Leading luxury safari group Wilderness Safaris has recently unveiled two new camps in Botswana’s Linyanti Wilderness Reserve: the fully rebuilt DumaTau, and the smaller, more intimate Little DumaTau.
The rebuild was focused on elevating the level of luxury on offer at DumaTau, as well as maximizing the potential of the camp’s unrivaled location. The new camps are situated in the same space as the old DumaTau accommodations, with uninterrupted views across the Osprey Lagoon, which attracts a wealth of wildlife – including the herds of elephants for which the Linyanti region is famed, as well as zebra, giraffe and buffalo.
Thanks to its extensive lagoon frontage, all of DumaTau’s eight 1,528-sq-ft tented guest suites have a front-row seat to the wildlife action on show at the Osprey Lagoon. As part of the redesign, each of the suites now also offer extended private deck space, complete with a plunge pool and awning coverage to relieve guests of the heat of the Botswanan sun.
Situated slightly north of the main DumaTau camp (which was a founding member of the sustainable hotel group Beyond Green), Little DumaTau also boasts a waterfront location, with four luxurious tented suites completed to the same high standard as those seen in the main camp. Little DumaTua also offers exclusive lounge and dining areas, both of which also overlook the Osprey Lagoon.
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Between the two camps is the central Osprey Retreat, which features an all-new riverside wellness center and gym. Here, guests can enjoy a shaded deck area, lap pool, spa, deli and safari boutique.
“We’re proud to have this chance to continue to highlight the importance of the Linyanti as a conservation area, and to invite guests to experience it and its prolific wildlife,” says Kim Nixon, Wilderness Safaris’ Botswana managing director.
As with all of Wildness Safaris’ destinations, both DumaTau and Little DumaTau are centered on conservation, with a commitment to operating in a way that both protects and preserves their surrounding environment – on which their existence is dependent. The camps rely on 100% solar energy and culinary offerings feature seasonal and local ingredients in order to both reduce food miles and support local suppliers.
“At DumaTau, the food experience will be a journey in itself, and we want our guests to feel truly indulged as they discover local ingredients and learn about this spectacular country,” says food experience manager Freedom Nxele.
The reliance on local suppliers continues in the camps’ décor, which features items from Batswana artisans, working to not only add to the authentic feel of DumaTau, but also promote the growth of a sustainable conservation-based economy.
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Further efforts to give back to the surrounding environment were made during the rebuilding of the new camps, with construction materials from the old DumaTau used in the creation of an all-new nursery area. The nursery will be integral in local reforestation efforts, in which new trees will be planted throughout the camp’s concession with the main focus on the banks of the Linyanti and Savuti channel. Once the saplings in the nursery are ready for planting, guests will be invited to plant their own tree, cementing their connection to this amazing part of the world.
Of course, guests at the new DumaTau camps can also partake in a wide range of immersive safari activities, including daily day and night games drives to witness Botswana’s wildlife in its natural habitat and boat excursions across the calm waters of the Linyanti, as well as guided nature walks led by Wilderness Safaris’ expert guides.
“The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve is a must-see spectacle, filled with varied habitats, diverse wildlife and wonderful scenery. DumaTau’s location at the end of the Great Rift Valley is truly extraordinary; the camps offer an unrivaled wilderness experience, with private access to Zibadianja Lagoon and more than 45 kilometers (28 miles) of exclusive traversing along Linyanti River frontage, as well as the north and south banks of the Savuti Channel – think effortless space, privacy, seclusion and extraordinary wildlife encounters”, concludes Nixon.
Nightly rates at Wilderness Safaris’ Little DumaTau and DumaTau start from £1,220 per person.