Meno a Kwena | Boteti River - Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
The safari never stops at Meno a Kwena, a hidden gem of a camp perched on a rocky clifftop above the Boteti River in Botswana. With a glittering roster of activities, including day trips to the Makgadikgadi Pans, guided walks with the San bushmen, and wildlife-watching boat trips, there’s plenty to get your teeth into. But sometimes, the best game viewing is where you least expect it, and at Meno, it’s right in front you. From their lofty position, the ten tents look down on a menagerie of animals at the water below, from herds of majestic elephant, to dazzles of nomadic zebra – all you need to do is sit back, and take it all in.
At just under 2 hours by road from Maun, Meno is a good option if you’re travelling as a group, or with little ones (or even big ones!). The camp was originally used by Southern Africa’s legendary explorers, and although we’ve added a few little touches here, and some little quirks there, it’s refreshingly and stylishly simple. And actually, the real treat at Meno is the connection with nature; when an elephant provides your alarm call in the morning, and you can game view straight from your private veranda, nothing else really matters.
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Main Area
Twin Tent
Double Tent
All of the 6 twin tents include 2 x queen sized beds, with views over the Boteti River, into the Makgadikgadi National Park. These tents can easily accommodate2 adults and 2 children and along with the indoor ensuite, each has its own private outdoor shower, fan as well as veranda with a day bed and seating area
Please note that the queen beds can not be split
Max: 2 adults and 2 children
Children of all ages welcome
The 2 King tents made up of 1 x king sized bed offers views over the Boteti River, into the Makgadikgadi National Park. Along with the indoor ensuite, each has its own private outdoor shower, fan as well as veranda with a day bed and seating area
Max: 2 Adults
There are 2 Family tents consisting of 2 adjacent tents, each with views over the Boteti River, into the Makgadikgadi National Park. Along with the indoor ensuite, each has its own private outdoor shower, fan as well as veranda with a day bed and seating area. One is able to accommodate a family of 5 with 1 x king size bed and 3 x single beds. The second Family Tent can accommodate a family of 4, with 1 x king size bed and 2 x single beds.
Max: 2 adults and 3 children
Property Facilities
Accept Credit Cards, Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Guided Tours, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service, Library, Pool, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Detached Private Bathroom, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En Suite Bathroom, Fan, Laundry Facilities, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Outside Shower, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Verandah
Available Services
Airport Shuttle (Complimentary), Credit Card Facilities, Laundry Service (Available), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Private Vehicle (Available)
Activities on Site
Bird Watching, Boating, Game Drives, Game Viewing Hide, Game Viewing, High Tea, Safaris, Sleep Outs, Walks (Guided)
Activities Nearby
Bird Watching, Boat Cruises, Boating, Cultural Tours, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Helicopter Scenic Flights, Scenic Flights, Walks (Guided), Wildlife Tours
Small families of Bushman from the Ju! Hoansi clan village of Xai Xai on the Botswana/Namibia border of the Kalahari Desert come to Meno a Kwena to share their knowledge of one of the last great nomadic tribes. This immensely interesting walking and cultural experience gives you an insight into their hunter/gatherer way of life as they have coexisted with wildlife for thousands of years. This gentle walk is very popular and appeals to all ages.
Our viewing hide, on the Boteti River, offers guests an all-year round floating hide experience. Here we offer guests a close-up of wildlife activity from the vantage point of the river. With an abundance of wildlife and birdlife this is every photographer’s dream. We provide picnic lunches and bar facilities for guests spending time here (by prior arrangement) – this hide will truly delight.
Cruise along the Boteti River by boat (water levels permitting). The only source of water for miles around, you’ll get to see bountiful animals and birds along the riverbanks. With wildlife coming to drink and bathe enjoy your afternoon watching the beautiful orange sunset while sipping on a sundowner as the world around you floats on by.
Our salt pans sleep out requires a minimum 3 night stay and a minimum 2 guests. You will depart Meno a Kwena after breakfast following your first night's stay and drive to the edge of the salt pans for a picnic lunch (approximately 3-4 hours drive). Following an open-air siesta you continue to your campsite in time for sundowners. After a campfire dinner you will sleep under the vast skies with a myriad of spectacular stars to accompany you.
