Welcome to the Duba Explorers Camp

An intimate, traditional space where hearts and spirits find inspiration in a history rich with extraordinary wildlife stories…

Duba Explorers, part of Great Plains’ Explorers Collection and was designed by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, National Geographic Explorers themselves embody the golden age of a Botswana safari and the spirit of exploration. The camp consists of four 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 in Botswana’s Selinda Reserve. Selinda Explorers Camp is also an Explorer Collection safari camp of Great Plains Co

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.

Room Types

Tented Accommodation

(5 ROOMS)

The intimate camp consists of five explorers-style tents of light airy canvas on slightly raised decking,

each with views of the surrounding floodplain. Each tent has a small desk and private verandah plus ensuite facilities consisting of flush loo, double basins and indoor shower. Fans and careful open-air design maintain comfortable climate for rest and relaxation.

Accommodating children and sharing accommodation

We look forward to having children stay with us that are 6 years and older;

Triples for children sharing with adults can be arranged upon request

Families with children could be accommodated in the same vehicle as other guests

Children must be a minimum of 8 years old to participate in extensive walking activities (Young Explorers program excepted). Canoeing, Mekoro - the minimum age to participate in these activities is from 12 years

Young children must be supervised as the camp is open with high predator densities in and around camp and there is water surrounding camp

Great Plains Young Explorers program – thoughtfully designed to explore a range of experiences and topics from birding to cooking to art to tracking wildlife.

RATING

Explorers Collection Safari Camp

TYPE

Luxury Tented Camp

NO. ROOMS

5

CHECK-IN TIME

After 14h00

CHECK-OUT TIME

On or before 11h00

AVAILABLE

Credit Card

LODGE SEASON & OPENING:

Year Round

IDEAL LENGTH OF STAY

3 to 4 nights is highly recommended

CAMP

Not Fenced

CHILD POLICY

6 years and older

SPOKEN LANGUAGES

English

SPECIAL INTERESTS

Big 5, Birding, Fishing, Flora, Gourmet, Indigenous Culture / Art, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife

Access Directions

Light aircraft transfers either from Kasane (1hr 25 mins) or Maun (40 min) airports;

Private Air charter access available;

Duba Explorers Camp is a 50-minute drive from the Vumbura airstrip or 5 min helicopter transfer from Duba Airstrip;

Airstrip co-ordinates are: S18°57'28.97, E22°40'27.36

Airstrip length: 1000m

CAMP CO-ORDINATES

18°57'34.48"S 22°40'28.19"E

Foundation Initiative

Great Plains Earth Academy In support of the communities living alongside the Okavango Delta the Great Plains Foundation has launched the Great Plains Earth Academy to provide personal and community enrichment opportunities for individuals living alongside wildlife. The Great Plains Earth Academy provides vocational training and supplemental education with a conservation and tourism focus to youth and adults living alongside Botswana’s 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 Great Plains Earth Academy is growing to meet the demand for educational, vocational and hospitality training, as well as community work in northern Botswana. www.greatplainsfoundation.com

 In addition to our own programs Great Plains Foundation keeps a list of other school needs in the countries where we work. Needed items can be hand-carried by travelers or we can help purchase them locally. To learn more or to help support students and educators as part of your trip please reach out info@greatplainsfoundation.com

Possibility of Disabled Access

The camp layout is not conducive to wheelchair bound guests due to dirt pathways and uneven terrain.

About the Special

WHY NOT ENJOY AN EXTRA NIGHT WITH US ON YOUR NEXT SAFARI TO BOTSWANA?
STAY FOR 4 NIGHTS AT ONE OF OUR BOTSWANA CAMPS AND ONLY PAY FOR 3!

Terms and Conditions

Booking Terms and Conditions:
• This offer is valid for all guest reservations staying from 01 November 2021 - 31 May 2022 &
01 November - 19 December 2022 (excluding 20 December 2021 - 10 January 2022);
• Private vehicle and guide rates are additional;
• This offer is valid to all standard guest U$D rate accommodation reservations;
• All stays include return scheduled air transfers to / from our camps;
• Offers cannot be combined and are offered on a stand alone basis per reservation;
• This offer is valid for a safari stay of a minimum of 4 nights at one of the following Botswana camps -
Selinda Explorers Camp, Selinda Camp, Selinda Suite, Zarafa Camp, Zarafa Dhow Suite, Duba Explorers Camp, Duba Plains Camp and Duba Plains Suite.

