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Meno a Kwena

A hidden gem perched above the Boteti River.
Location
Makgadikgadi
No. of rooms
10 Rooms
Price Range
US$ 625 — US$ 1,215 per night
Dates Open
Year Round
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Meno a Kwena

Family friendly with river views

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 is refreshingly and stylishly simple. 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. Here nothing else really matters.

Travel that Matters

Simply by making a choice to visit Meno a Kwena you are already leaving a positive impact on local conservation initiatives as well as supporting projects in the nearby Moreamaoto Village that help to mitigate human-elephant conflict.

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Makgadikgadi National Park

Meno a Kwena is located on tribal land on the western boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park (MPNP), overlooking the beautiful Boteti River. In the desert, water means life and the Boteti is the only permanent water source in the area, attracting a rich array of resident game and a procession of migratory wanderers. Meno sits almost exactly halfway between the Okavango Delta region and the drier southern regions.  From the camp head into the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, where baobabs stand like sentinels above the shimmering expanses of crusted salt, or discover Nxai Pan National Park with its endless landscapes dotted with umbrella acacias and clumps of mopane woodland.

Open Year-Round

Meno a Kwena is open year-round, with different highlights each month. During the dry season from April to October, the Boteti River attracts hundreds of animals for remarkable game viewing from camp. In April, witness Africa’s second largest mammal migration, this is when the wildebeest and zebra join the resident wildlife at the Boteti River in their masses.

In the wet season, the Makgadikgadi transforms into a lush green landscape, attracting migrating animals back to the salt pans to breed. In fact, the entire area is transformed into a Garden of Eden that has to be seen to be believed.

Signature Experiences

Game Drives

Zebra Migration

Bushman Experience

Sleepout

Viewing Hide

Amenities

Camp Swimming Pool

Wellness & Spa Treatments

Family Room

Wi-Fi Availability

Outside Dining

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Fun for the whole family

Why you'll Love It

Family friendly adventure

With a natural swimming pool, kids activities & plenty of safe areas for kids to explore, this is a great camp for families.

Wildlife watching from above

Watch the wildlife at the river below from the comfort of your private veranda, or even the swimming pool.

An array of thrilling activities

Enjoy a wide range of thrilling (and unusual) activities. From bushmen walks to floating hides and so much more.

Excellent choice at great value

Bring your whole tribe. Meno is great value for money and an excellent choice for safari goers and families.

It's an all year round affair

The Boteti River is a year round magnet for wildlife. Simply sit, wait and watch.

Wild Shots Outreach

We are working closely with the Wild Shots Outreach initiative. This unique conservation education programme runs workshops through our camps for unemployed young adults from nearby villages. Each year participants learn about photography, conservation and the appreciation of beauty in nature as seen at the end of a camera lens.
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A Relaxed and Peaceful Space

Accommodations

Meno a Kwena isn’t a hyper-luxurious camp – and that’s why we love it. We don’t have private butlers and air conditioning, but what we do have are 10 classic tents perched on a clifftop overlooking the river and offering some of the best ‘armchair’ game viewing we’ve ever seen. Each is classically-styled, with a few eccentricities thrown in here and there; think locally-woven fabrics mixed with colonial-style furniture, and simple fittings brightened by snippets of colour. All have fully-equipped ensuite bathrooms, and there are two family units, both with inter-leading tents (one with three beds for children, one with 2 beds), perfect for the kids.

The canvas lounge and dining tents are piled high with books and trinkets, and decorated with old-world artefacts, and our piece de resistance – a sculpted crocodile! And it’s not there for no reason – Meno a Kwena literally translates as “teeth of the crocodile.” Keep an eye on the river below from just about any comfy chair in the living area, or plunge into the Flintstone-esque rocky swimming pool, and watch the animals doing the same below you.

At a Glance
  • 10 tents: 6 twins, 2 kings, 2 family tents
  • Ensuite bathrooms with indoor & outdoor showers
  • Swimming pool
  • Spa treatments available (at an additional cost)
  • Wi-Fi: available in rooms only
  • Hairdryers: No
  • Battery charging facilities: in mess tent & rooms
  • Complimentary laundry service
  • Child policy: we welcome all ages
  • Disabled access: please enquire with reservations
Amazing Encounters

Wildlife

If you were to go on a game drive around the Makgadikgadi Pans and look for a picture-perfect picnic spot, then it would be Meno’s exact location, perched above the river bend, gazing down at the wildlife. But when you’re staying at Meno a Kwena, game viewing isn’t just a snatched hour over lunch; it’s all day, every day. Just sit back on the veranda and watch the zebra and antelope from your cliff-top position (G&T optional). Meno also has a great mix of bush birds in camp, waterbirds by the river, and desert species as you head on a drive. The camp also has an abundance of owls including barred and Verreaux’s.