The following day you return to camp after a delicious breakfast at sunrise in time to join the Bushmen for a cultural walking experience and your final night with us. Please note that the sleep out must be booked in advance.
This activity must be pre-booked.
Departing camp shortly after breakfast you can enjoy a full day of game viewing within the Makgadikgadi National Park. After a 90 min transfer to the Park gates, you will spend the day searching for the Park's plethora of species. Lunch and tea is taken in picturesque locations along the bank of the Boteti River often with elephants and antelope for company, as they pass through.
We maximise community involvement and benefits from our sustainable tourism operations that ultimately secures a future for wildlife and their environment. The proximity of camp to rural communities allows us to offer our guests exposure to fascinating traditional Batswana cultural experiences in and around camp.
The migration is dependent on water sources along the migratory paths of the zebra and wildebeest. After spending several months in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans the zebra and wildebeest slowly start to make their way towards the Boteti River.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Drinks (excl Premium Brands) Included
Fast Facts
Camp
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 10
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Flora, Indigenous Culture / Art, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Wildlife
Elephant Pan | Khwai Private Reserve
Set around a waterhole in the heart of the dry mopane forest, Elephant Pan is stylishly simple with guest accommodation in eight tents overlooking the waterhole with its big elephant action. In the morning, you’ll open your tent flaps straight on to the trumpeting elephant in the lily-filled waters below, spend your siesta watching herds splash and snort, and fall asleep to antelope grazing just outside your canvas walls. This isn’t a place for those looking for opulence and extravagance; it’s a private piece of big-game Africa, where the wildlife encounters are authentic, intimate and always wild.
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Elephant Pan has 1 family tent (on raised wooden decks), which sleeps 4 and comes with ensuite bathrooms, an indoor shower and a portable fan.
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Elephant Pan has 7 twin/double tents (on raised wooden decks), all with ensuite bathrooms, an indoor shower and a portable fan.
Property Facilities
Accept Credit Cards, Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Eco Friendly, Guided Tours, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service, Pool, Power Generator , Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Balcony , Balcony / Deck, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Electrical Outlets, Ensuite, Family Safari Tent, Fan, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Mosquito Netting, Safe, Shower, Tea / Coffee
Available Services
Credit Card Facilities, Disability, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Private Vehicle (Available)
Activities on Site
Bird Watching, Elephant Interaction, Game Drives, Game Viewing Hide, Game Viewing, Helicopter Scenic Flights, High Tea, Safaris, Sleep Outs, Walks (Guided)
Activities Nearby
Bird Watching, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Helicopter Scenic Flights, Safaris, Walks (Guided)
This is one activity that screams safari. Hop on our comfortable game viewing vehicles for a morning and afternoon/evening game drive. Your safari guide has all the expertise and knowledge to find you some of the best kept secrets and most loved wildlife in the area.
Grab your comfiest walking shoes, and experience a guided walk through the bush with your trusted safari guide. You’ll come across so many magical sightings, from the smallest critters, to beautiful trees and birds. Learn how to track spoor and identify the different grasses and other interesting fauna and flora that make up this beautiful eco-system.
A visit to our underground viewing hides (we have two), is definitely a must-see and a highlight for most guests. Experience intimate eye-to-eye encounters with a wild variety of thirsty visitors while in a safe structure. Each sunken hide is built at a bustling waterhole, with comfy game viewing chairs on which to perch, and enjoy the view.
Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. This is an incredible opportunity to appreciate the vastness of the Delta when seeing it from above. From your seat, door off (or on), you’ll be able to spot game, take exceptional photos and follow the waterways and animal pathways that shape this ancient wilderness.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Drinks (excl Premium Brands) Included
Fast Facts
Camp
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 8
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Flora, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Wildlife
Little Sable | Khwai Private Reserve
The intimate, tented retreat is located amid the shimmering grasslands of the Khwai Private Reserve, one of the best-managed concessions in the greater Okavango Delta. Up here, there’s something to see around every corner and a different activity to enjoy every day, from classic game drives to mokoro trips and boat safaris. And the best bit of all is that this iconic safari experience is all yours for an extremely affordable price.
