Savute Elephant Lodge

Botswana’s mesmerizing Okavango Delta is now brighter than ever with the newly transformed (as of 2022) Vumbura Plains. Nestled in a large private concession of 60,000 hectares in the far north of the Delta, the camp is enveloped in some of the most incredible landscapes, home to some of the best wildlife encounters in the area. The 60 000-hectare Vumbura Plains Private Wilderness Area is leased from five villages, through the Okavango Community Trust (OCT), a partnership that spans 20 successful years of impactful conservation tourism in the region. Inside, the camp celebrates its sense of place and culture, with design elements that pay homage to its wonderful setting with patterns, textures and colours bringing nature inside. Rooms at the lodge are amongst the biggest in the delta, all open plan, with a sunken seating area, private shaded deck and swimming pool outside as well as indoor and outdoor showers. There is an amazing sense of space here, in keeping with the wide-open plains that the rooms face onto. The rooms are open on three sides (with netting) giving a feeling of being closer to the nature and wildlife whilst still remaining is absolute comfort. The local connections continue throughout the camp experience.The menu celebrates seasonal produce sourced directly from local farmers, suppliers and artisans. Activities here are a mixture of game drives and water activities which will vary according to the level of the water and the time of the year. You will find day and night drives, walks and mekoro (dugout canoes) activities, with hot-air ballooning – from April to September each year – as well as scenic helicopter flights, making Vumbura an exclusive destination for the discerning adventure-seeker.

With uninterrupted views over Osprey Lagoon, and a fantastic vantage point from which to watch the areas mega-herds of elephants, Wilderness DumaTau and nearby Wilderness Little DumaTau are perfectly located for making the most of your stay in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve. Each spacious tented guest suite has been positioned to offer great views whether you’re relaxing on your deck, or cooling off in your plunge pool. You’ll also find the tents include spot-cooling, meaning you can find respite from the hot afternoons indoors. Spend time investigating the ‘curiosity boxes’ you’ll find mounted on the walls in your room and the drawers filled with fascinating artefacts and information. They’re a great way to learn more about the area’s wildlife and rich history. Look out for unique elephant and wild dog art in the rooms and library made from reclaimed snare wire. Wilderness Safaris have constructed both camps to give maximum comfort and offer guests a large array of facilities. In addition to the in-tent cooling systems, you’ll discover that the central Osprey Retreat which sits between the two camps boasts a pool, drink and snack counter and a Safari Boutique area, offering you more space to mingle with your fellow guests if you choose to do so. Large decks, plunge pools and awnings are attached to each of Wilderness Duma Tau’s eight tented suites as well as at the four at Wilderness Little DumaTau. The Wilderness DumaTau team continues to focus on the sustainability of wildlife corridors, as they have done since 1997. They believe that it is more vital than ever to protect large wildlife corridors of wilderness,  like those within the vast Linyanti Wildlife Reserve – especially for the African elephant and wild dog that cover extensive ground. Staying at Wilderness DumaTau offers you easy access to the Linyanti floodplain as well as the Savuti Channel, in fact, it’s the only concession from which you can access both. The region has all the habitat diversity to make it a haven for wildlife, and is well-known for its elephant concentrations as they congregate along the waterways and lagoons during the dry winter months. General wildlife viewing is excellent year round including impala, wildebeest, red lechwe, Burchell’s zebra, giraffe, Cape buffalo, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, and warthog. Predator sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyena are good. As well as day and night game drives, you can explore on nature walks or take to the water on motorboats or the river barge (depending on water levels).  

Very intimately placed in the private Jao Concession area bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta, Wilderness Jao Camp is a luxurious way to experience this beautiful part of the world. With just nine tented rooms, you will be well looked after and be able to enjoy some incredible service tied in with excellent guiding. Each of the tented rooms are situated a short distance from the main area and are accessed via raised walkways which adds to the charm of the place. All of the tents have their own deck area with great views over the expanse of floodplains before them, you will be nice and comfortable in your luxurious canvas setting. Wilderness Jao Camp also has a great wine cellar where you can enjoy a private dinner and if you really wanted to treat yourself, they have a great spa where you can enjoy some superb treatments. Within the camp itself, you have access to two plunge pools which you might want to dip into in the afternoon heat when you aren’t relaxing inside the beautifully decorated interior with a nice book from the library. Activities here are entirely dependent on the flood levels at the time of year you visit, however as a rule of thumb you can expect about 30% game drives and 70% water activities which give you a brilliant and new perspective of the animals that call this place their home. Mekoro trips are highly recommended! As the camp is within its own concession area, it also has the ability to provide night drives (weather permitting) to spot the elusive nocturnal creatures found here.

One of the most famous camps in all of Africa, Wilderness Mombo rightly deserves its reputation due to its remarkable game viewing experiences coupled with the service and luxury of the camp. Rebuilt in 2018, the camp is made up of nine spacious and elegantly appointed tents, each built on a raised platform giving fantastic views across the plains. To reduce the environmental impact, most of the original material was used in the rebuild. Set in a thicket of giant mangosteen and fig trees, the eight suites boast sweeping views out over the floodplain which attracts a large number of animals. Each suite has a sitting room, bedroom, bathroom, indoor and outdoor shower, plunge pool and wrap-around veranda. Enjoy watching the passing wildlife and panoramic sunsets from your ‘sala’. Head to the main communal area where you’ll find a small library and a plunge pool to relax in during the afternoons. Enjoy delicious meals in the dining area that overlooks the plains. The camp is committed to conservation, with much of the power provided by a solar farm and donations made to preservation projects for each guest.