Duba Explorers Camp: Our full report
Set on a tree-studded island in a remote northern area of the Duba concession, the intimate Duba Explorers ...
... Camp is surrounded on all sides by the floodplains and woodland of the Okavango Delta. The camp was previously located further south, when it was known as Duba Expeditions Camp.This is a diverse and pristine area of the Delta: a private 330km 2 reserve renowned for its exceptional wildlife viewing and some very fine birdwatching. Carefully selected by wildlife photographers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, it’s a superb location.
The camp has just five spacious expedition-style tents, each built on slightly elevated decking and with beautiful views. Make the most of these from the substantial balcony, which has a very comfy sofa, two directors’ chairs and a small table.
Facing the view in the bedrooms are large double or twin beds draped with mosquito nets. Attractive lamps, Persian-style rugs on the wooden floors, and a writing desk with a chair add a further touch of class. In the bathroom behind you’ll find his and hers sinks, a large mirror and plenty of storage space, while the toilet and shower are separated out at each end of the bathroom.
The camp’s communal area, sheltered beneath a large canvas roof, consists of a small but comfortable lounge and dining area, with traditional leather sofas and a solid coffee table. A member of staff is usually on hand to pour drinks, but guests are welcome to help themselves from the bar. Most meals, however, are taken on the expansive, tree-shaded deck, which overlooks the floodplains and a perennial marsh that is a hive of wildlife activity. Below the deck is a firepit, where guests gather for a drink before dinner. There is also a small curio shop.
Duba Explorers Camp offers both land-based activities – day and night 4WD game drives as well as walks – and (when water levels allow) water-based activities such as mokoro (dug-out canoe) and motorboat trips. On our most recent visit in November 2019, water levels were too low for any water-based activities, but on our two game drives we saw a good variety of plains game, as well as a coalition of four male lions and a leopard,
The camp combines well with its more luxurious sister camp, Duba Plains, which is situated further south in the concession.
Our view
Duba Explorers Camp is a small, intimate camp in a remote area. This, combined with a variety of activities, good guiding and excellent wildlife viewing, make it a particularly attractive option.
Botswana expert
Geographics
- Location
- Okavango Delta Safari Reserves, Botswana
- Ideal length of stay
- 3 nights
- Directions
- Access is by light aircraft. It is a 45-minute flight from Maun to the Vumbura airstrip, followed by a 45-minute drive to the camp
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- During our stay in November 2019 we found the food to be of a high standard, although the portions were rather small. We understand that with advance notice most dietary needs can be catered for.
A wake-up call is accompanied by tea or coffee. Rather unusually breakfast is enjoyed while out on your morning safari. Ours included muesli, yoghurt, boiled eggs, scones, bread, grated cheese, jams and honey, with tea and coffee to drink.
For lunch a tasty mixed platter consisted of curried vegetables, lightly fried fish, butternut and pumpkin seed salad, an unusual strawberry and mushroom salad, cheese and crackers and dried and fresh fruit.
Our four-course dinner started with a cold beetroot and apple soup, followed by a melon and citrus salad with a herb oil dressing and yoghurt. The main course was fillet steak served with a butternut purée and steamed vegetables. Dessert was rum-and-raisin ice-cream, watermelon sorbet, lemon curd and gooseberry coulis. While dinner was tasty and well presented the portions were tiny. - Dining style
- Group Meals
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Drinks included
- All drinks that are stocked in camp, including premium brand spirits and champagne.
Special interests
- Wildlife safaris
- See ideas for Wildlife safaris in Botswana
- Luxury
- Duba Explorers Camp harks back to the romantic 1920’s-expeditions style. Being in a remote part of this concession, exclusivity is high on the agenda. The owners value attentive service, superb guiding and excellent food. We’d expect nothing less for your luxury safari holiday.
- See ideas for Luxury in Botswana
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Children of eight years and above are welcome at Duba Explorers Camp. Families with young children do not require a private vehicle.
- Property’s age restrictions
- Children must be at least 12 years old to participate in walking safaris and mekoro excursions.