This unfussy camp has 8 rooms all simply furnished with a touch of quirkiness that you would come to expect from a Natural Selection lodge. For many years the lodge has been a site for hosting photographic trips, a result of the abounding wildlife populating the grasslands and wetlands including road, sable, crocodile, hippo and elephant. This is the perfect place for enjoying classic safari components at affordable rates.
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- Rooms
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- Activities and Services
Little Sable has 2 family rooms, all of which are tented and raised on wooden platforms to maximise the views across the grasslands. Each also has a ceiling fan and ensuite bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, and a private veranda.
Little Sable has 6 twin/double rooms, all of which are tented and raised on wooden platforms to maximise the views across the grasslands. Each also has a ceiling fan and ensuite bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, and a private veranda.
Property Facilities
Accept Credit Cards, Battery Charging Facilities, Eco Friendly, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service, Outdoor Pool / Pool Deck, Pool, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Bath Towels, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En Suite Bathroom, Ensuite, External Shower, Family Safari Tent, Fan, Hairdryer, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Mosquito Netting, Outside Shower, Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Shower, Verandah
Available Services
Credit Card Facilities, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Private Vehicle (Available)
Activities on Site
Bird Watching, Boating, Catch-and-release Fishing, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Helicopter Scenic Flights, High Tea, Massages, Mokoro Excursion, Night Drives, Safaris, Sleep Outs, Walks (Guided)
Activities Nearby
Cultural Tours, Helicopter Scenic Flights
This is one activity that screams safari. Hop on our comfortable game viewing vehicles for a morning and afternoon/evening game drive. Your safari guide has all the expertise and knowledge to find you some of the best kept secrets and most loved wildlife in the Okavango Delta.
This is one of the most iconic Okavango Delta experiences. Wind your way around the crystal clear waterways on mokoro. Your experienced guide, will pole you amongst the lily pads and weaving sandbanks, to show you the ebbs and flows of this incredible eco-system.
Jump on board our delta boats to cruise the Okavango waterways. Your experienced driver and guide will show you some of the best river sightings and sunsets. Keep a look out for birds, crocodiles, hippo and exciting game coming to quench their thirst, while you moor up along the river bank sipping a sundowner. This is what safari boat cruising is all about.
A fabulous activity for families with kids. We’re all about catch and release so ask your safari guide to hook you up with a couple of rods. Your experienced guide will pole you amongst the lily pads and weaving sandbanks, showing you the ebb and flow of this incredible eco-system.
Calling all bird lovers! Bring your binos, your bird book and your Natural Selection birding checklist to enjoy a birding safari in the Okavango Delta. Your safari guide will show you spectacular birds, and is at the ready to answer all your birding questions.
Head out with the Khwai Private Reserve Rangers at dawn to see the last nocturnal animals going to bed, before the diurnal’s wake-up for the day. Being the first vehicle out you’ll be the first to find fresh tracks, helping the rangers with the predator identification (all sightings are logged and recorded). You’ll spend your morning tracking, patrolling and visiting conservation projects. Enjoy a packed breakfast out in the bush with the rangers, they will get you back to camp just before lunchtime.
Go on a cultural visit to Khwai Village, located next to Khwai Private Reserve. You’ll learn about the Kgotla (meeting place in the village) its history and traditions. Visit Khwai Pre-Primary School to enjoy interactions with the teachers & children. Meet the ladies doing traditional basket weaving, as well as visit the Kachokachoka, a traditional healer who’ll teach you about traditional medicine & local beliefs. Tour can only be booked once guests are in camp (no pre-bookings). There are strict dress guidelines when entering the Kgotla to show respect. Book a consultation with the traditional healer (additional cost).
Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. This is an incredible opportunity to appreciate the vastness of the Delta when seeing it from above. From your seat, door off (or on), you’ll be able to spot game, take exceptional photos and follow the waterways and animal pathways that shape this ancient wilderness.
If you are needing a little me time, then this is the perfect activity. Book a back massage or enjoy a relaxing spa treatment while in between game drives and wildlife adventures. This is safari self-indulgence without any guilt allowed.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Drinks (excl Premium Brands) Included
Fast Facts
Lodge
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 8
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Fishing, Flora, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife
