Duba Plains | Botswana Safaris | African Safari

DUBA PLAINS is perhaps the Okavango Delta's most remote camp. It is located in a private 30 000 hectare reserve and in the furthermost region of the Delta. The camp is situated on an island, surrounded by expansive seasonally flooded plains and shaded by tall ebony, fig and garcinia trees. 

Each of the tents has an en-suite bathroom, with hot and cold running water, and a veranda overlooking the floodplain. The dining room and bar area is raised on decks, and there is a great pool with a view. 

This pristine area is home to Lion , Leopard , Lechwe, Elephant and huge herds of Buffalo , as well as a large variety of Okavango Delta bird life . Wattled Cranes and Slaty Egrets are some of the Okavango specials found in the area. The camp is small and intimate, with accommodation in six tented rooms. 

DUBA PLAINS camp offers a variety of activities, ranging from mokoro and boating excursions to game drives in open 4 x 4 vehicles and walking safaris (at the manager's discretion) if water levels permit. For 2004, the annual floods in the Okavango are at record levels due to high localized rainfall and massive amounts of rainfall in its catchments area in central Africa.  We expect that the Okavango will flood this year to levels last experienced in 1977. As a result, we are unsure of the effect it will have on the Duba Plains area. We are certain, however, that the majority of our activities for 2004 will take us by boat and mokoro to where the best game is found. We will only game drive on the larger islands and this is dependent on water levels.

Duba Plains, in 2004, is totally cut off from the mainland and the only access for our guests and all our provisions is by aircraft.

SAFARI ACTIVITIES AT OKAVANGO DELTA DUBA PLAINS BOTSWANA

The wildlife at DUBA PLAINS has traditionally been fascinating. As the vast open grasslands and floodplains are often isolated from the mainland by deep waterways, the variety of animals is not as high as in other areas within the Okavango. However, DUBA PLAINS has more than made up for this as it has been a high impact game viewing area. Thousands of buffalo are hunted almost daily by up to four different prides of lions. Often the hunting has been during the day so our guests have gotten great photo opportunities.

Lechwe, buffalo, elephant, tsessebe and warthog dot the savannah and hippo concentrate in the deeper channels. We often have productive hyena dens in the area that offer great hyena cub viewing. Leopard is found on the forested islands. Most of the Okavango Delta's birdlife is found in the area and birding "specials" like wattled crane and Slaty egret are often seen. 2004 poses an interesting year for us.

At the time of writing (Late March 2004), the catchment area for the Okavango River in central Africa had received record quantities of rainfall. In addition many parts of the Okavango had double its normal rainfall. The combined effect of this will mean that the Okavango 's' water levels will be at their highest ever in this area. The flood will possibly be on a par to the 1977 flood levels. But in 1977, no one had been in the Duba / Vumbura area and we have no records as to what happened in this area at that time. Clearly our vehicle access to most areas will be restricted. It will be just about impossible to get to some of our traditional game drive areas. We have imported boats and these (as well as mokoros) will be used to access our best game areas.