BAKWENA ECO LODGE

Bakwena Eco Lodge in Chobe is a small owner-run lodge built on the banks of the Chobe River. Bakwena Lodge is focused on service excellence, our incredible team will give you the safari of a lifetime.

For a unique, boutique lodge experience and incredible game viewing options, choose Bakwena Lodge.

Acquired in 2000 as a barren soccer pitch, this piece of land has been transformed into a refuge for our guests and any wildlife that chooses to share our sanctuary.

The Young’s achieved this by patiently growing their dream and re-planting the indigenous riverine woodland that guests will find here today.

About The Owners and Bakwena Meaning:

Bakwena translated from Setswana means people of the crocodile, this refers not only to our situation but also to one of the largest tribes in Botswana; naturally, the owners of the Chobe Bakwena lodge are both Bakwena!

Owners Jenny and Adam Young have worked throughout Botswana, managing bush camps and lodges, and running their own safari company.

“Having spent so much of our time working in luxury lodges, we wanted our guests to enjoy similar levels of comfort at a reasonable rate and more importantly be able to take comfort that in choosing Bakwena as their destination, they have also made the right choice for the environment.

Accommodation at Bakwena Eco Lodge Chobe:

Bakwena has a total of 15 individual chalets designed and decorated in a manner befitting our environment which offers a cool and comfortable escape.

All rooms are air-conditioned and have indoor and outdoor showers and generous shaded deck areas.

There are two room types at Bakwena Lodge.

Ten ‘River-View Chalets’ which are all facing the magnificent Chobe River and Five ‘Treetop Chalets’ which are elevated 3.5 meters above the ground with views of the Treetop canopy.

Understated elegance and exemplary service are key to our ethos.

Bakwena offers an inclusive safari option in an area with some of the finest game viewing to be had. Chobe is best known for its abundant elephant herds with over 150 000 calling it home.

Dry season brings herds of thirsty animals to the perennial river and the resident predators take full advantage.

Activities at Bakwena Eco Lodge Chobe:

Activities at Bakwena Lodge in Chobe are naturally focused on land and water-based safaris, all supplied in-house.

A host of other activities are also on offer from guided bicycle tours to sundowner cruises from the lodge down to the meeting place of four countries, (the only one in the world).

Bahwana’s excellent guides will endeavour to make your stay in Chobe the highlight of any safari.

The lodges’ eco-credentials include the natural swimming pool filtered entirely by plants, their employment policies, food choices, building methods, and a host of otherwise unseen ways in which any negatives to the lodges’ surroundings or environment are addressed.

Born out of the strong conviction that responsible tourism does not mean a compromise in luxury, Chobe Bakwena Lodge is the only lodge along the Chobe River built consciously from the ground up.

4×4 Safari Game Drives:

Bakwena is the proud owner of seven custom-built game viewers, carrying a maximum of six guests per vehicle.

While offering the usual early morning and evening game drives we aim to maximise the game viewing experience.

If with us for a longer stay why not join us for a full-day experience with a delicious picnic lunch in the park?

Chobe can get busy during high season and our guides are always finding new ways of innovating. Our goal is a quality experience through extended drives and exploring new areas of the park.

Our experienced, handpicked guides are, we believe, the finest in Chobe.

From insects to bird-specific experiences, these professionals never disappoint.

Boat Cruises at Bakwena Lodge:

There are boat cruises then there are Chobe cruises.

Exquisite and beyond comparison, the Chobe River boasts one of the highest concentrations of wildlife on the planet.

Dry season brings a game-viewing bonanza well capitalised on by the resident Lion pride.

Our guides currently have the option of three boats to showcase the river experience to our guests. Without a doubt the most sedate game-viewing experience to be had in Botswana.

Being meters away from the legendary Chobe Elephant, herds of thirsty buffalo, or the myriad of waterbirds is unparalleled.

Why not enjoy a full day on the river or link up with one of our vehicles for the ultimate game-viewing immersion?

Village Walkabouts near Bakwena Lodge:

In the words of Bakwena’s Adam Young “The cultural exchange is a means for us to break down social barriers, transforming us into a ‘we based community’.”

Unlike the majority of developing countries, Botswana has no slum areas.

Integration rather than segregation is a way of life here just as human and wildlife conflict is reduced through day-to-day co-existence.

There is a tangible sense of integrity that sets this country apart.

Through its government policies and conservation initiatives Botswana has raised the bar for fellow Africans and made it the destination it is. 

Cycle Tours at Bakwena Lodge:

With 20 Cruiser bikes built for comfort, Bakwena guests can safely enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of Africa.

The sense of personal freedom and space is worth the effort, not to mention the possible excitement of seeing an elephant en route!

Tour the neighbouring village with one of our knowledgeable guides or on your own.