Meno A Kwena

OVERVIEW:

We recommend a stay at Meno A Kwena to clients seeking an extended safari in Botswana. With classic accommodation, super friendly staff, and a great range of activities, it’s a reliable option within this area.

Meno a Kwena means ‘teeth of the crocodile’, a name reflecting the camp’s riverside location. It’s owned and run by Natural Selection Safaris, which operates about twenty authentic camps and lodges across Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia. Accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals, a range of alcoholic and soft drinks, a laundry service, and the majority of activities – please see our Activities section below for more information. The camp is open all year round.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

The camp is fantastically situated high above the Boteti river. It can be accessed via 20 minutes’ road transfer from the local airstrip or approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from Maun.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT MENO A KWENA:

Guest accommodation consists of just ten tents, including two tents for family use. All are positioned amongst trees and along the clifftop. They’re Meru in style, which means that an exterior layer of canvas extends over the inner structure to create a lovely private veranda. The veranda is set with a couple of safari chairs and a small table, and it’s a great spot for relaxing and enjoying river views! Moving inside, each standard-size tent contains either a double bed or twin beds, bedside lighting, a standing fan, and a storage trunk at the foot of the bed/s. Local and colonial furniture and furnishings merge to interesting effect, while the palette involves vibrant colors from a Persian rug or two as well as some wall artwork. At the back of the tent, you’ll find the washing facilities, which comprise flush toilet, twin washbasins, and shower. This space flows out into a stone-walled enclosure, complete with an adventurous outdoor shower! Both family tents benefit from all these features, as well as an extra room for children that offers either two or three beds. And access for disabled travelers is available on request.

The lounge and dining areas at Meno a Kwena occupy an L-shaped mess tent, which is approached from the guest tents via sandy paths through the trees. The lounge contains plenty of comfortable seating around coffee and occasional tables, in addition to all sorts of intriguing artifacts and photos. There’s a reference library too, where you can enjoy reading up about the local wildlife! In the dining area, there’s one long table flanked by safari chairs. Everyone eats together here, tucking in to delicious meals. The bar is set up within a smaller tent just a short distance from the mess, providing an alternative space in which to relax and marvel at river vistas. There’s even a sculpted crocodile seat! The camp has a classic fire-pit, the perfect place for getting to know your fellow travelers and swapping stories. Finally, there’s a swimming pool – built into the rocks at the top of the cliff, it boasts breathtaking views down to the river, where you’ll likely spot wildlife congregating for a long cool drink, especially during dry season. You can also see as far as the Makgadikgadi Pans!

ACTIVITIES AT MENO A KWENA:

Meno a Kwena offers an exciting variety of activities, as follows:

• Expertly guided game drives

  - Drives take place within the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, which guests access via ferry depending on the water levels. The pans are home to a medley of desert-adapted species, among them desert elephant, brown hyena and red hartebeest! And during green season, the area experiences an incredible influx of zebra and wildebeest, second only to the famous Great Migration at certain times of the year.

• Walking with Bushmen

  - Guests are welcome to join the local Bushmen on thrilling cultural safaris. This is a really fascinating experience, enabling you to learn all about the pans from the people who have lived here for thousands of years.

• River cruises

  - Please note, the availability of this activity depends on water levels during your stay. Cruises provide opportunities to view the wildlife of the waters – crocs, hippos, waterbirds – plus various predators and herbivores drinking along the Boteti’s banks.

• Sleep-outs

  - The camp also organizes nights under the stars, in the heart of Makgadikgadi Pans! This activity incurs an additional cost and it must be re-arranged, so please contact us for further details.

• Wildlife viewing from floating hide

  - From the main campsite, steps lead down to the very edge of the river and onto a hide that’s brilliantly positioned for guests to do a little wildlife watching and take a few photos.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.