Duba Explorers Camp, a perfect safari camp for any Botswana safari, is tucked away in the northeast corner of Botswana’s Duba Plains Concession, a 33,000-hectare private reserve. Due to its location in the Okavango Delta’s northern reaches, the permanent floodplain dominates the surrounding landscapes, interspersed with seasonal floodplains and grasslands and pockets of mopane and acacia woodlands.

Duba Explorers Camp is situated on an island surrounded by the pristine Okavango Delta and enjoys its separate traversing area, separated from Duba Plains Camp. The camp has year-round shade under a canopy of mature jackalberry, leadwood, mangosteen, and sycamore-fig trees. The camp’s location provides clear, unobstructed views across the surrounding water channels and allows cool breezes through the camp and guest tents.

Duba Explorers, part of Great Plains’ Explorers Collection and was designed by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, National Geographic Explorers themselves, embodies the golden age of a Botswana safari and the spirit of exploration. The camp consists of five airy canvas tents, each raised on decking, stylishly furnished with a campaign writing desk, private verandah, and en-suite facilities. Guests wake up to panoramic views of the Delta floodplains and, during the flood season, the water channels link to open water filled with flowering water lilies and tall papyrus. Under sweeping marquee canvas, the central area on raised decking offers guests an open-concept dining and lounge area.

Duba Explorers Camp is on an island surrounded by beautiful landscapes and watercourses as it sits in the heart of Botswana’s northern Okavango Delta floodplains. The camp is accessible only by a gum pole bridge. During your siesta, lounge on the daybed on your veranda, absorbing the peacefulness and tranquillity of your surroundings. During the flood season, you might even be lucky to catch sight of spotted neck otters swimming and eating. Listen out for the prolific birdlife. At night, let the hippos sing you to sleep. Sometimes, the roar of a lion cracks through the night as he calls out to his pride.

During a stay at Duba Explorers Camp, guests step into the shoes of the early adventurers. Explore the water channels associated with the Ngoga River system by boat or traditional canoes (mekoro), meandering through channels created by hippos and elephants. The mekoro allows you to glide silently through the channel systems and experience a peaceful water world around you. With over 400 bird species, birding is unsurpassed, with spectacular species like the malachite kingfisher zipping past you in a burst of colour. Vehicle safaris in this paradise allow for exciting encounters with the predators resident in the area. On guided walks, explore the islands, wetlands, and plains, following the tracks and interpreting the signs of the wild. Guests might even be lucky enough to get a glimpse of a rare sitatunga or an elusive leopard. Enjoy the excitement of catch and release fishing, where one can study the various delta fish species up close.

The unique flooding cycles of Botswana’s Okavango Delta create a mosaic of habitats from permanent wetlands to seasonal floodplains to woodlands and grasslands around Duba Explorers Camp and fosters an incredible diversity of wildlife. Plains created by dropping water levels in the dry season (December to April) form a perfect habitat for zebra, wildebeest, kudus, and tsessebes. In the flood season (May to November), the area transforms into a water wonderland with aquatic diversity. The year-round healthy herbivore population, including elephant, buffalo, and lechwe and suitable hunting terrain, attracts predators such as lions, leopards, and wild dogs – all highlights to any Botswana safari.

Guests staying at Duba Explorers Camp should also consider extending their safari to  our Selinda Explorers Camp located located in Botswana’s Selinda Reserve. Selinda Explorers Camp is also an Explorer Collection safari camp of Great Plains Conservation.