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Island Safari Lodge

Shorobe Road, Maun, Ngamiland East Botswana
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Traveler (172)
Room & Suite (75)
Dining (30)

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About

#14 of 82 Specialty lodging in Maun
Location
4.1
Cleanliness
3.5
Service
3.5
Value
3.3
Island Safari Lodge is set on a 300 acre private island reserve, just 10 km from Maun Airport. Located on the banks of the Thamalakane River under a canopy of beautifully lush and green Okavango trees, the lodge overlooks a floodplain of fields and water that are frequented by an abundance of birdlife and the occasional hippo. The accommodation is comfortable and set in the lodge gardens. The lodge comprises of 12 Heritage chalets, 6 Family rooms and 6 Heritage rooms, all with en suite showers, Satellite TV and air conditioning. The lodge has a main bar and restaurant area with seating indoors or out in the gardens. You are able to choose from a la carte menu for lunches and dinners accompanied by our wine list. Relax by one of the two swimming pools or head to the restaurant and bar for the river view. For the adventurous there are walking trails, boat cruises, day trips to nearby reserves or longer mobile safaris.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Bar / lounge
Bicycle rental
Bicycles available
Children's playground
Kids pool
Parking
Public wifi
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Kids' meals
Poolside bar
Hiking
Horseback riding
Walking tours
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Airport transportation
Mosquito net
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor fireplace
Outdoor furniture
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun loungers / beach chairs
First aid kit
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Coffee / tea maker
Cable / satellite TV
Extra long beds
Walk-in shower
Tile / marble floor
Electric kettle
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Pool view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Family
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
See what other travelers are saying
  • Vic R
    41 contributions
    Next stop on our trip.
    Arriving at Island Safari Lodge was a pleasant surprise, not stayed here before so was not sure what to expect but was certainly not disappointed, beautiful settings on the outskirts of Maun right next to the river. Very friendly helpful staff got us settled in, in no time at all, and of course it did not take us long to find the bar, with the temperature in the high 30's cold beer is very welcoming. Stayed here for three very enjoyable nights, and the lodge organised a flight over the Delta for us. There was a lot of other activities that they will organise for you. Will be back...
    Good Day, Thank you for taking the time to review, and for choosing to stay at Island Safari Lodge. It was a pleasure to host you and we are pleased to know that you had a great time while with us. Thank you for your support, its really very much appreciated. Warm Regards
    Written January 6, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Date of stay: December 2019
    Written January 6, 2020
  • Johnny084
    55 contributions
    Great stay at Island Safari Lodge
    I flew into Maun from Johannesburg and rented a car at Budget. I stayed in Maun a few times before, usually at Audi, but wanted to try other places on this trip .. seeing as it was only me. Checked Island Safari lodge out first. The single rate I was quoted at reception was more than my budget, so I went for a drink at the bar to decide on my next move. The manager was there, he was friendly and helpfull and asked me if I was a guest at ISL. "Nope ... to expensive for a single" I replied. He then recommended the "budget rooms", these are a bit rougher , no tiles in the bathroom and a bit of a mouldy smell ... but hey , it was cheap, had TV, air con... and breakfast included. EXCELLENT value !! In fact , considering that a big buffet breakfast was included, certainly a better deal than anywhere else nearby or in town. Unfortunately, due to my non booking beforehand , I had to move elsewhere after the first night .. BUT this gave me an opportunity to try ALFA guesthouse the next night, and then Bridge backpackers -- their "luxury tent" on the following 2 nights. Oh I also inspected the "standard" rooms at Island Safari lodge. These are fine and I consider it really good value for money. Lastly, I had a good walk around on the property , and decided to check out the campsite as well for future reference. Personally I would rather camp here than Audi (where I camped last year) due to the noise factor at Audi. The restaurant at island Safari lodge is fine, the prices reasonable, and the menu was adequate. I had a great stay.
    Date of stay: May 2011
    Traveled on business
    Written June 13, 2011
  • Scamp7
    Hamilton, New Zealand9 contributions
    Good location in Maun, and excellent food
    We stayed at ISL for 5 nights in September. Three nights in a chalet and two on a mokoro trip. Chalets were clean and comfortable. Air-conditioner was noisy but they did try to fix it quickly. Location on the river was peaceful and a great place to stay. Squirrels, vervet monkeys and birds were everywhere providing entertainment. It was a nice escape from Maun town centre which was noisy, dusty and busy. Staff were helpful. We came back from our Mokoro trip and they had our room ready for us at 10am. Mokoro trip was enjoyable. Food was good and tent was excellent. Mokoro a bit uncomfortable. Some of our best meals in Botswana were at the lodge restaurant and they were very reasonably priced.
