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Mapula Lodge
Mapula Lodge
Mapula Lodge
Mapula Lodge

Reviews of Mapula Lodge

Wildlife sightings and reviews

20 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Mapula Lodge and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Sep-2018, 5 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Mapula Lodge.
Lion

80% success

Leopard

100% success

Cheetah

20% success

Wild dog

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Buffalo

80% success

Sable antelope

40% success

Spotted Hyena

40% success

White Rhino

25% success

Aardvark

0% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Hippo

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Roan antelope

0% success

Showing 1-10 of 20
Duration
Arrival date
Explorers
Oklahoma

"Mapula Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 14 May 2022
"We liked the family seating for meals including guides, as it gave a sense of intimacy and friendliness. Lodge and rooms were excellent providing comfort and privacy. Lodge staff provided services that made a wonderful visit. Guide was well informed and personable. He made a huge effort to show the abundant wildlife and explain ecological relationships. Site was a great location for combining water activities (mokoro) and land activities. Wildlife was abundant and fascinating. Guide knowledge seemed limitless as he pointed out the evening and morning stars and planets, and explained the workings of the delta.

The daily schedule was important to making the most of the visit. I must admit to wanting to see as much as possible as opposed to relaxing in camp. We were woken up in full darkness in early morning by a person delivering coffee and cake to the table in our tent. Then we left in dim morning light to search for whatever was moving. The morning was magical and full of sounds, smells (wild sage) and animal movements. At midmorning it was time for breakfast on the vehicle's extended table, hot coffee or tea, cereal, boiled eggs etc. We finished the morning with more game drives and landed at camp for late lunch. Later in the afternoon we left again for a game drive or mokoro activities. Every afternoon had its own sundowner, as they called it, at the back of the Land Cruiser with any drink you desired and snacks of nuts and crackers. It was great fun and adventure. We were sad to move on after three nights." See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia; 10n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Lion

2 sightings

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

White Rhino

1 sighting

Wild dog

1 sighting

Wildebeest

1 sighting

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs R
Picton, NZ

"Magnificent Mapula"

3 nights Arrived 23 Jun 2019
"Wow what a setting even without much water!. Really peaceful and attractive layout, very user friendly. Great caring staff who really added to the positive and relaxing experience we had here.

Our guide Glenn really worked on finding those elusive cats in such a large area and gave us plenty of time to get photos when we did find them. The guys who took us in the mokoras were friendly and knowledgeable and put us at ease with their expertise. B J and No No made us feel very welcome as did the rest of the staff. Food was amazing so thanks to the cook and his/her team.

Our only concern was the toilet that needed a bit of attention." See all these reviews: 9n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Leopard

2 sightings

Lion

6 sightings

Sable antelope

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wild dog

10 sightings

Wildebeest

2 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr E.
Camberley

"Absolutely fantastic! Staff were incredible"

3 nights Arrived 2 May 2019
"Mapula is incredible, the view as you arrive at the lodge is breathtaking and the staff are the most genuinely nice team I have ever met. Then wildlife is excellent, we saw lions, leopards and many elephants, giraffes, kudu, impala, hippo and buffalo to name a few.

The food is excellent and the staff all go above and beyond with any request you have.

Osi, our guide, Chimms, Leo, Tintin and the female duty manager in particular were all absolutely fantastic!" See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

7 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Leopard

2 sightings

Lion

2 sightings

Wild dog

2 sightings

Wildebeest

1 sighting

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs W
Chorley

"Mapula Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 10 Nov 2011
"Ownership of the camp appears to be in dispute.

There were no other visitors while we stayed at the camp which we liked; it gave us an opportunity to talk to the staff, who were very friendly and helpful.

With regards to the food, we felt they tried too hard at the evening meals; they were 'heavy' e.g pork chops, oxtail stew.

We really enjoyed our stay, but it may present a problem if the camp was full." See all these reviews: 16n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs J
Hampshire

"a good informal lodge in a traditional style"

2 nights Arrived 4 Oct 2011
"We started our holiday at Mapula Lodge, which overall was a very good experience.

