<strong>Duba Plains Camp</strong> - Luxury safari Adventure in the Okavango Delta

The view from the deck at Duma Plains Camp

Duba Plains Camp

The renowned and totally brand new Duba Plains Camp sits in the heart of the Okavango Delta. A matrix of palm-dotted islands, flood plains and woodland, the 77,000 acre private reserve typifies the region’s unique landscape. It is a wildlife connoisseur’s getaway with literally thousands of animals in an almost endless pattern across the flood plains.

Located in the heart of the Okavango Delta Duba Plains prides itself on its extraordinary wildlife experiences and intimate exposure to the best of the best wildlife, from lions and leopards to elephants, lechwe, buffalo and everything in between. Duba Plains is also known for interesting Kalahari species like aardwolf and pangolins.

Many consider Duba Plains to be the Okavango’s Maasai Mara because of the sheer volume of wildlife. This is the place that owners, and National Geographic filmmakers, conservationists and explorers, Dereck and Beverly Joubert chose for their home base. Great Plains Conservation is the only operator on the concession, thereby offering guests the ultimate opportunity for private wildlife sightings.

Five star Luxury Safari

At Duba Plains Camp guests can expect 1000 square foot tents, plunge pools, wine cellars, in-room massages and spa treatments and even a Canon camera and lenses and Swarovski binoculars in each tent. Also available are two-bedroom villas complete with their own private vehicle, guide, chef and staff; perfect for families or groups of friends wanting privacy and exclusivity. Alongside these luxury touches Great Plains’ sustainable ethos includes camps constructed from natural and recycled materials and run almost entirely off solar power.

At Duba Plains guests are able to experience a blend of 100% conservation with 100% luxury, compromising neither while maximizing both.

Accommodation

Duba Plains Camp offers 5 bespoke tents, in addition to a separate 2 bedroom suite aptly named the Duba Plains Suite, all designed to fit into the landscape and to take advantage of the shapes and textures of shade but also to evoke the old classic African safari style of the 1920’s.

A maximum of 10 guests sharing in five tented rooms. Children from 8 years are welcome.

The five traditional-style tents, all on raised on recycled railway-sleeper decking, each with views of the surrounding floodplain and the steady stream of wildlife parading past. Each tent has a lounge area, with place to write and do your photographic downloads, as well as the opportunity for private dining in your tent. Each has a private verandah plus beautifully appointed en-suite facilities consisting of flush loo, double basins and indoor and outdoor showers and luxurious baths. Ceiling fans and careful design maintain comfortable climate for rest and relaxation. Guests can enjoy their own private plunge pool and outdoor under cover sala/day rest area

The camp’s main area consists of a large raised dining room, comfortable lounge, interactive kitchen, wine cellar and library. The camp’s centre point, the gathering place of all bush experiences, an extended deck under the giant ebony trees.

Fully inclusive of all activities, meals, park fees, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including imported spirits and champagne all adds to the luxury of Duma Plains Camp.

Safari activities

Duma Plains Camp offers a truly authentic water and land safari experience.

Game Drives(day & night) Game drives take place in some of Botswana’s best adapted vehicles. Duba Plain’s Toyota Land Cruisers are aptly named ‘Swamp Vehicles’ due to their extra-high suspension and absolutely huge tyres uniquely designed to traverse the floodplains for us. These are, of course, open-sided, canopied and customised for photographers (fold-down screens, raised roofs, photographic bars, multi-plug inverters). Seating only four to six guests on each vehicle, the Cruisers are fully stocked with drinks and snacks. Each tent has the latest Canon camera and lenses as a package for guests to use or try out. Images are downloaded and presented for them to take away at no additional charge.

While the focus remains on the most comfortable times of day (early to mid-morning and late afternoon to evening) for drives, it is very common in Duba Plains to spend full days out in the field, having brunch delivered to the vehicles because the wildlife is so good and our focus is on finding and spending time with these extraordinary experiences.

The schedule is flexible and guests are encouraged to create their own itinerary according to their interests. Very often, our safaris will continue into the night in search of nocturnal species. All the guides are also keen trackers and birders and guests are encouraged to experience everything the camp has to offer.
Guided Walks Another huge benefit of staying within the conservancies is the ability to appreciate the stunning landscape on foot, peacefully, without the noise of engines. Usually early morning or evening is the best time, as the middle of the day is too hot to venture out of the shade. Wear good walking shoes, a hat, and neutral coloured clothing so as not to alarm the wildlife, and take binoculars. Your guide will have water for you. Walks are led by licensed guides with firearm training.
Motorized Boating Zipping through the Okavango Delta's network of waterways is an invigorating way to get a sense of the scope of this huge wetland. You’ll undoubtedly have wonderful birding and maybe even some hippo, buffalo and elephant sightings. (Boating is a seasonal activity, typically between May and October but varies seasonally).
Catch-and-Release Fishing This is a great activity during mid-day siesta. Make sure you’re with a guide. During January and February there is a moratorium on fishing. Catch-and-release fishing only.
Young Explorers Program Duba Plains Camp offers a full syllabus of bush craft skills for our young explorers. This is a complimentary program that follows in the footsteps of National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert. An extensive pack will be provided to eager children on arrival, so they can learn about animal calls, how to track wildlife, and other facts and figures about the wild. At the end of a child’s stay, he/she will become a Young Explorer and Conservation Ambassador - ready to go out and tell the world about what they have learned and what they too can do to help protect this beautiful environment.

Making a difference

Duba Plains Camp, is part of a joint venture partnership between Great Plains Conservation and the DubaPlains Concession, creating maximum benefit to the community nearby with lease funds, jobs and other benefits like our Big Cats Caring for Communities project. This partnership ensures that these communities receive tangible and substantial benefits from allowing their ancestral land for wildlife conservation. Botswana is a leader in such partnerships, and Duba Plains is a long-standing example of this successful partnership.

The camp make use of UV reverse osmosis for drinking water and eco-friendly greywater recycling systems. A cutting edge biogas system which converts vegetable scraps into methane-based cooking gas and we are committed to reducing waste and eliminating single-use plastic in all of our camps.