides.
Meals are eaten communally and were very good.
The rooms are huge with a big bathtub inside and a shower outside. I had a bit of trouble with the shower. It was either scolding hot or freezing cold. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get the adjustments to work. Also, it was unseasonably cold so they didn't have their hot water bottles available. This meant the bed could be quite cold at night. The room and it's view was beautiful though.
This was the only lodge where I couldn't charge my equipment in the room. There were plenty of plugs in the main area though so it wasn't really an inconvenience.
Wildlife and Guide
Wildlife was plentiful, the greatest concentration I experienced in Botswana. We saw leopards, lions, wild dogs as well as the more common animals and birds. The lion prides were in the open with a good number of them (both males and females). The wild dogs had a litter of 13 puppies (across 3 moms) and they were adorable. We even saw ostriches. Roger, our guide, went to great lengths to ensure our drives were successful." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia; 5n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Family G
Toronto
"Lebala Camp review"
3 nights Arrived 9 Jul 2014
"Our family enjoyed Lebala. Good variety of game. Neat to see a honey badger during the day (very rare, I think) and we enjoyed the wild dog pack and their puppies. Sorry not to see any leopards tho'!
Lots of elephant coming past and through the camp each day. The guides and staff did a reat job, but not quite as polished as Kwetsani." See all these reviews: 7n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Lots of elephant coming past and through the camp each day. The guides and staff did a reat job, but not quite as polished as Kwetsani." See all these reviews: 7n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms T & Ms S
UK
"Wonderful Start"
2 nights Arrived 27 Jun 2014
"Amazing start to six nights in Botswana - Rooms comfortable, only negative lack of hot water morning/evening but believe they are changing the water system - it really didn't spoil stay, just had a shower during day.
Baits and Beaumont (Guide and Tracker) fantastic and we even saw leopard on first drive!" See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 6n in Mozambique; 1n in South Africa
Baits and Beaumont (Guide and Tracker) fantastic and we even saw leopard on first drive!" See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 6n in Mozambique; 1n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Holiday styles & special interests in Botswana
From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Botswana.
Other lodges in Kwando-Linyanti area
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Lagoon Camp
Within the vast Kwando Reserve, renowned for its wild dogs, Lagoon Camp offers excellent game viewing that focuses on predators.
Selinda Camp
In an attractive area that is particularly rich in game between June and November, the luxurious Selinda Camp caters particularly well for photographers.
DumaTau
DumaTau, in the private Linyanti Reserve, offers game drives, seasonal boat cruises and walks. Wildlife safaris here are quite seasonal, and are at their best during the height of the dry season, between June and October.
Linyanti Bush Camp
An increasingly rare find in Botswana, Linyanti Bush Camp blends relative simplicity with numerous activities and very good guiding.
Savuti Camp
For years the Savuti Channel ran dry, but it's now flowing again and this newly refurbished, 7-room lodge has pride of place to witness the spectacle.
Selinda Explorers Camp
The luxurious, traditional tented Selinda Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by really top notch guides in a game-rich area.
Zarafa Camp
Zarafa is an exclusive camp overlooking the scenic Zibadianja Lagoon within the Selinda Reserve, a particularly game-rich area between June and early November.
Kings Pool
King’s Pool is a top-end luxury safari camp with a price tag to match; the game viewing can be very good during the dry season.
Linyanti Ebony
Independently owned and run, the small Linyanti Ebony sits on the same site as Linyanti Bush Camp, with similarly high standards of guiding, and a strong emphasis on the wildlife experience.
Linyanti Expeditions
Tip-top guiding. In tune with the habitat. Down-to-earth, authentic camp comfort. A place of wilderness safari harmony.
Little DumaTau
Small and sophisticated, Little DumaTau lies adjacent to its larger sibling in the private Linyanti Reserve, overlooking a beautiful lagoon.
Okavango Explorers
The traditional, tented Okavango Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by great guides in a wildlife-rich area.
