Duba Plains

Overview

Some places feel like a film set before you have even unpacked. Duba Plains is one of them: a private conservancy in the heart of the Okavango Delta, where palm-fringed islands rise from shimmering floodplains and the woodland edges glow gold in the evening light.

It is no accident that conservationists and National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert chose this corner of the Delta as their home base. Duba Plains Camp is the epitome of the Botswana safari, a wild landscape with a story to tell. Your suite is part of that story. Bespoke tented suites evoke the classic African safari style of the 1920s, with rooms raised on recycled railway sleeper decking that adds character and a touch of history.

Step onto your private veranda and the floodplain unfolds before you, drawing wildlife to the water’s edge. Inside, the details keep you comfortable, from air-conditioning to an ensuite bathroom with both a bath and a shower, plus an outdoor shower beneath the open sky.

When the heat rises, cool off in the pool. As evening comes, raise a glass from the wine cellar and let the day’s sightings play back over dinner.

Wildlife here is the star. Boat safaris through the waterways, bush walks and game drives all offer intimate encounters with lions and leopards, elephants, lechwe and buffalo. Look beyond the big names and you may also meet the Kalahari’s more elusive residents, such as the aardwolf and the pangolin. The birdlife is just as rewarding, with the iconic birds of the Okavango putting on a show from the treetops to the reed beds.

A day here begins early, with coffee on your veranda while the floodplain wakes up. Mornings are for the wildlife: a game drive, a boat trip through the channels, or a walk with your guide. Lunch and a rest follow in the heat of the day, then the light softens and it is time to head out again, before dinner and a night full of the Delta’s sounds.

The variety is part of the joy. Glide silently in a mokoro, follow a guide on foot, or head out after dark on a night safari to see the bush in a new light. Each experience gives you a different way into the same remarkable landscape. Duba Plains sits on a private conservancy, and conservation is woven through the experience, along with the story of the people who made it their home.

Duba Plains suits travellers who love a sense of history as much as a sighting. Photographers, wildlife enthusiasts and honeymooners will find it a place of drama and romance, with a real sense of occasion. It pairs well with other Botswana camps, from Chobe and Moremi to a water-based stay elsewhere in the Delta, and works as a highlight in a wider Southern and East Africa journey.

The Delta shifts with the seasons, and so does the experience. Water levels and wildlife movements change through the year, so the best time to visit depends on what you most want to see, whether that is boat safaris across the floodplain or game drives on the dry land.

Nziza Hospitality designs bespoke safaris across Africa, and Duba Plains is one of the camps we recommend for travellers who want classic style and serious wildlife in the same place. We will help you choose the right dates and length of stay.We can also build the rest of the itinerary around it, arranging the flights and transfers so the whole journey feels seamless, from the moment you land to the moment you leave.

Ready to step into a classic safari story? Talk to our team about Duba Plains and we will help you plan the dates, the pace and the companions for your journey.