Duba Explorers Camp
Duba Explorers Camp is an exclusive tented camp located on the edge of the private Duba concession in the remote northern reaches of the Okavango Delta.
Duba Explorers Camp is a luxurious and intimate camp located in beautiful riverine woodland on the edge of an extensive wetland system in the northern Okavango Delta. While permanent floodplains are a dominant feature in the region, the camp also has direct access to large areas of dry country and open grassland and therefore offers the full range of Okavango experiences with superb game-viewing including all the predators. Sister to the more elaborate Duba Plains Camp, Duba Explorers offers expedition style décor and has an authentic yet luxurious feel. The camp location is beautiful and it is definitely somewhere very peaceful to hang out between activities. Duba Explorers is perfect for travellers looking to combine a genuine wilderness and big game experience with an exclusive, tranquil and sophisticated camp experience, without jumping into the hugely expensive top range Botswana products.
Rooms
Accommodation is provided in five guest tents, all raised on wooden decking and built under the shade of mature trees. Each tent is furnished to a very high standard with twin or double beds under a mosquito net, campaign style furniture and a standing fan. En suite facilities consist of a double vanity and plumbed shower on one side, and a separate flush toilet on the other. To the front is a private deck with safari chairs and a day bed. Yoga mats and weights are also provided in each tent. Each guest tent also has use of a pair of HD binoculars.
Central Areas
The simple but luxurious central areas, also under canvas and built on a wooden deck, comprise dining and lounge sections and a deck containing a small fire pit. There is also a small swimming pool and deck. Wherever possible, meals will be served al fresco.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for charging – Yes
Swimming pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Duba Concession is an exclusive section of the Okavango Delta made up of a series of large islands separated by river channels and floodplains that become inundated during the flood season. The landscape is predominantly wide open plains, mixed with patches of woodland and scrub bush, whilst there are extensive reedbeds and papyrus along the waterways. There is excellent birding and a varied range of mammals to be seen, including elephant, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard, spotted hyena and wild dog. There is also the full range of smaller game and nocturnal species, including serval, aardwolf, aardvark, genet, civet, porcupine, honey badger and African wild cat.
Activities
Game viewing activities are varied and include game drives in open vehicles (by day and by night), walking safaris and exploring the waterways and channels of the delta by mekoro (dug out canoes) and by power boat (water activities operate subject to water levels). Fishing is available seasonally (March – December), whilst scenic helicopter flights can also be booked at extra cost.
Seasons
Duba Explorers Camp is open all year round, though game-viewing will be best from June through to early November, and water activities most guaranteed from April through to September.
Children aged six years and above are accepted at Duba Explorers Camp. There is no specific family accommodation, although triples can be arranged. With big game free to wander through camp and being surrounded by water, the camp will naturally suit families travelling with older children who can take their own room and fully enjoy the range of activities available and the adventurous nature of the camp.
Duba Explorers Camp is operated by Great Plains Conservation which exists to conserve and expand natural habitats, using sustainable eco-tourism to protect and restore critical habitats, conserve wildlife, and benefit local communities. All resulting in responsible travel opportunities for guests and achieving the company’s aim of ‘conservation tourism’.
Together with their charitable arm, the Great Plains Foundation, they manage over one million acres of land across Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. A conservation and community levy is added to each stay with Great Plains Conservation as a contribution to the Great Plains Foundation’s work.
Here are just some examples of the projects carried out and supported:
In Botswana, conservation initiatives include the Great Plains Earth Academy which provides vocational training and supplemental education with a conservation and tourism focus to youth and adults living alongside the Okavango Delta. The goals of the Earth Academy are to improve participants’ understanding of their local environment and wildlife, promote conservation and sustainability, and invest in the skill and capacity of the local community and workforce.
The Solar Mamas initiative was set up to address both lack of economic opportunity and electricity deficit in remote villages bordering the Okavango Delta. Nine ‘Solar Mamas’ left their communities in Botswana and attended a six-month solar power training course in India. They returned with the skills to run a business and build, install and maintain sustainable energy for their communities.
The Great Plains Student Conservation Camps, one of their longest running programmes, have reached students and teachers in both Botswana and Kenya with environmental and conservation education. By engaging and mentoring young people in communities bordering protected land, students see positive examples of local professionals working to protect their fragile ecosystems and are inspired to become champions of biodiversity themselves.
In 2022 Great Plains established an inaugural all-female ranger unit to operate in their concessions, gather essential data and act as an early detection force against illegal wildlife crime. Hiring female rangers builds their capacity as individuals, empowers the communities they represent and offers opportunities to shift gender stereotypes and establish strong female role models for young girls. Additional teams are being trained and activated in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
The Foundation was also a key partner in establishing the successful ‘Rhinos Without Borders’ project which saw the relocation of 87 rhinos, the largest translocation of its kind, from South Africa to safe havens in Botswana.
Through Conservation Roots the Great Plains Foundation is partnering with local communities to restore indigenous trees to landscapes across Kenya, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Working with local communities, partner organizations and school systems Conservation Roots plants indigenous trees and teaches their value and critical role in functioning ecosystems.
In 2024, Great Plains expanded the reach of their impact beyond the areas in which they operate and established a partnership with 4Ocean. Plastic waste is collected from the world’s oceans and turned into fashionable bracelets, which are available for sale in their camps. Every bracelet removes 5lbs of plastic from the sea, provides jobs, and starts a clean-up movement.
