Wilderness Little Vumbura
WILDERNESS Little Vumbura is an exclusive tented lodge located on a very small island in the heart of the beautiful Vumbura Concession in the northern Okavango Delta.
Wilderness Little Vumbura is an old favourite and offers a really idyllic, exclusive and all round wonderful Okavango experience. The arrival by boat adds to the feeling of escapism while the ambience in camp is peaceful and relaxed. The accommodation is very comfortable but not over the top and the camp retains an intimate, close to nature feel, with friendly staff and a high level of personal service. The Vumbura Concession is varied and whilst super for game viewing, it also offers good wetland Okavango experiences with boating, mokoro excursions and fishing (seasonal) all possible. This makes Little Vumbura one of the best lodges from which to enjoy the full range of Okavango habitats and activities. Due to its popularity, the lodge is expensive, especially in high season from June to October.
Rooms
The camp caters for up to 14 guests in six luxuriously appointed tents, each privately positioned on wooden decks looking out over the floodplains of the delta. Each open-plan tent has a spacious sleeping area, inside lounge area (on a slightly lower level) and en suite facilities including a plumbed toilet, shower and double vanity and a hair dryer is also supplied. One of the tents also has an outside bath – known as the honeymoon tent. Another of the tents is a family tent, consisting of two en suite tents side by side on a larger shared deck (the tents are linked internally by a small hallway). To the front of each tent is a small verandah furnished with comfortable chairs from which to enjoy the lovely views out over the floodplains.
Central Areas
The main camp areas are open-sided and under canvas, built on to a large raised deck and include an open-plan dining room, lounge/library, small bar, open boma for alfresco dining and a small swimming pool with sun deck.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for charging – Yes
Swimming pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Vumbura private concession is extremely exclusive with some 230 sq. miles of pristine big game territory and waterways to explore. The habitat is a wonderful mix or permanent waterways, seasonal floodplains, mature woodland, scrub bush and open plains. Game drives are very productive with all major predators seen regularly and night drives can be good too with nocturnal creatures such as honey badger, leopard, civet, serval, genet and porcupine often encountered. The area is also a good place to see the rare and beautiful Sable antelope – a particular part of the concession is known for them.
A permanent channel flows past Little Vumbura so water activities are available year round, though more extensive exploration of the delta is possible during the flood season from May to August (during this time, game drives often require driving through shallow water in areas close to the permanent water). Birdlife is excellent and varied with woodland, grassland and wetland species all in abundance.
Activities
Activities from Wilderness Little Vumbura include game drives (by day), guided walks, mokoro trips, boat cruises and fishing (water levels permitting which is nearly all the time). It is also possible to arrange scenic helicopter flights at extra costs, including trips further afield to explore the Tsodilo Hills and to learn about Wilderness’s collaboration with community projects working towards easing human-wildlife conflict (see the conservation and community section for further details).
Seasons
Wilderness Little Vumbura is open all year round, though game viewing is best from May through to early November. Water activities are best from May to October when water levels are highest. Fishing is not permitted in Botswana during January and February.
Wilderness Little Vumbura accepts children from six years old and their two bedroomed family unit is ideal with both internal and external access between the bedrooms. The variety of activities on offer and the stunning location of the lodge make Wilderness Little Vumbura an exceptional safari and wilderness experience for any family, though taking into the account the fairly mature and exclusive nature of the property, we would naturally recommend the property to families with older children. A complimentary, and optional, Bush Buddy service is offered where children may be paired with a local mentor for the duration of their stay who is experienced in childcare and engaging with children.
Wilderness Safaris has established two non-profit organisations to achieve their mission of protecting and expanding Africa’s wilderness through conservation and community empowerment.
Children in the Wilderness (CITW) focuses on the children from villages close to the remote areas in which Wilderness Safaris operates, providing environmental education and awareness and training them in the life skills needed to care for and nurture their natural surroundings.
The Wilderness Wildlife Trust is involved in research and conservation, anti-poaching and community empowerment and education. The Trust has many projects throughout Botswana (as well as other areas of Africa in which Wilderness Safaris operates) including the Botswana Rhino Reintroduction Project and the Botswana Vulture Conservation Project.
The Vumbura Concession is in a Wildlife Management Area and is leased to Wilderness Safaris through The Okavango Community Trust ensuring the five local villages benefit from the operation (for example, all staff members that are employed on the concession must be from one of the villages). Furthermore CITW focuses on the children from these communities.
Guests also have the option (at an extra cost) of arranging an excursion by helicopter to learn more about CLAWS (Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainability – an organisation focussing on reducing conflict between people and predators) or a “Life With Elephants” village visit with EcoExist (an NGO aiming to reduce conflict between people and elephants.