- Special activities & services
- The camp has a special children’s programme, which involves a range of experiences and topics – from birding and cooking to art and wildlife tracking.
- Equipment
- There is no family tent so it is not ideal for families as it means one adult would have to share with one child for safety reasons.
- Generally recommended for children
- Younger children may get bored as he general atmosphere of the camp is quite “grown-up” and it is mostly frequented by couples.
- Notes
- The camp is not fenced and is surrounded by water so children must be under the constant supervision of their parents.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Duba Explorers Camp
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Duba Explorers Camp have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
89% success
89% success
89% success
74% success
71% success
69% success
25% success
19% success
6% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- There is a back-up generator. Power is available all day
- Communications
- Wi-Fi (weak signal) is available in the tents only. There is a radio link to the other camps and to a base in Maun.
- TV & radio
- No
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- All the bathrooms are plumbed, with hot showers and flushing toilets.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- The nearest doctor is in Maun. All management and guides are first aid trained and medical evacuation is available in case of emergencies. There is a nurse on call (via radio) 24 hours a day.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- The camp managers and all the staff sleep on site. Each room has a foghorn to attract attention in case of emergency. At night guests are escorted by a staff member to their tents.
- Fire safety
- Fire extinguishers are dotted around camp.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Fishing
Guided walking safari
Helicopter
Mokoro
Night drive
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- Included
- Money
- There is a safe in each tent.
- Accepted payment on location
- The camp can accept payment for extras in US dollars, euros, pounds, rand and Botswana pula. Mastercard and Visa is also accepted.
Other lodges in Okavango Delta Safari Reserves
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Kwara Camp
Kwara Camp's private reserve boasts land and water activities year round, with excellent game-viewing opportunities and access to permanent channels of the north-east Okavango Delta.
Little Vumbura
On a secluded island within a private reserve, Little Vumbura combines superb game viewing with a broad diversity of habitats in a truly picturesque setting.
Shinde Camp
With experienced staff and a wealth of activities, Shinde offers a traditional safari in an exceptionally varied and wildlife-rich environment.
Splash Camp
Set in the Kwara Reserve, offering superb wildlife viewing year-round, Splash offers both land and water activities led by guides with a particular knack for tracking big game.
Chitabe Lediba
Chitabe Lediba, in Botswana's southern Okavango Delta, is a small family friendly safari camp; it offers great dry-land safaris and in our experience consistently delivers good game sightings.
Kanana
In a beautiful part of the Delta, Kanana focuses on fantastic water activities and birding – including exclusive access to an impressive heronry.
Sandibe Safari Lodge
The luxurious Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge lies in a private concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta, beside Moremi Game Reserve, with superb big-game viewing.
Chitabe Camp
In the southern Okavango Delta, the excellent Chitabe Camp concentrates on dry-land safaris in an area that we've found particularly good for wild dog sightings.
Shinde Footsteps
Small and simple, but comfortable, Shinde Footsteps focuses on walking safaris as well as game drives; it also runs a special children's programme so is particularly suitable for families.
Gomoti Plains
Overlooking a tributary of the Gomoti River, Gomoti Plains Camp is a classically designed camp with very comfortable tents in a good game-viewing area.
Nxabega Tented Camp
Nxabega offers a selection of both land- and water-based activities, plus very good guiding, food and service, but game viewing can be somewhat erratic.
Tubu Tree Camp
A traditional tented camp with a distinctive tree-house feel, Tubu Tree offers some of the best game viewing in the Jao Reserve.
Vumbura Plains
Indulgently stylish and luxurious, Vumbura Plains offers superb game viewing and birding on an exceptionally varied private reserve.
Jacana Camp
Jacana Camp is a small safari camp with an informal island feel; it is ideal for water-based activities in the Delta and offers excellent birdwatching.
Kwetsani Camp
Deep in the Delta, overlooking a floodplain, Kwetsani Camp is a small, high-end camp with good access to areas for land and water-based activities.
Mapula Lodge
For an affordable yet varied safari encompassing a range of eco-systems, the traditional Mapula Lodge takes a lot of beating.
