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.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included
Fast Facts
Tented Camp
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 10
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Flora, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Wildlife
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
Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Library, Pool, Private Vehicle Available
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Detached Private Bathroom, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Fan, Laundry Facilities, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Outside Shower, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Verandah
Services
Airport Shuttle (Complimentary), Credit Card
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.
Hyena Pan | Khwai Private Reserve
Set around a waterhole in the heart of the dry mopane forest, Hyena 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.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included
Fast Facts
Tented Camp
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 8
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Flora, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Wildlife
Twin/Double Tents
Hyena Pan has 8 twin/double tents (on raised wooden decks), all with ensuite bathrooms, an indoor shower and a portable fan.
Property Facilities
Battery Charging Facilities, Eco Friendly, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Pool, Private Vehicle Available
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Fan, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Safe, Shower
Services
Credit Card
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.
Skybeds | Khwai Private Reserve
Looking for a truly unique way to spend time in the bush? Then look no further than our fabulous Skybeds, located deep within the Khwai Private Reserve. As the name suggests, this is no ordinary safari camp. Each “room” is actually a three-story raised platform, overlooking the wildlife-spotted plains of Khwai. Charmingly rustic yet perfectly stylish, you’ll find a bathroom with flushing loo on the first floor, a dressing area, and the ultimate cherry on the top floor, an enormous double bed, draped in white linens and a feather duvet and completely open to the stars.
With such spectacular skies overhead, you could be forgiven for forgetting about what’s happening down below. But keep one eye on the ground, for the Skybeds overlook a busy waterhole. In one night we’ve seen wild dog, lion, elephant and hyena – and that’s just the beginning. So, whilst we can’t guarantee you’ll get much sleep, we can guarantee one of the wildest and most wonderful safari experiences you’ll ever have.
Please note that Skybeds can only be booked in combination with a stay at Hyena Pan, Tuludi, Sable Alley and Little Sable in Khwai Private Reserve.
Your Stay
1 Night
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included
Fast Facts
Lodge
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 3
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife
Skybed platform
Three double story Skybed platforms overlook a waterhole. The first floor has a bathroom with shower and flushing loo, plus a dome tent with two single beds for inclement weather. The top floor has a comfy double bed, draped in a mosquito net and completely open to the stars!
Property Facilities
Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Private Vehicle Available
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, En-Suite, Mosquito Nets, Shower
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.
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.
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.
Sable Alley | Khwai Private Reserve
Not only is Khwai Private Reserve one of Botswana’s best kept secrets, it’s also home to the lovely Sable Alley. Sable is a piece of light, bright and beautiful luxury amid the game-rich floodplains of Khwai, and the best news is that it’s as sustainable as it is sophisticated. We’ve partnered with the local communities in Khwai, and proceeds from staying at Sable Alley go straight back into the Khwai Village community projects.
And what about the wildlife? Located right on the banks of a lily-covered lagoon, home to harrumphing hippo and a favourite drinking spot for elephant and buffalo, the big game quite literally comes to you at Sable. But as tempting as it is to stay in camp, venture out you should, for Khwai offers one of Africa’s greatest and most exclusive safari experiences. Have your binos at the ready for lion, leopard, wild dog, buffalo, elephant and hundreds of dainty antelope as you drive through the diverse landscapes.
We recommend booking Sable Alley as part of a complete Natural Selection safari, but if you want to book it separately or just check availability click on the button below.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included
Fast Facts
Lodge
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 12
Special Interests: Birding, Flora, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife, Wine
There are 9 twin/double tents all have air conditioning, ceiling fans and are ensuite with indoor and outdoor showers. Tents are raised on decks with a private veranda.
There is 1 honeymoon tent that has air conditioning, ceiling fans and are ensuite with indoor and outdoor showers. Tents are raised on decks with a private veranda.
There are 2 family tents both tents have air conditioning, ceiling fans and are ensuite with indoor and outdoor showers. Tents are raised on decks with a private veranda. The is a closed off walk way that connects both rooms.
Property Facilities
Battery Charging Facilities, Eco Friendly, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Pool, Private Vehicle Available
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Fan, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Outside Shower, Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Shower
Services
Credit Card
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 crystalclear
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.