Its informal approach, but great welcome, made us feel immediately at home. Our guide Dix and tracker Mike were particularly good and were very helpful/informative. The manager Dudu was also very helpful and the staff friendly/communicative.

The facilities in the rooms could probably do with an upgrade, but it didn't spoil our overall enjoyment. The food was also good and plentiful." See all these reviews: 13n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Average
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Average
Mr F & party
Lisbon,

"Mapula Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 22 Jul 2011
"Wonderful service but the area is now flooded. It was a very nice place to experience the “camps” which make Botswana so famous and to relax after the camping days. The teams were very good but unfortunately there is now much less wildlife because the area is flooded.

Regarding the problems that we had in one of the rooms, I think you now understand what happened. Here is a description so you can really picture what happened. I remind you that this is regarding one of the rooms only. There was an overbooking problem, so two of my friends had to stay in a room which was not at all up to standard. According to Johannes (the manager in house) that room (1B) was built for the pilots that might sleep at Mapula. It was absolutely unfair especially if I compare it with the other two rooms we were staying in: My room was spectacular and the perfect end to my holyday. But theirs was ridiculously small and dark....all in all it was not at all a place where you want to spend any time....(and they didn't)…

Room 1A and 1B together are the size of a normal room. Considering they share the entrance, I can assure you that room 1B is less than half the size of a “normal room”. It had absolutely none of the rustic details I had in mine (no bed cover, no wooden toilet seat, no living area, no chairs, no table, no bed tables…). No ambiance whatsoever. It also had no view (just some cut bushes) because it is not even built on a platform as all the others (it is ground leveled!). The bathroom was extremely small. It had only one sink (normal rooms have two). It had no divisions from the toilet and the rest of the bathroom, no shelves, no table below the sink (just the sink attached to the wall)The nice bathtub I had in my room was uninviting in 1B, because it was next to the toilet. There was no terrace. Only a balcony but with no size to have a chair (!). It had no privacy because it is right next to room 1A (even the shower was seen from room 1A next door, which had a guest in the second night). There was no connection between the shower and the bathroom (you would have to cross the room to reach it). To walk around the room you would have to bend yourself because the mosquito net occupies almost the entire area…

I heard all the descriptions and on the last morning I decided to see the room and I just could not believe it. It was a world away from where I was staying (room 7). And it is even difficult to express the differences in words. It was a completely different kind of room and in fact there is no point in going through all the details of it. It was clean and had a bed. That was it. Not exactly the thing you look for in a “tended camp”

I also regret that when we arrived we heard the manager saying that “there have been a change in the rooms”. Maybe that was not the room that Expert Africa booked to us. Probably somebody got there earlier and asked to change, which I totally understand. I also regret that after arrival my friends asked for another room. They were told that there WAS a room available for the first night but not for the second night, because they were having a customer for the second night. I do not think this is fair for them.

And finally, in the second night, the hotel was full and room 1A also had a guest, ending with all privacy. This guest was travelling in a family of 4 and he also was “scarified” during his stay.

The room issue did had an impact in the way my friends experienced the trip. We were excited with the trip and we were looking only for two nights of relax after the camping. They hadn't had the opportunity to relax at the end and off course the worries about the room took their toll in their experience, especially if you consider those were the last two nights in the country.In the camps, the rooms are very important because that is the place you use for the night and also during the heat of the day (after brunch) and basically that room was (almost) not used.

All in all, we do consider that no guest should ever stay in room 1A or 1B. Maybe that house can be used by a complete family (for instance, 2 adults and two little children) but I am sure that the rate is splited by 4 and not charged by two only.

Regardless everything, Mapula decided to refund my friends in 30%, which showed that they were concerned with them." See all these reviews: 4n in Botswana; 3n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs M
Texas

"Great Safari at Mapula Lodge"

3 nights Arrived 24 May 2011
"The ambiance and feeling of being in the "real" Okavango Delta was our favorite impression of this camp. High water meant that each game drive was as if we were in an amphibious water/land rover. Getting to the camp located on an island meant crossing a wooden bridge whose surface was below water level--an exciting first entry.

