Assessment: Wilderness DumaTau Camp (Botswana)

Wednesday newsletters all the time function a resort or flight evaluate.

Early July, I loved one in all my finest holidays ever, an ultra-luxe safari in Botswana with Wilderness, Africa’s award-winning, main eco-tourism firm. My actual itinerary with Wilderness in Botswana may be discovered right here (this web site additionally means that you can e book the identical journey). You’ll be able to learn my journey experiences right here:

At the moment: Assessment of Wilderness DumaTau Camp (Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Botswana)

Nestled deep inside the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, on the northernmost fringe of Botswana, lies DumaTau. The reserve’s numerous, pristine 95 000 acres provides really unique excursions and close-up wildlife encounters. Newly rebuilt DumaTau takes full benefit of its 45 km (28 mi) of river frontage to create an unparalleled safari expertise. Eight tented suites with personal plunge swimming pools sit on picket walkways mere steps from the wildlife corridors, so animals typically wander peacefully by way of camp. Interiors of hand-crafted mosaic tile, acacia wooden, and native textiles mirror the guts of the Linyanti. The camp’s spa, the Osprey Retreat, soothes your soul. As do all of the elephants, whose shifting herds compose one in all Africa’s most elemental rhythms. Related in fashion to DumaTau, Little DumaTau is an intimate haven of refined class, with simply 4 supremely spacious visitor suites.

Wilderness DumaTau options in my high 10 lists of the finest luxurious safari lodges in Botswana and my favourite Wilderness lodges in Africa.

Have you ever ever stayed at Wildernness DumaTau? In that case, what was your expertise? Go away a remark.

On this evaluate (extra data and images beneath my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

DumaTau is located within the the Linyanti Concession in Northern Botswana bordering the Chobe Nationwide Park. An abundance of wildlife roams freely between Linyanti and Chobe by way of woodland habitats, historic floodplains and forests that make up this lush, unfenced reserve. The large recreation on this space will increase dramatically in the course of the dry season when the realm hosts massive herds of impala, blue wildebeest, giraffe and buffalo in addition to the world’s highest density of elephant. A number of packs of untamed canine are discovered within the space and lion, leopard and cheetah are incessantly sighted. This huge, untamed wilderness is the proper location for these searching for a singular African journey in a distant large recreation habitat.

Situated alongside the Osprey Lagoon inside the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Wilderness DumaTau enjoys a very extraordinary setting. The lodge’s intensive lagoon frontage ensures that the visitor suites and the communal space have uninterrupted views over the gorgeous Osprey Lagoon and the actions of the mega-herds of elephants the Linyanti is so well-known for. Because of its unique location, the camp provides an unrivalled wilderness expertise, with personal entry to Zibadianja Lagoon and greater than 45 km (28 mi) of unique traversing alongside the Linyanti River frontage, in addition to the north and south banks of the Savuti Channel – assume easy area, privateness, seclusion and extraordinary wildlife encounters

The lagoon-side setting – which commonly attracts herds of elephants – is vital to the structure and design of Wilderness DumaTau. The principle lodge – which contains a bar, eating room and a “curiosity room” below canvas – provide expansive views out over the water. The camp’s explorer tented fashion pays tribute to Botswana’s bygone eras, historic migratory paths and the age of exploration, whereas reclaimed timber provides an additional architectural layer to boost the principle lodge (in addition to visitor tents). All through the lodge, a coloration palette of berry, blush, terracotta and greens evoke the wilderness past. A spotlight is the lodge’s round fireplace deck, which floats over the tranquil river, linked to the principle lodge by a picket staircase.

