Okavango Delta, Botswana

Duba Plains

Insider’s Review of Duba Plains

Amidst the glittering pantheon of indulgences that is Micato safari-going, few are as coveted as a stay at Botswana’s Duba Plains. Spiritual home of renowned National Geographic filmmakers and conservationists, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, their soi-disant “untamed Eden” drapes 33,000 pristine hectares of pristine Okavango Delta wilderness. Indeed, the Jouberts have made this sanctuary the setting of many of their award-winning wildlife films – and we promptly see why. Leading roles – including some talking parts, particularly at dusk and dawn when the hunt-heavy plot thickens – are played by a magnificent cast of seductive lions and leopards, hundreds of rather venerable elephants, and (when we’re lucky) a jaunty pack of loveable, high-spirited painted dogs. Here, amidst palm-studded islands and sweeping floodplains, the curtain rises on an old-world safari romance of Shakespearean proportion. Such stuff as dreams are made on.

Accommodations at Duba Plains

With only five suites, plus an additional private two-bedroom villa discreetly tucked into the grounds, Duba Camp strikes a sublime balance between reverent luxury and a perfect sense of place. Perched above the watery realm of the Delta, each air-conditioned villa sits on raised on repurposed railway sleepers. Elegant interiors rely on rich local textures and carefully curated hand-carved furnishings. Together the effect is pure 1920s safari grandeur with every modern comfort imaginable: the comfortable sitting area, a spacious en-suite bathroom with deep bath, indoor shower and – for the plein air frisson – an outdoor shower, too. A secluded deck, with cooling infinity pool, serves up winsome views of the surrounding floodplain and its wandering wildlife. Nestled beneath a proud stand of ancient ebony trees, the central gathering place welcomes with its stunning show kitchen, very browsable wine cellar, and well-stocked library.

Activities at Duba Plains

Our rewarding game drives take place in the cool of the early African mornings and sultry afternoons. Together with our ever-helpful, uncommonly knowledgeable Micato Safari Director, we’ll trace the footsteps of the region’s bountiful prancing and prowling wildlife. Look up too, as the birdsong of more than 200 species punctuates the still. After a restorative lunch, perhaps a guided bush walk exploring the quiet intricacies of the land. Not to be missed in this UNESCO-blessed Okavango Delta, the chance to glide through mirrored waterways in a traditional mokoro canoe, or in a peppy boat tour. And when the sky is awash with the embers of sunset, there’s nowhere finer to be than at water’s edge, cool drink in hand, watching as sunset blurs the line between earth and sky, an echo of timeless Africa.