    Date of stay: September 2011
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 9, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Ann d wrote a review Aug 2023
3 contributions
We recently spent three wonderful days at Island Safari Lodge experiencing the miracle of the water coming down from the Delta. Walking through the beautifully treed sanctuary with abundant bird life and animals was a privilege as was the exciting release of the Chobe bush buck. The newly refurbished rooms with the beautiful mosquito nets certainly give an air of grandeur. The staff were both friendly and very helpful. We will most certainly be back.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded 3 weeks ago
Dear Ann, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are so pleased to know that you had such a memorable time. Thank you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you back to Island Safaris! Kind Regards from all of us at Island!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gorskikat wrote a review Jun 2023
Katy, Texas4 contributions
Fantastic place to stay! The owners are very welcoming and helped to tailor our visit. The location is perfect near Maun. It is beautiful by the water and the island has its own walking trails with all sorts of animals. The food from the restaurant was varied and delicious. The chalets were charming and met every need! There are 2 pools and a bar. Utter paradise! Highly recommend!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Jul 19, 2023
Dear Katie, Thank you for taking the time to review and for sharing your experience with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Island Safaris. Thank you for your support it is very much appreciated. Best Regards from all of us at Island Safaris.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
scalifornia2023 wrote a review May 2023
Pasadena, California1 contribution
First time to Botswana and it was an amazing trip. Britt, Sean and all the staff were so friendly and kind. They made us feel at home. The safari drivers, Patrick and William were incredibly skillful at what they do . We had a great time from the food , lodge, camp site and Safari drives. We could not have picked better locations. It was an exciting trip for all of us even though some of them had been here before. Every day was an adventure. We did not know what we were going to see. Having been able to stay at Island Safari Lodge was quite a luxury since there were all those amenities ranging from the pool, restaurant, air conditioning, nice path way for any runs or walk, etc. Thank you for allow us to visit you guys. It was a privilege to be able to visit Botswana.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Jul 19, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to review and for sharing your experience with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Island Safaris. Thank you for your support it is very much appreciated. Best Regards from all of us at Island Safaris.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vic R wrote a review Jan 2023
41 contributions8 helpful votes
This was our second stop off on our tour around Botswana, and is a pleasant drive from Ghanzi. We have stayed here before and if you like a place we not? They have done some refurbishing during the Covid shutdown so it is even better now. Loved it so much we stayed 5 nights before moving on to our next destination.
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Date of stay: December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Feb 28, 2023
Dear Vic, Thank you for taking the time to review and for sharing your experience with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your return visit to Island Safaris. Thank you for your support it is very much appreciated. Best Regards from all of us at Island Safaris.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Clément W wrote a review Sep 2022
London, United Kingdom40 contributions4 helpful votes
Nicely located on the river, this lodge is a perfect base to enjoy all the activities proposed in Maun (the lodge itself can do many of them). The sunset boat cruise is nice, although not the most impressive that we did in the delta. Chalets are clean and comfortable. Nice staff.
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Date of stay: September 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Sep 12, 2022
Dear Clement, Thank you for taking the time to review and for choosing to stay at Island Safaris. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your time with us. Thank you for your support. All our best wishes. The Island Safaris team.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
christo942 wrote a review Aug 2022
Middelburg, South Africa
we had a wonderful time at Island safari lodge, the staff was so friendly, the facilities and restaurant was excellent and we even saw elephants from the restaurant deck. the owners also went out of their way to help us in time of trouble. i will strongly recommend them.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Sep 1, 2022
Dear Christo, Thank you for your review and for staying with us at Island Safaris. We are pleased that you enjoyed your time with us. We are happy that we could be of assistance to you and certainly look forward to your return visit. Wishing you all the best. All at Island Safaris
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SaraBPasquini wrote a review Aug 2022
Arlington, Virginia150 contributions93 helpful votes
We loved it here! The grounds are gorgeous and they have trails that you can walk on. There is sometimes an evening cruise in which you see elephants, hippos, etc. There are 2 nice pools and the owner is very nice. Staff is friendly, food is good! Try the veg curry. Our room was well appointed. A very enjoyable stay!