Wilderness DumaTau options eight spacious tented suites – seven twin suites and one household unit – that are linked to the principle lodge by an elevated timber walkway. Every visitor suite has a cushty and alluring indoor lounge, in addition to spacious lavatory with indoor and out of doors showers. The luxurious visitor suites are raised off the bottom to take full benefit of the excellent riverfront views. A sliding gauze door behind the tent improves airflow by way of the suite, whereas the en-suite services embody a sliding cloth wall that may be closed to make sure absolute privateness. An prolonged deck, with personal plunge pool, and awnings create a soothing shaded area to soak within the views and watch the wildlife shifting pas.

Wilderness DumaTau was utterly rebuilt and reopened in 2021, with the addition of Little DumaTau, a co-located however smaller and extra intimate camp (with 4 an identical suites). These two camps are located on the identical web site because the earlier DumaTau and are linked by an elevated timber walkway. Midway this walkway, between the 2 camps, is communal space referred to as the ‘Osprey Retreat’. Visitors who stroll to the centrally positioned Osprey Retreat will uncover not solely a pergola with daybeds, a safari boutique, a bar with scrumptious contemporary and wholesome snacks, and a totally geared up gymnasium, but additionally a welcoming ‘cool deck’ with a pool an in-pool loungers. The pool has been rigorously aligned in order that it seems to merge with the darkish waters past. Proper subsequent to the Osprey Retreat is an expensive spa remedy room.

The design of the camp itself is meant to immediate questions and encourage visitors to find the function of DumaTau. The story of the camp and of the area is advised by way of two distinctive, life-size ‘curiosity bins’ within the visitor suites containing compelling particulars about elephant and wild canine – each key species used to clarify DumaTau’s conservation function. Extra curiosity bins are additionally discovered within the interpretive library, additional bringing these vital tales to life. The Linyanti is a crucial migration hall for elephants, and serves as a dispersal hub for wild canine, and it’s due to this fact essential that the Linyanti is protected, with conservation tourism enjoying a significant function. By the continuing presence of Dumatau camp on this web site, a significant contribution is made to make the realm a protected haven for a various vary of species.

All meals at Wilderness DumaTau (e.g. breakfast, lunch, afternoon and tea) are included within the room price. By the use of acknowledging that sustainability pertains to human livelihoods in addition to ecosystems, the meals providing at Wilderness DumaTau relies totally on seasonal and domestically obtainable elements. Sourcing produce from suppliers in northern Botswana reduces meals miles and helps small companies. Breakfast is served at 6 am round a camp fireplace close to the principle lodge (proper earlier than the morning drive). Visitor can decide to have their lunch al fresco on the camp’s barge. Dinners are served on the principle lodge’ terrace with each day altering menus. As soon as every week, a barbeque , accompanied by dances of the employees, is held within the boma proper behind the principle pavilion.

Sustainability is vital to the DumaTau story – adherence to Wilderness Safaris’ long-standing ban on concrete in its camps meant that when it proved obligatory, one of many authentic visitor rooms might be disassembled and relocated with minimal disruption. Flexibility within the design of the expanded rooms meant that they might be constructed round present timber. The timber cladding impact used all through the camps has been achieved by way of repurposing picket decking from the outdated DumaTau. On nearer inspection, the small print on the hand-dyed cushions reveal themselves to have been minimize from outdated game-drive automobile tyres. Wilderness DumaTau can also be 100% solar-powered and all scorching water is heated by photo voltaic geysers. Water-efficient showerheads, faucet aerators and cisterns additionally function.

DumaTau is managed by Wilderness, one in all my favourite safari firms. Wilderness was based in 1983 in Botswana by two younger guides, who needed to make sure each conservation of wildlife areas and that the monetary advantages of their safaris stream to Botswana and its individuals. At the moment, Wilderness Safaris is broadly acclaimed because the continent’s foremost ecotourism operator, devoted to conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife. They do that by creating life-changing journeys in a number of the most distant and pristine areas in Africa, hereby serving to to preserve Africa’s spectacular biodiversity and share ecotourism’s advantages with the native communities. Jao may be mixed with a keep at Wilderness’ different high lodges in Botswana – Jao, Vumbura Plains and DumaTau – to create an genuine and evocative desert expertise.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

