A big change at Duba Plains Camp - Great Plains Conservation, with principals Dereck and Beverly Joubert, have officially taken over the management of one of my favorites, Duba Plains Camp. Duba Plains has gained fame for its incredible lion-buffalo interactions with daytime hunts being commonly observed over the years. With just six tents it is also one of Botswana’s most intimate and charming camps.
One of the famed Duba Boys swims a channel at Duba Plains.
© Bill Given
Duba Plains Camp Changes
Duba Plains is one of the many camps undergoing great change as water levels are increasing in recent years. Growing water channels have over the years reduced access to certain parts of the Duba concession area. Duba Plains Camp is now following suit of its neighboring concessions in the remote north of the Okavango Delta, that house Mapula Lodge and Little Vumbura, as it will now offer a mix of land and water activities. Duba Plains will be adding mekoros and powerboats allowing for full exploration of the Okavango Delta environment, as well as sleep out camping opportunities. However, as opposed to true water camps here you can still have the opportunity for high quality game drives.
Lion-buffalo interaction is not what it once was as the dynamics of the lion population has changed with the death of the Duba Boys and the increased water makes it more difficult to locate and follow the lions and buffalo so witnessing hunting behavior and kills is not as regular as it once was. That said Duba Plains still offers one of the best opportunities to perhaps observe the dramatic clashes between these titans of species and for those with a special interest in lion and/or buffalo behavior it is a camp worth visiting. The new management is planning to add a research element to the camp including having visiting experts on predators so I am curious to see what form that may take and that could be of further interest to those that like a more in-depth wildlife experience.
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