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Aug 23, 2022
Dear Sara, Thank you for taking the time to review and for staying with us at Island Safaris. We are really pleased to hear that you had a pleasant and enjoyable time with us and that you will enjoy fond memories of your time at Island safaris and Botswana for many years to come. Thank you for your support. Wishing you all the best and hope to host you once again on a return visit.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BushmanPete wrote a review May 2022
Munich, Germany4 contributions1 helpful vote
My daughter and I stayed twice durig our our week long visit to the okavango Delta. For us it was the perfect place to base our visit. It's location in a small nature reserve on the banks of the river and yet in close proximity to Maun is hard to beat. Accommodation in the huts has everything I'd expect from a good down to earth African lodge - nothing pretentious but still very clean, spacious and comfortable. Excellent value for money. After a long drive a refreshing swim in the pool, a beautiful walk in the reserve and finally a cold beer and a tasty meal overlooking the river. What more do you need! But the best was to come. Ours was a spontaneous visit so we arrived by road with nothing really planned or booked beforehand. In no time at all they helped us plan and then book what then proved to be a simply amazing and wonderful experience in the delta. Thank you Britt and Sean for making a dream come true. Without doubt the highlight of our road trip through Botswana and Namibia. I sincerely hope this will not be our first and last visit to the Okavango.
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Date of stay: April 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Sean Watson, Owner at Island Safari Lodge
Responded May 19, 2022
Dear Peter, Thank you for taking the time to review and especially for choosing to stay with us at Island safaris. It was an absolute pleasure to host you and am happy that you had a great time and experience with us. We do look forward to hosting you again on a return visit. We trust that you travelled well onwards from us and that you will have great memories to reminisce on and remind you of your time in Botswana. All the best and fond regards Sean & Britt
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jacob s wrote a review Apr 2022
Montauroux, France26 contributions9 helpful votes
I booked for 6 nights from April 14 to April 20. I received the confirmation by email from the reservation office. I confirmed also.I asked the receptionist if she could ask the management if the price could be including breakfast. Much to my surprise I received an email from the manager/co-owner that she had to cancel my reservation because guests from the camp ground had decided to upgrade to a room and she gave my reservation away Of course I complaint but the response was that I had not paid the deposit yet despite their and my confirmation. I suspect they could get a better price over Easter. I represent a travel agency and decided that I can't afford to works with in my eyes a unreliable hotel.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Penny wrote a review Mar 2020
16 contributions
+1
When I stayed here in February, it was not the tourist season so I was often the only guest. I was so well looked after by all of the wonderful friendly staff! They would light the fire outside in the evenings - sometimes just for me, and the chef in the kitchen cooked delicious meals, even when I was the only one there. The pool was fantastic, very well maintained, and so peaceful! My chalet was just gorgeous! Very clean, and extremely comfortable! The grounds are huge, and beautiful - I spent a lot of time walking around enjoying the serenity. The only downside for me was that most of the activities (such as the Moremi safari) were priced based on how many people were going. As I was alone, and there were very few other guests, the price was way out of my budget. In peak season this would not be a problem, as there would be plenty of other guests to share the cost. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and would recommend it highly!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: My chalet was divine, very private, clean and peaceful.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from ISL_Maun, General Manager at Island Safari Lodge
Responded Mar 30, 2020
Dear Penny Jane, Thank you for taking the time to review, and for staying with us. We are thrilled to know that you had a nice peaceful time and that you enjoyed yourself so much. Your support really is very much appreciated. We hope that you are well, and that you stay safe. Warm Regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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PRICE RANGE
$104 - $133 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
island safari hotel maun
LOCATION
BotswanaNorth-West DistrictNgamiland EastMaun
NUMBER OF ROOMS
24
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ISLAND SAFARI LODGE $97 ($̶1̶2̶1̶) - Updated 2023 Prices & Reviews - Maun, Botswana

Frequently Asked Questions about Island Safari Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Island Safari Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Okavango River (1.2 miles) and The Space Botswana (1.2 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Island Safari Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Island Safari Lodge?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a desk, and extra long beds.
What food & drink options are available at Island Safari Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
Is parking available at Island Safari Lodge?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Island Safari Lodge?
Conveniently located restaurants include Marc's Eatery, Motsana restaurant, and Cup Of Joy Coffee Shop.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Island Safari Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Island Safari Lodge have airport transportation?
Yes, Island Safari Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Island Safari Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Afrikaans.
Is Island Safari Lodge accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.