A family-run business owned by Simon and Marleen Byron, who together have more than 30 years of safari experience, Beagle Expeditions’s Kweene Trails is an ultra-remote mobile camp experience in the Abu Private Reserve in Botswana.
Overview
A journey between two camps in diverse habitat zones of the Okavango Delta accessible only by helicopter, Kweene Trails is a truly wild journey into one of Botswana’s last remaining remote wilderness areas. Guests begin their adventure at Kweene River Camp in the southern part of the Kweene River, a periodic swamp habitat with arid conditions and grass-dominated floodplains. Then the journey ends further north of the river system at Magwegwe Camp, a seasonal swamp habitat of endless floodplains, overgrown islands and year-round water flow.
One of the most unique and memorable parts of a Beagle expedition is ‘moving day’, where guests journey to the next camp either by foot, mokoro or game drive while the team backs up and sets up camp in the new location ready for sundowners in the late afternoon.
No expedition is the same and the itinerary of each one depends largely on the season, the level of recent rains, and the needs of the guests. Some are undertaken on foot and some by boat, while others can be done via mokoro or customised expedition vehicle. Whatever the trip, the camp is a canvas construct, consisting of a mess tent and sleeping tents. The mess tent has a dining table and chairs, a coffee and tea station, and a fire pit with camp chairs and a bar. Wi-Fi is not available.
Please note that Kweene Trails can be booked either on an exclusive-use basis or as a shared, set departure experience.
Rooms
Although the camps are simple, they are luxurious, and sleeping arrangements are spacious canvas en-suite Meru tents. The bedding is fine Egyptian cotton atop a very comfy bed roll with a soft padded carpet underneath for maximum comfort. Stretcher beds are available for guests who would prefer to not sleep on the floor. There is a bucket shower with hot water, a compost loo and a hanging wardrobe.
Food & service
Kweene Trails runs a top-notch service, with a comforting family feel to it in amongst the excitement of real adventure. All food is sourced locally and the seasonal menu is cooked on an open fire by experienced bush chefs. A good selection of soft and alcoholic drinks are available and premium South African wines are a common theme. The team at camp are all Motswana from the Tswanan people.
Activities
Activities take place in hugely biodiverse ecosystems, as different from one another as they could be. Kweene Trails’s guides say it’s important to see as much of these varied ecosystems as possible to gain a good understanding of the steady ecological dynamic. A typical day’s expedition may consist of venturing into the delta by aluminium boat setting up camp on an island and exploring them by foot, picnicking on the water’s edge and relaxing in a hammock with a book and drink in hand. Guests can expect to be guided by some of the best local pro guides, led by the wonderful Ace Gabanakitso.
Impact
Conservation and community
Beagle Expeditions contributes US$ 30 per guest, per night to the Wild Entrust, an organisation founded and managed by Tico and Lesley McNutt. Aside from being at the forefront of predator conservation in Botswana, Wild Entrust has set up some incredible community initiatives in the village nearest to Beagle’s operations in the Habu Conservancy.
Commerce
All of the camp’s supplies and services are sourced locally, which provides a crucial stimulus for the surrounding economy.