The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve offers one of Africa's most exhilarating wildlife experiences, with it's well-known opportunities for concentrated elephant viewing, rightly described as amongst the best in the region. Set in this outstanding reserve is Duma Tau Camp, surrounded by open grasslands, mopane and mixed terminalia woodlands, riverine forest and with water in the Savuti channel, the landscape is absolutely gorgeous.

Visitors to DumaTau are transferred from Maun or Kasane by light aircraft. Inter-camp transfers can be arranged by light aircraft, road, boat or mekoro. If it's space and privacy that you're after, then this reserve is the place to be.

Duma Tau overlooks an enormous lagoon and is noted for its congenial atmosphere, excellent and friendly (but professional) staff, who specialize in attention to detail. It has a dining room and bar under thatch, built on decks, affording superb landscape views of the immediate environment, as you wine and dine in style and comfort. There is also a plunge pool to escape the hot afternoon sun. The evening camp fire is a great place to exchange wildlife adventures and travel stories, not forgetting to admire the wonderful star studded skies.

It is not unusual for larger groups to meet up in the area. Cocktail reception between Kings Pool and Duma Tau can be arranged, as can dinner in the bush after a cocktail cruise. (Mainly if exclusive use of the camp has been booked).

Electricity to the camp is supplied via a 220v generator, that runs power to the kitchen and main areas. The generators run throughout the day whilst guests are away on their daily activities, and are switched off on their return for a more tranquil camp setting. A 12v battery power system (charged by the generator) then takes over, and it is used for lighting and fans in each tent - 24hrs/day. Camera batteries can be charged when guests are out on game drives, so pack a spare battery and charging unit before you depart.

Accommodation is in 10 canvas tents, constructed on raised decks, sleeping a total of 20 guests. There is also 1 family unit that accommodates up to 5 guests and for the romantic there is 1 honeymoon tent. Each unit has en-suite facilities, with both an indoor and outside shower, a fan, lights, mosquito nets. Views can enjoyed over the nearby floodplains and lagoon, from every room.

Elephants are one of the reserves' prime attractions - especially in the later Botswana winter months when they are forced to congregate along the waterways and around the waterholes of the area - once the rainfall filled depressions and pans of the interior dry up. It is not unusual for several thousand elephants to roam around, an absolutely stunning wildlife bonanza if ever there was one. Once they've arrived at the river banks,they join bloats of hippopotomi lolling around the waters, whilst crocodile bask in the hot Botswana sunshine.

Games plain is impressive to say the least. The rare sable and roan antelope venture out of the mopane woodland, and red lechwe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, common waterbuck, eland, towers of giraffe, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, warthog and Cape buffalo can be frequently seen.

Naturally this mini-migration in search of water attracts the predators; lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog and hyena, are all ready and waiting for a kill. Nocturnal animals such as bushbabies, spring hare, aardwolf, serval, genet, pangolin and the smaller predators could be spotted, but in reality only on a night drive.

Linyanti Lodges | Botswana

Day and night game drives

Are conducted in open 4x4 vehicles along the banks of the Linyanti River and the Savuti Channel. The camp has 4 x 10 seater Land Rovers, with a maximum of 7 guests per vehicle. Night drives on the channel are superb. All game activities are lead by experienced, trained and accredited guides.

Guided walks:

Occasionally guided walks can be arranged when the camp manager feels that it is safe to conduct walking safaris.

Hides:

A highlight of this camp includes the amazing sounds of the surrounding wildlife, which can be experienced close up in one of the two hides. One is located at the western end of the camp, where guests can spend a siesta watching game come down to drink. The other is an underground hide, with the water at eye- level. Seeing elephant feet and trunks within touching distance, all whilst safely inside a human lair, is an experience that cannot be emulated elsewhere on an ordinary safari. Sleep-outs in the hide can be arranged on request and are a pleasant option and this can be a pleasant break from the game drive routine.

Ornithology:

Birding is great here, ranging from the Okavango 'specials' such as slaty egret, white-rumped babblers and wattled cranes, to the bushveld species.

Children over the age of 8 years are welcome.