If you can drag your eyes away from the view, hop on a game drive to find desert-adapted animals that can’t be found elsewhere in Botswana. There’s antelope with comical twisted horns, and remarkable desert elephant. The rumble of hooves heralds the arrival of Africa’s second largest migration. A stonking spectacle of 30,000 zebra and wildebeest migrate across the Makgadikgadi Pans, alongside a scattering of other hooved beasties. As the pans dry from April onwards, the zebra complete their journey at the river in an explosion of black and white stripes, followed closely by the predators: lion with their impressive black manes, leopard and cheetah using the surrounding bushes as cover, packs of wild dog, and mischievous jackal. Wow.

Experiences

What to see and do

Get access to a range of experiences that can be enjoyed during your stay

Game drive

Enjoy a game drive around camp to discover this bush and desert landscape, pulsating with life.

Zebra migration

Watch the comings and goings of migrating Zebra from your lofty position above the Boteti River.

Bushman experience

Discover the secrets of the pans with the San bushman, these hunter gatherers will show you how to survive in the desert.

Sleepouts

Enjoy a sleepout on the Makgadikgadi pans. Just you, your comfy bed and about a billion stars.

Viewing hide

Get up close and personal with the animals roaming the banks of the Boteti River from our floating hide.

Guided Nature Walks

Head out on a walking safari with your trusted guide. Here you get to discover creatures great and small on foot.

Local Culture

Spend time with the San Bushmen learning about their ancient wisdom. A rare privilege few get to experience.
Makgadikgadi Pans Activities PDF
Making a difference

Our impact

When you visit, you will be directly supporting the following Natural Selection conservation initatives:

EFA Elephant Collaring

As part of our commitment to large mammal migration initiatives, we provided funding to Elephants For Africa to gain insights into the movements of elephants across human and wildlife landscapes.
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Makgadikgadi Large Mammal Migration

Our goal is to collaborate with local communities and relevant parties to create land use plans that benefit all and free up migratory paths for historic migrations.
View project

Wild Shots Outreach

An immersive experience that gets young adults from underprivileged areas learning to appreciate wildlife and wild environments from the perspective of a camera.
View project

Coaching Conservation

A conservation outreach programme for children in rural areas, which fosters self-respect, respect for each other and respect for wildlife and the environment.
View project

Lessons In Conservation

This youth-led organisation seeks to expose children to the beauty of their local environment, with an over-arching mission of raising awareness about conservation in rural communities across Africa.
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Moreomaoto Village Outreach at Meno a Kwena

Supporting the Moreomaoto community through various initiatives from school and library sponsorship, to environmental education programmes.
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Get a glimpse

Watch our video

The best spot for migration spotting

Meno a Kwena story

Meno a Kwena is a place that’s steeped in history. This was the camp used by legendary explorers and crocodile hunters, back in the days when there were no vehicle trails across the Kalahari. In fact, the name Meno A Kwena translated is Tears of the Crocodile. Over the years, it’s been carefully refurbished, but the old-world charm and rustic quirkiness is as present as ever. You’ll find a roof fashioned from an old parachute, a lounge jam-packed with knick-knacks and trinkets from decades of travel, and an enormous crocodile skull to name but a few! This is a camp with heart, soul and a real flavour of Botswana.

In 2012, researchers discovered Botswana’s zebra migration. At Meno a Kwena, we’ve known about it for decades, and the arrival of the tens of thousands of zebra in a dazzle of black and white stripes is one of the (many) highlights of our year. The position of the camp, perched atop a cliff overlooking the Boteti, is quite simply the best spot in the area for migration viewing, and the sightings are astonishing. Spend your days lounging on the day bed or trailing a toe in the swimming pool whilst the action happens below. At night, retreat to the dining table for a feast of flavour, accompanied by flickering lanterns and stories of old.

Special Offers

Explore hidden Gems

Honeymoon Special Offer

We’re feeling the love! Honeymoon with us and one spouse stays for 50% off in participating camps.
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Long Stay Combination Rates

Book now and enjoy incredible savings with our Long Stay Rates in Botswana and Namibia!
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Mokolwane Combination Special Offer

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to spend an extra 2 nights on us! Get 6 nights for the price of 4.
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Reservations

  • reservations@naturalselection.travel
  • Tel: +27 21 001 1574

Marketing

  • marketing@naturalselection.travel
  • Tel: +27 21 001 1574
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