Duba Plains Camp
Duba Plains Camp is a traditional yet luxurious safari camp, best known for the thrilling lion behavior interaction that is often see during the day.
Baines' Camp
Baines' Camp is a well-run, intimate camp in a pretty part of the Okavango, offering a range of activities and the option to spend a morning walking with elephants.
Pom Pom Camp
Amidst stunning Okavango Delta scenery, Pom Pom offers idyllic mokoro trips in season, great birdwatching, and increasingly good big-game sightings, especially leopards.
Stanley's Camp
In a private concession south of Moremi Game Reserve, Stanley's Camp offers 4WD game drives, seasonal water activities and a superb elephant interaction.
Mma Dinare
Beautifully located in a private concession overlooking the Gomoti River, the traditional Mma Dinare is very well-priced for the Okavango Delta.
Little Tubu
Little Tubu is a new, traditional camp with just three tented chalets and a distinctive tree-house feel. The areas around it can be explored by water and land-based activities year round.
Pelo Camp
In a pristine wilderness environment deep in the Okavango Delta, the seasonal Pelo Camp is tented yet comfortable, with activities focusing on excursions by mokoro.
4 Rivers
4 Rivers is a new camp in a previously in accessible area of the excellent Kwara concession.
Xaranna
Xaranna is a plush tented camp amongst the idyllic waterways and islands of the Delta. Each air-conditioned tent has a plunge pool. Water activities and pampering are the focus here.
Jao Camp
In a beautiful area with fantastic water activities, Jao combines an idyllic location with high levels of luxury and service, and a top-end spa.
Seba Camp
Seba Camp is a luxury camp in a lovely location that offers the full range of water and land safari activities, depending on the time of year. This camp is particularly suitable for families.
Rra Dinare
Located in a private concession in the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, overlooking the Gomoti River, Rra Dinare is a traditional-style, well-priced camp.
Setari Camp
Setari Camp stands on an island dotted with palm trees, close to the base of the Okavango’s ‘Panhandle"
Abu Camp
Abu Camp is an exclusive safari camp on the western side of the Botswana's Okavango Delta - offering superb elephant-back safaris and opportunities to walk with them too.
Okavango Explorers
The traditional, tented Okavango Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by great guides in a wildlife-rich area.
Kiri Camp
Kiri Camp is the latest Okavango offering from the excellent team behind Machaba. In an exciting new location in the heart of the Delta we cannot wait to visit this new camp.
Duke’s Camp
On a remote island within a vast private concession, the eclectic Duke’s Camp is nestled among mature trees overlooking wildlife-rich plains of the Okavango.
Okavango Walking Safari
The Okavango Delta Walking Safari camps in a secluded Okavango Delta Reserve where there are few roads; the ideal location for a walking trail led by an expert guide.
Sitatunga Island Camp
Tucked away in a pristine corner of the Okavango Delta, the exclusive Sitatunga Private Island is a water-based camp offering boating, mokoro trips and fishing.
Karangoma
New for 2024, Karangoma is a classic, tented camp offering walking, canoeing and game drives, in partnership with the local Bukakwe San clan.
Atzaro Okavango
With a high level of tasteful luxury promised at Atzaro, we think it will be best suited to travellers seeking a touch of pampering alongside their safari.
Mokolwane
Deep in the heart of the Okavango, Mokolwane promises adventure in a largely untouched area.
Eagle Island Lodge
Eagle Island Lodge is a luxurious camp with international-style facilities including air conditioning and intercom in each room; offering water based activities in the Okavango Delta.
North Island Okavango
Deep in quintessentially “Okavango” territory, between deep-water and dry-land habitats, North Island focuses on a luxury safari experience with very good wildlife viewing opportunities.
Mbamba
Deep within the northern Okavango, the classically styled Mbamba is set to open in a wildlife-rich private concession in April 2025.
Qorokwe Camp
Luxurious and contemporary, the relatively new Qorokwe Camp is a gem in the Okavango Delta, offering land- and occasionally water-based activities in a prime wildlife area.
