Leroo La Tau: Our full report

Leroo La Tau is situated 140km south-east of Maun, on the western boundary of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans ...

... National Park. The lodge’s 12 rooms and a game-viewing hide are perched along a cliff, 10m above the Boteti River, which – having been dry for two decades – began flowing again in 2008.

From this vantage point, wildlife can be seen coming to drink on the opposite riverbank, which stretches away into the park’s interior. Game concentrations are at their highest towards the end of the dry season (between July and October) when the Boteti provides a vital water source for migrating herds of zebra and wildebeest. During the rainy season (December-April), however, the game viewing at Leroo La Tau has historically always been sparse.

Indeed, with the Boteti River now flowing, the renowned predator and prey interaction at the once few waterholes along the dry riverbed is no longer a feature, and in general the game viewing in this area is not as concentrated as it used to be.

Accommodation at Leroo La Tau consists of 12 large chalets, well spaced along a 1.5km stretch of riverfront, with elevated views across to the national park. The chalets are of solid construction with thatched roofs and glass frontage to emphasise the outlook. Raised on individual wooden platforms, they’re reached along short spurs from the main pathway which lead to wooden steps and an ornately carved side entrance door. Each chalet has wood flooring throughout and an extended wooden veranda accessed by glass sliding doors. The lodge's east-facing direction makes this a great place to watch the sun rise over the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.

Inside each chalet is a spacious bedroom with both a double and a three-quarter-sized bed, a seating area, a desk and a wardrobe with plenty of shelving and hanging space. The use of sisal matting, calico curtains and a pale colour scheme gives a neutral, airy feel. A wooden door from the bedroom leads to an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet, his and hers washbasins and a large shower – all with riverfront views.

Furnishings and amenities include mosquito nets, ceiling fan, bedside tables and lamps, safe, tea and coffee station, drinking water, a 220 volt plug point (which only works when the generator is on, although there’s 24-hour lighting), torch, insect repellent and spray, magazines, umbrella, laundry basket, bathrobes and toiletries such as conditioning shampoo, soap, shower gel, body lotion and a shower cap. Hairdryers are available from reception on request.

The central thatched main area at Leroo La Tau has one side largely made of wood and glass, overlooking a neatly clipped lawn (with a swimming pool surrounded by sunloungers) which leads down to a sandy firepit and then lower still to the hide overlooking the Boteti River. The main building itself houses a dining room dominated by a long wooden table, with a bar at one end and curio shop at the other. Above the bar is a smaller, loft-style room with comfy lounge and views over the river.

Activities at Leroo La Tau centre mainly around game drives in open 4WD safari vehicles, but also include boat trips along the Boteti River (water levels permitting) and an optional Khumaga Village tour. We found that the guides were very friendly, knowledgeable and eager to search out wildlife sightings. It’s worth noting that the Makgadikgadi Pans themselves are not visited on daily scheduled activities from Leroo La Tau as they are too far away.

During the day, game drives are generally conducted within Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, where the emphasis is on combing the Boteti riverfront for game. Guests are first transferred across the river by boat to where the vehicles are parked. Within the national park the guides must abide by the park rules of no off-roading, no walking and no night drives. At night, drives are conducted in Leroo La Tau’s own private concession – a relatively narrow neck of land surrounding the lodge.

Towards the end of the dry season, when game concentrations are greatest, time spent in the hide at the lodge can be a highlight in itself. The lodge also offers full-day trips to Nxai Pan and the famous Baines' Baobabs for guests staying three or more nights. If this appeals to you, please speak to us as we'll need to request it in advance – and be aware that it involves a lengthy drive each way.

On our last visit to Leroo La Tau in June 2017 we only visited for a couple of hours. We had previously spent a night camping and exploring the park adjacent and during the game drives we saw hippo, kudu, giraffe, ostrich and black-backed jackal. Perhaps most notable was the large number of white-backed vultures we spotted along the riverside. The majority of the wildlife sightings were along the riverfront, hence this section was often busy with other vehicles. We did hear lion roaring during the night but weren’t lucky enough to spot them the next day. Elephant are seen here, though mainly the bulls as few matriarchal breeding herds roam the arid Kalahari. In conversation with the lodge guides we were advised that leopard are rarely seen and other big predators such as cheetah and spotted hyena hardly ever.