We loved our Mokoro trip through the reeds, flowers and canals to see birds, mammals and reptiles. Our chalet on stilts was very comfortable, with a deck overlooking a beautiful lagoon. We enjoyed morning and evening game drives led by our guide Dix, and our tracker Simon, to see a great abundance and variety of birds (including 5 male and 5 female Ostrich in one gathering), as well as elephants, giraffe, tsessebe, Kudu, hippo,croc, wildebeest and, of course, Impala.

On one drive we found a large herd of zebra and gave some chase which allowed good action photos of them running through water. Our in-camp hostess Dudu made sure we had a comfortable and enjoyable stay for our 3 day visit." See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 4n in South Africa; 2n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Ms M-E
Nevada

"Wonderful Stay at Mapula Lodge"

4 nights Arrived 20 May 2011
"Mapula Lodge was our favorite lodge in Botswana.

Though we saw more wildlife at other lodges, the setting, staff, and experiences made it the best! The first two nights we were the only guests, so the staff, including our guide and tracker, were willing to find out what was most important to us and make it happen. Dix, our guide, and Simon, our tracker, were great. They were so enthusiastic and seemed to enjoy the game drives as much as we did.

On the drive from the airport to the lodge, we saw many animals, including a herd of elephants. We liked the cabins, and there was plenty of hot water (though our lights got a bit dim the last day). It was great to hear hippos during the night, and see elephant tracks in the camp in the morning. We were amazed at the food that was prepared, even when it was just the two of us guests.

We were later joined by two more people, but the experiences continued to be great. Though it was harder to find game at Mapula, it was so rewarding when you did, as you had to work for it. We didn't realize until later (after staying at Kwara and Lagoon) that this was a unique experience. The knowledge and experience of our guide and tracker was impressive. The driving was difficult due to high water from the record rains, but our guide, Dix, was willing to drive wherever he could, even though he often got very wet.

We would return to Mapula Lodge." See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 5n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr J & Miss P
London

"Mapula Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 21 Apr 2011
"Mapula lodge had some of the most spectacular game viewing during our trip to Africa. Our guide and tracker, Dix and Simon, had excellent knowledge both of the local terrain and animal habits. We even managed to see two male lions stalking and taking down a zebra, thanks in large part to their patience and knowledge.

The accommodation was also excellent (we slept soundly after the first night of getting used to the hippo snorts outside)! All the staff were really friendly as well.

The only minor disappointment was that owing to the extremely high water levels at the time, the pool was out of action." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Ms F & Mr S
Virginia

"Mapula Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 19 Mar 2011
"Despite some difficulties, this was our favorite camp. The housing was fine; the meals were good (although meat tended to be overcooked and vegetables undercooked).The administrative (Nelson) and guiding and spotting staff (Matt, Carl, and G) were superb--the best we have ever had. They did their very best under difficult conditions.

The owner seems reluctant to put money in where it is needed. During the rainy season (the camp stays open), the drivers must drive through many ponds, which is hard on their vehicle starters. The owner doles out new starters one at a time, leaving many vehicles at the camp out of service and some visitors stranded in mid game drive.. Also the wooden bridge near the entrance to the lodge is well underwater. Not only is it bone rattling to drive over, but it is sure to rot, causing a serious accident to the unlucky vehicle that happens to be driving over it at that time.

Staff appears to be disgruntled--the last remaining cook quit, leaving the camp on the same plane as us. Why was the camp our favorite despite these problems? We saw the most game here. Our fellow guests were the most congenial of the three camps we stayed in. We had the most interesting conversations with fellow guests and staff. The atmosphere of the camp is more informal than the other two camps." See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Average
Showing 1-10 of 20
94%
20 reviews of Mapula Lodge by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
14
6
0
0
0
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