About the Special

When staying on honeymoon, at any of our Great Plains camps, we would like to give you a gift from ourselves, where the celebrating couple each receive 25% off their Great Plains accommodation costs!
 

Terms and Conditions

Booking Terms and Conditions:
• Offer specific to your choice of camp’s Green or Shoulder Season period;
• The validity period for the above offer in Botswana and Kenya is 11 January -
14 June and 01 November - 19 December annually;
• This offer cannot be combined with any of the other specials on offer;
• Offer valid to guests holding Marriage certificate, within 6 months of the ceremony, or celebrating their 40 or older wedding anniversaries!

About the Special

Want to stay out and drive a little longer in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, float down the Zambezi River in the Sapi Reserve one last time, or follow the channels of Botswana’s waterways in search of big tuskers and lions?
Whatever your preference take advantage of our shoulder season rates, when staying a little longer with us in the peak season.

Terms and Conditions

Booking Terms and Conditions:
• Stay a minimum 6 night stay, regardless of camps, or where they are located, as long as they are in the same itinerary, during the period 15 - 31 October 2022, qualify for shoulder season rates;
• Free included inter-camp air transfers restrictions may apply to some camps;
• Offer cannot be combined.

About the Special

Stay for 6 nights with us at our Botswana properties during the annual flooding of the Okavango Delta and receive a complimentary helicopter transfer between the Duba Plains and Selinda Reserves!

For guests staying at either our Selinda Reserve camps combined with Duba Plains Reserve camps for a minimum of 6 nights, the inter-camp air transfer between these two iconic wildlife areas will receive a FREE thrilling helicopter transfer!
This 35 minute helicopter flight offers a uniquely spectacular aerial view of the Northern Okavango Delta region between the Selinda and Duba Plains Reserves.

Terms and Conditions

Booking Terms and Conditions
• This offer is valid for all guest reservations staying from 01 June - 31 October 2022;
• The free one-way helicopter air transfer is between the Duba Plains Reserve and Selinda Reserves camps or vice versa;
• Minimum 2 guests required for helicopter transfers.

About the Special

WHY NOT ENJOY AN EXTRA NIGHT WITH US ON YOUR NEXT SAFARI TO BOTSWANA?
STAY FOR 4 NIGHTS AT ONE OF OUR BOTSWANA CAMPS AND ONLY PAY FOR 3!

Terms and Conditions

Booking Terms and Conditions:
• This offer is valid for all guest reservations staying from 01 November 2021 - 31 May 2022 &
01 November - 19 December 2022 (excluding 20 December 2021 - 10 January 2022);
• Private vehicle and guide rates are additional;
• This offer is valid to all standard guest U$D rate accommodation reservations;
• All stays include return scheduled air transfers to / from our camps;
• Offers cannot be combined and are offered on a stand alone basis per reservation;
• This offer is valid for a safari stay of a minimum of 4 nights at one of the following Botswana camps -
Selinda Explorers Camp, Selinda Camp, Selinda Suite, Zarafa Camp, Zarafa Dhow Suite, Duba Explorers Camp, Duba Plains Camp and Duba Plains Suite.

About the Special

When staying on honeymoon, at any of our Great Plains camps, we would like to give you a gift from ourselves, where the celebrating couple each receive 25% off their Great Plains accommodation costs!
 

Terms and Conditions

Booking Terms and Conditions:
• Offer specific to your choice of camp’s Green or Shoulder Season period;
• The validity period for the above offer in Botswana and Kenya is 11 January -
14 June and 01 November - 19 December annually;
• This offer cannot be combined with any of the other specials on offer;
• Offer valid to guests holding Marriage certificate, within 6 months of the ceremony, or celebrating their 40 or older wedding anniversaries!