In the course of the South African winter months (June to October), the realm round Wilderness DumaTau is flourishing with wildlife, together with mega-herds of elephants and a superb inhabitants of predators. To present you an thought, throughout my go to within the month of July, I witnessed lions chasing antelopes (proper in entrance of the open automobile automobile), a pack of untamed canines looking some prey and a herd of 200+ elephants visiting a waterhole (multi function recreation drive). Nonetheless, in the event you go to exterior the winter months, the sport drives at Wilderness DumaTau could also be much less rewarding because the density of wildlife within the camp’s speedy neighborhood is decrease.

Wilderness DumaTau is not fenced off, so visitors are required to be vigilant always. Leopards, lions, buffalos, and elephants are current within the Okavango Delta, and there’s no bodily obstacle to them coming into the realm across the lodge. Elephanst incessantly go to the resort grounds. In no way are visitors allowed to stroll across the lodge at evening, except accompanied by a employees member. Don’t worry although because it’s all a part of the joy of being immersed in a real African safari.

Wilderness DumaTau can solely be reached by small plane, both from Maun (30 min flight) or instantly from one of many different Wilderness Camps within the space. The considered flying in a small one-engine airplane could make some vacationers – together with myself – nervous. That mentioned, the flight itself is spectacular and provides phenomenal views of the delta, with wildlife gathering or galloping beneath. Additionally, Wilderness Air – the flying wing of Wilderness – is revered for its diversified fleet of sunshine plane suited to land on filth airstrips in distant areas and for its staff of passionate, skilled pilots devoted to visitors’ security, consolation, and satisfaction. And Wilderness Air provide greater than only a connection, flying rigorously orchestrated circuits maximizing the time of visitors within the Okavango Delta. For instance, when shifting from one lodge to a different, you’ll by no means need to backtrack by way of Maun and flight instances are all the time between 11 am and 4 pm, permitting you, for example, a morning’s dreamy mokoro journey in a single lodge adopted by an adventurous afternoon recreation drive in one other lodge.

Malaria is frequent within the northern components of Botswana such because the Linyanti Concession (the place Wilderness DumaTau is positioned), significantly throughout or after wet season from November to April. Medicines can be utilized to forestall the possibilities of contracting malaria. For recommendation on using any malaria prophylaxis, you could contact the well being authorities or your native journey clinic previous to your travels. Along with any prophylactics, the next mitigation measures are advisable: cowl your arms, legs and ft within the evenings and apply a mosquito repellent containing DEET.

MY VERDICT

Location: 10/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 9/10
Meals: 9/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Wow issue: 9/10
Worth for cash: 10/10
Total expertise: distinctive – 9.1/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Itinerary tip: My actual itinerary with Wilderness in Botswana – which included a keep at Jao, Vumbura Plains and DumaTau safari camps – may be discovered right here (this web site additionally means that you can e book the identical journey).

Itinerary tip: I like to recommend a safari at Wilderness DumaTau between about June and October when recreation viewing is at its finest.

Get monetary savings: learn right here my suggestions for getting one of the best deal at a luxurious resort like Wilderness DumaTau Camp (and/or obtain many free perks).

Learn my suggestions for getting ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Wilderness DumaTau provides year-round safari actions. Whereas every season brings a singular enchantment, wildlife numbers are concentrated between June and October. These drier months provides prime alternatives to witness the annual migration of elephants alongside the Linyanti River, in addition to sightings of predators reminiscent of lions and leopards drawn to the focus of prey close to water sources.

HOW TO GET THERE

Wilderness DumaTau can solely be accessed by gentle plane into the close by airstrip, which has each day flight connections with all camps in Okavango, Linyanti, Maun Airport (which is the principle vacationer getaway to Botswana) and Kasane (for connections to Livingstone and Victoria Falls). Wilderness takes care of reserving all transfers and flight.