Our view

Leroo La Tau is currently the most upmarket accommodation option from which to explore the western section of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. It’s a good lodge with a lovely outlook and friendly service. The best time to visit is has always been between July and October, when wildlife concentrations have been at their peak. For the rest of the year there isn’t any particular experience that would put it high on our list of Botswana’s top destinations.

Tom Morris

Botswana expert

Geographics

Location: Kalahari's Salt Pans, Botswana
Ideal length of stay: We recommend a stay of 2–3 nights, particularly during the dry season (around July–October) when game densities are higher.
Directions: Leroo La Tau is a two-hour drive or a 30-minute light aircraft flight from Maun. The road transfer from Khumaga airstrip to the lodge takes about 20 minutes.
Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board & Activities
Food quality: We’ve found the meals at Leroo La Tau to be very good overall and nicely presented.

Our last visit was brief so we did not eat in camp. However, on a previous stay we began the morning with a light continental breakfast of cereal, yoghurt, fruit, toast, tea and coffee before setting off on the morning activity.

We returned to a buffet brunch, which was a selection of continental breakfast options and hot savoury dishes as well as bacon and eggs cooked to order.

For afternoon tea we had tasty cheese pastries and sponge cake, with tea, coffee, iced tea or home-made lemonade.

Nibbles of onion rings and toasted nuts were a nice touch before dinner. For dinner the plated starter was a delicious pear and onion filo parcel with orange chutney. The main was a buffet of lamb, crumbed bream (fish), mashed potatoes, brown rice, cauliflower cheese, snow peas and green salad. The plated dessert was fruit crumble with home-made banana ice cream and a cheese board was available on the buffet.
Dining style: Group Meals
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Drinks included: Bottled water, soft drinks, local beers and spirits and a limited selection of (usually) South African red and white wines are included. Champagne and imported wines and spirits will cost extra.

Children

Attitude towards children: Children aged six and over are welcome at Leroo La Tau.
Families with children aged 6–11 will be required to book private activities at an additional cost, the nature of which may be subject to the discretion of the managers or guides.
Equipment: There is no special equipment provided for children.
Generally recommended for children: Leroo La Tau does not have a family room and there are restrictions on activities for children aged 6–11 so we’d recommend it only for children aged 12 and over.
Notes: With the possibility of potentially dangerous wildlife passing through the camp, and no fencing around the pool area, children must be under the constant supervision of their parents.

Communications

Power supply notes: The generator is on at set times during the day, usually around 5.00am–3.00pm and 6.00–11.00pm. Inverter and batteries provide limited power (i.e. for lights) outside these times.
Communications: There is no internet or landline at Leroo La Tau, and only intermittent cellphone reception. There is cellphone and satellite phone contact with Maun in the case of an emergency.
TV & radio: None

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: A comprehensive first-aid kit is kept in camp and both managers and guides are first-aid trained. Medical advice can be sought from the company medical officer in Maun and, in an emergency, medical evacuation to Maun can be arranged. Please note that it is only possible to fly out of camp during daylight hours as the bush airstrips do not have any lighting at night.
Dangerous animals: High Risk
Security measures: Though there is an electric fence around the lodge to deter elephant, potentially dangerous wildlife can still roam through so guests are escorted to their chalets after dark. Alarms are provided in the rooms for use in case of an emergency.
Fire safety: There are fire extinguishers in the common areas and outside each chalet.

Activities

4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Cultural excursion
Guided walking safari

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: A full laundry service is included.
Money: There is a key-operated safe in each room. The lodge does not offer currency-exchange facilities.
Accepted payment on location: MasterCard and Visa credit cards are accepted; Diners and Amex are not. Cash payments may be made in the form of South African rand, GB sterling, US dollars, euros and Botswana pula.