Duba Plains Camp

Okavango Delta, Botswana - Premier 5

[CLOSED FOR A COMPLETE REFURB. SET TO OPEN JANUARY 11, 2017] The renowned Duba Plains Camp sits in the heart of classic Okavango Delta habitat. A matrix of palm-dotted islands, flood plains and woodland, the 77,000-acre private concession typifies the region’s unique landscape. Located here, exclusively, is the six tent Duba Plains Camp, a wildlife connoisseur’s getaway. Built on a wooded island, connected to the prolific wildlife area by an elaborate set of bridges, the camp is the base of many famous wildlife documentaries by National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert. It is the only camp on the concession, thereby offering guests the ultimate opportunity for private sightings.

Duba Plains Camp, and the Kwedi Reserve, where it is located, is part of a joint venture partnership between Great Plains Conservation and the Okavango Community Trust, the representative body for five villages in the Okavango Panhandle. This partnership ensures that these communities received tangible and substantial benefit from using their ancestral land for wildlife conservation. Botswana is a leader in such partnerships, and Duba Plains is a long-standing example of success in this area.

The intimate camp consists of six traditional-style tents on raised decking, each with views of the surrounding floodplain. Each tent has a small desk and private verandah plus en-suite facilities consisting of flush loo, double basins and indoor shower. Ceiling fans and careful design maintain comfortable climate for rest and relaxation. The main area is under thatch and consists of a large raised dining room, cozy bar and comfortable lounge. Extending from this main area is a raised wood deck with pool and a dining area, where brunch is often served under the shade of large African ebony trees. In the evenings, the fire pit is always a popular spot to enjoy an Amarula and recount the day’s events.

Duba Plains prides itself on its extraordinary wildlife experiences, and rightly so. The mammoth interaction between large buffalo herds and Duba’s lion prides retains its lure, but with the increase in water in the last decade, this homogenous experience is now complemented by reliable sightings of a diverse range of species, including large herds of Red lechwe along with Blue wildebeest, Greater kudu, tsessebe and usually a rare visitor to Duba, but now more common, giraffe. Of course, elephant and hippo trudge through the swamps happily, and are regularly seen. Leopard, and some nocturnal species, can be sighted as well. Wildlife is a regular sight right in camp, or even from the outdoor showers! Birds abound, and the area is reputed as a birdwatcher’s paradise. Okavango ‘specials’ include the rare Wattled crane, Pel’s Fishing owl, White-backed Night heron and Marsh owl.