Thobolos Eco Lodge and Campsite | Established Campground

November 12th, 2023 by Cynthia

This camp is rather expensive, but I feel it was worth it. Camps are nice with some shade. Ablution blocks have hot and cold water with showers. They also provide clothes and dishwashing area. Very clean. Staff is great. The food is good at about 22.00 USD pp. for dinner. They have a wonderful overlook at bar. Many of the camp spaces have great views. And a swimming pool!

June 28th, 2023 by ontheroad

Very friendly staff, amazing views, nice and clean facilities. Could hear lions and elephants at night. Loved the experience despite other campers banging doors around at night.

June 11th, 2023 by marc.saperavi

Don't agree with all those nice reviews. Really really overpriced for a tiny sand pit of a campsite with almost no shade at all... Only one site (#10) has a nice view and a good shade area. The other ones are ... garbage. Comes with fire pit but no power and not even a water tap close by, you have to go to the bathrooms to get some water... Very nice bathrooms though, nothing to say about it.
The lodge terrace is nice but quite far away from sites and its facing north so you get sun in your face all the time (hot!). Lots of drunk and loud tourists from SA when we were there, was not relaxful at all. The waterhole is great and there is a lot of animals coming but so do in a lot of other places in this area. Swimming pool was green and dirty, wifi never worked in 2 days, the 12 km to come to the lodge are F***** up ...
We didnt feel particularly welcome there. We made the mistake of prebooking and prepaying 2 nights but we would have stay only 1 if not. Going north-east, you can push to Mwandy View lodge instead (30 km, 15 are tared), much cheaper (210 pp) and it comes with grassy sites, shade, tap water and power and also a nice terrace overlooking the Chobe with clean pool, a working wifi, a bar and a (smaller) waterhole (less animals but still ellies, hippos, baboons and buffalos...).

Nothing feels luxurious in this place but the insane price. Have no idea what people are talking about in the past reviews...
Won't go back there for sure as there is plenty of better options in the area.

May 12th, 2023 by B'ambi

Great, well maintained lodge with chalets and campsites and a great Eco ethos. Cheerful and friendly.

Basic camp sites with braai base and (mostly) a tree for shade. Shared ablutions with scullery and exceptionally hot water. Large solar array provides plenty of power.

The whole area is soft sand so it’s hardly surprising that the path to/from the main lodge is sandy. Very good viewing platform, sitting area with honesty bar. Good quality 3-course set meal for P300.

Paid P600 / night for 2 pers.

Would certainly go back.

November 18th, 2022 by jqp.newbery

Agree with other reviews that unless you get one of the two sites facing out onto the watering holes the others are basic and small. BUT the ethos of the place is FANTASTIC: drinking water from taps, honesty bar, home cooked meals that bring people together, not to mention elephants splashing about in the water! The track getting there is littered with watering holes and beautiful trees. 400 pppn when booked online. Recommended for a night to break up a long journey.

August 30th, 2022 by s.effting

Very friendly staff, there is a bar and restaurant with an amazing view over the waterhole. Sites are basic, abbalutions good and showers are hot

June 1st, 2022 by madelein74

Very primitive campsites. No electricity or water at the sites. Basic braai & shade canopy. Solar lights at each site without on/off switch which comes on at dark. Pretty annoying if you are trying to look at stars or have darkness to sleep. We went to the waterhole bar for a sundowner at 6.15 but the place was locked up behind a steel gate, meaning we could not make use of the reason to come (watering hole & bar). Ablutions were good. Kids over 5 years pay full rates. Extremely overpriced and underwhelming. Keep driving...

April 26th, 2022 by johanna.raps

We stayed here for one night on our way through Chobe as the campsites inside the National Park were already occupied. We spent 700 Pula for two persons. Staff was super friendly. There was a self-service bar with with a view on a water hole. Not that much game around this time but apparently hundreds of elefants in the dry season. there were two hippos in the waterhole though.
unfenced campsite but fenced bar and pool area.
we really enjoyed our stay.

December 2nd, 2021 by dr.mcarnevale

🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘 Elefanten Treffpunkt! Wunderschön!

December 1st, 2021 by dr.mcarnevale

Schöner Pool, nette Bar am Wasserloch, Campsites sauber und gepflegt. Hunderte von 🐘 abends am Wasser. Gigantisch!

November 20th, 2021 by samgdickinson

Great camp spots along the floodlit waterhole which is overlooked by the bar at this beautiful lodge. There were not many animals at this time due to recent thunderstorms but we were visited by elephant and hyenas at night. Great to have access to the lovely pool and bar area. Nice ablutions.

