Thamo Telele

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Thamo Telele Maun Safari Lodge - the perfect stopoff before or after your Okavango safari.
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Thamo Telele is a private game reserve located twenty minutes from the iconic safari town of Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. The lodge is situated on a private reserve on the banks of the Thamalakane River with an abundance of wildlife including giraffe, zebra, springbok, ostrich, eland, gemsbok and kudu as well as an extensive variety of bird life. Guests will indulge in comfort and relaxation in one of Thamo Telele’s well appointed, private tented chalets or romantic thatched honeymoon suites. World class cuisine served by candlelight on the lodge’s expansive teak deck, is the perfect way to conclude a day’s safari. At Thamo Telele, it's not just about luxurious accommodation and old world hospitality. Marked walking trails invite guests to create their own adventure allowing safe, intimate interaction with wildlife. For the more adventurous, set off on a horse back safari, scenic flight over the delta, or mokoro canoe trip down the river. Finish off the day with a warm drink around the communal fire as personal safari hosts and Thamo Telele's managers share life stories from over 80 years of combined safari experience.

"Every stay here helps contribute to a Botswana-based NGO.We have a partnership with Love Botswana, a locally based non-...
09/10/2026

"Every stay here helps contribute to a Botswana-based NGO.

We have a partnership with Love Botswana, a locally based non-profit — not a one-off donation, but an ongoing relationship built into how the lodge operates. It's part of what ‘Maun layover’ means here: proximity to the town isn't incidental, it's the point. This lodge is an important component of the local community, and so are you in staying here.

"

One birder here spotted 130 species in a single 24-hour stretch.Thamo Telele's mix of river, riverine, woodland, and dry...
02/10/2026

One birder here spotted 130 species in a single 24-hour stretch.

Thamo Telele's mix of river, riverine, woodland, and dry savanna habitat has produced sightings of over 300 bird species on the reserve — keen birders typically log 50 to 70 species in a day, with a recorded high of 130 in 24 hours. The African barred owlet is a regular camp visitor, often spotted perched low in the acacia canopy right around the tents.

Horseback safari, without the riskGet closer to zebra and giraffe on horseback than a vehicle ever lets you.Our reserve ...
25/09/2026

Horseback safari, without the risk

Get closer to zebra and giraffe on horseback than a vehicle ever lets you.

Our reserve has no large predators, which is exactly what makes horseback safaris work so well — guests can ride close to grazing zebra, giraffe, and plains game without the safety concerns that might worry them elsewhere in the Okavango. The horses are trained specifically to stay calm passing within feet of game.

You've probably heard of giraffe hotels before, but they won't steal your breakfast here!
18/09/2026

You've probably heard of giraffe hotels before, but they won't steal your breakfast here!

This lodge used to be called something else, until a baby giraffe showed up.Thamo Telele was known as Royal Tree Lodge u...
11/09/2026

This lodge used to be called something else, until a baby giraffe showed up.

Thamo Telele was known as Royal Tree Lodge until a giraffe calf was born on the reserve during its 2021 refurbishment — unusually tall even by giraffe standards, she was named Thamo Telele, Setswana for ‘long neck.’ The lodge took her name.

She's since joined the reserve's resident herd of around 20 giraffe, each individually recognisable by their spot pattern, which guests learn to identify with the on-site naturalist team.

Fast Facts: Lodge renamed after a giraffe calf born in 2021 · "Thamo Telele" means ‘long neck’ in Setswana · Resident herd: approximately 20 individually identifiable giraffe

The best safari lodges aren't always inside the reserve you're flying to.Thamo Telele sits on a 250-hectare private rese...
04/09/2026

The best safari lodges aren't always inside the reserve you're flying to.

Thamo Telele sits on a 250-hectare private reserve on the edge of Maun, roughly 15–20 minutes from the airport — close enough to be a genuine stopover rather than a detour, with none of the compromises that usually come with an airport-adjacent stay. Eleven rooms total: nine raised safari tents and two thatched honeymoon chalets, all overlooking a reserve that's predator-free, which means guests can walk the marked trails independently.

28/08/2026

Here's a delve into a stay here at Thamo Telele and some of the activities you can enjoy here.

Footage by Mikey Jupp

An afternoon well spent at the water hole.
21/08/2026

An afternoon well spent at the water hole.

The African barred owlet is about as cute as cute gets. They're always a delight to spot around camp.
05/08/2026

The African barred owlet is about as cute as cute gets. They're always a delight to spot around camp.

The zebra are unfazed by the presence of horses and their riders. For an up-close experience, be sure to book one of our...
28/07/2026

The zebra are unfazed by the presence of horses and their riders. For an up-close experience, be sure to book one of our rides.

Address

PO Box 250088 Tshanakona
Maun
2745

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