Duba Plains, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Image 3 - Duba Plains, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Image 4 - Duba Plains, Okavango Delta, Botswana

At a Glance...

Style: Classic more traditional bush style tented camp

Our opinion: 5 star

Accommodation: 6 roomy tents with en suite facilities

And the kids? 8 years and over. Families travelling with children between 8 and 12 must book a private vehicle

Activities: Day and night game drives, walking, birding and tag and release fishing. Boating is water level dependent

Season: Open year round

Highlights: Duba Plains was the setting for Relentless Enemies, a National Geographic documentary of the lion and buffalo interaction unique to the area

Located in the Kwedi Concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta

In the northern reaches of the famed Okavango Delta surrounded by expansive seasonal flood plains lies Duba Plains, one of the most intimate and remote camps in the Botswana. Situated on an island in 30,000 hectares of pure wilderness to the north of Moremi Game Reserve, Duba Plains is inaccessible to the world for most of the year - except by air.

Due to its proximity to the Panhandle, Duba Plains is one of the first camps in the northern Delta to receive the annual flood waters and once this happens the vast open floodplains are a fantastic sight. As water levels start to recede and more of the open plains become accessible the game viewing, in particular the lion and buffalo interaction which Duba is famous for, just gets better and better. Duba is one of the few camps in Botswana where the November to April game viewing is as good as the winter game viewing.

Tucked away under the cool shade of large garcina trees, each of Duba Plains' six roomy tents are raised off the ground and look out onto the vast flood plains which are so gentle and pleasing to the eye. Comfortable beds dressed in fine linen are draped by flowing mosquito nets. Ceiling fans and roof vents bring in the African breezes to cool the surrounds and a writing desk and comfortable lounge furniture round off the accommodation. The small private veranda out front provides each tent with a slice of its own Africa- often with elephants out front. The en-suite dressing area and dual basin vanity, indoor and outdoor showers and a flush toilet provide all the home comforts.

The open-sided thatched lounge, dining and bar area is raised on wooden platforms, making the most of the breathtaking views. The wide decking opens out to the refreshing pool and an open camp fire area shaded by tall ebony, sycamore fig and mangosteen trees.

Often described as the lion capital of Africa there is no hard and fast routine at Duba Plains as so much depends on what is happening out in the bush. Dawn is usually a busy time as the predators are active and your guide will be keen to discover what has been happening during the night. Contrary to what is usual in Africa, the Duba lions are most often active during daylight hours and many of their famous buffalo hunts occur during the day. If there is plenty going, rather than interrupt the excitement of the moment, breakfast or brunch may be served out in the bush.

Bird watching is superb and the wildlife concentrations on the open plains, along the waterways and in the denser forests are a highlight. Duba is one of the best areas for elephant while large herds of red lechwe are commonly spotted, along with hippo, crocodile, kudu, impala, mongoose, warthog and even leopard. But the area is most famous for its lions and the area's huge herds of buffalo. One herd at times aggregates to over a thousand animals.

Duba Plains offers game drives throughout the day with the main focus on early morning and late afternoon/evening drives, walking, fly fishing and, depending on water levels, boating. With so much to do we recommend a three night stay at this gem of a camp.