November 19th, 2021 by M

but in the night, WE saw a hundred éléphants..

November 18th, 2021 by M

very good place. we paid 300 pulas / person.
no water and électricity in the sites.
no a lot of animals (5 éléphants) because it rained this morning , but yesterday plenty of éléphants (more than 100), buffaloes, and two lions.

November 11th, 2021 by Escapethehague_overlanding

Nice campsite close to the parks. The waterhole attract lots of animals and the viewing deck provides a nice view. We stayed at the site closest to the water hole under a big tree. The other sites did not have shade and appeared to be less value for money. We paid 300 pula p.p. The abblution block was a bit run down and had many insects because there are no doors to close the block. Nice place to relax after a while in the parks, but did not get the 'upmarket' feeling that others mentioned. Lots of elephants around at night and lions. They offer dinner (3 courses for 250). Friendly host.

November 9th, 2021 by nstroebitzer

This place is just amazing. Hundrets of Elephants and plenty of other animals can be observed from the bar deck at the waterhole.
We stayed at campsite 10 and elephants were as close as 1m in front of our tent so make sure you are placing your groundfloor tent in the middle of the roof there. Also lions were around our tent in both nights & killed one buffalo just 100m away from the tent.

You will get a wildlife experience here you wilö never forget.

Pool is super & dinner just first class.

Did a safari to savuti too with waterburg safaris. Callie provides you unbelievable insight into wildlife and is certainly the best guide, so ask for him at the reception.

October 4th, 2021 by b.player

Wonderful spot between Savuti and Kasane. Mike Gunn has set up a waterhole which is frequented by all the game within a 20km radius at least. Fantastic views (Lion and Wild dog kills not uncommon) from the bar and the camp. Camps are shady and abolitions clean. A bit pricey, but worth it. Food and drinks available as well as chalets but they are not cheap. We paid around 300 pppn camping. Had lion around the camp 2 of our 3 nights. Great elephant and buffalo sightings daily.

July 20th, 2021 by wrangy_ontour

Best campsite in botsuana! They have a waterhole and so lots of animals around. Also there is a pool for swimming.Furthermore you are welcome to have dinner in the lodge(maybe due to covid and less visitors). Food was fantastic and we had a great view from our dinner table on the waterhole. The management are very friendly and helpful.
Campsite 350 pppn
Dinner 250 pppn (3 courses)

September 28th, 2019 by j.pardijs

Paid 400P pp. A bit pricy but has a welcome ‘luxury’ after ‘Third Bridge’ or Xakanaxa’ in Moremi or Kwai community campsite.

Hot shower, electricity, big man-made waterwhole with nice view from the deck and very nice people. Campsite’s are nice and not fenced, a bit less chance of wildlife close to your car/tent in comparement to for example third bridge or kwai. But the deck with waterhole view makes up for that!

Recommended.

July 11th, 2019 by sean

Amazing place, sit at the bar over looking the water hole and see a huge variety of wildlife, Impala playing joyfully, Kudu drinking happily, elephants imbibing Thobolos' sweet waters, and ice cold beer at the 'honesty bar'
Mike Gunn has once again created sanctuary for all wildlife lovers that I'd first class, top notch and unlike anything else you'd experience in Africa. One of those places your always going to remember💕

June 17th, 2019 by h.schumann

Nice place for camping. Stayed 2 days, saw much animals and met fine guys.

June 14th, 2019 by alan

Superb upmarket camping, lovely immaculate bathrooms, the bar and restaurant deck overlooking the waterhole was incredible- a lot of game during the day and then hundreds of elephants and buffalo started arriving after sunset. We paid 400 Pula per person- worth every cent! We wish we could have spent more than two nights here!

December 28th, 2018 by mhmeub

A new lodge and campground near to two waterholes Wildlife all year round especially during the dry season. Saw one evening about 300 buffalo's and 200 efefants (stay all night). 10 nice spacious campsite (buffalo camp with electricity and water). Ablution perfect.
Great place, ask for the manager Dion, he is very helpful. 400 P pnpP and car.

August 18th, 2018 by patreon.com

A very upmarket lodge and campsite. 2 hours before Ghoha Gate of Savuti. Great game viewing from the bar at night. Price was 500 pula per person per night for camping. Very well maintained toilet and showers. We camped at the "Buffalo bar" which is the old workers camp that build the lodge it has power and is the closest to the water hole. It's pricey but worth it.