A striking new and intimate safari camp that is the embodiment of old-world glamour and pizzaz, and the ultimate when it comes to an extraordinary Okavango Delta safari experience … this is Duke’s Camp, Botswana. Tucked under ancient leadwood and ebony trees along a permanent lagoon in the northern Okavango Delta, everything about Duke’s is magical. Here you will be taken to another world completely, one that offers some serious safari panache in an unfiltered African wilderness.
Duke’s is steeped in style and its eight canvas safari suites are both sumptuously rich and perfectly yesteryear. Plush fabrics, Persian rugs and kilims on wooden floors, hand-carved four-poster beds and mahogany furniture create a setting of yesteryear safari charm on a grand scale. This, but also the deep respect for the surrounding wilderness, which is a World Heritage Site of extreme natural beauty.
The camp, built on raised wooden decks, is named to honour Sarefo ‘Duke’ Sarefo, a local master fisherman and the custodian of this island wilderness in the Delta. Duke’s vision of environmentally conscious tourism to safeguard this magnificent landscape into the future has now been realised, while guests to the camp enjoy a safari and game viewing experience that’s truly iconic.
The vast concession of 89 000 hectares, just north of the iconic Vumbra and Duba Plains, and adjoining the renowned Moremi Game Reserve, is the stomping ground of huge herds of elephant and buffalo, red lechwe and rare wild dogs, plus dozens more species. Wildlife literally teems here, and so does birdlife – with over 350 species to spot. And options to view them all are varied: glide along unmapped channels with an expert guide and poler aboard a traditional mokoro to see bush life from water level; enjoy twice-daily game drives; maybe take a helicopter flip; or watch wildlife directly from your sun lounger alongside the pool. It couldn’t be easier. Oh, and there’s fishing too, catch-and-release style.
Duke’s setting in an iconic wilderness and wetland area is breathtaking. So too is staying at the camp. The main mess area is a delight and offers an elegant tea tent. Meals are a lavish affair and three-course dinners are often celebrated under the shade of a beautiful leadwood tree. The vintage table laden with crystal and antique silverware, and guests dine on fine food and wine amidst flickering lanterns. It’s a true privilege to experience the decadent panache of Duke’s, which is certainly befitting any king and his queen on safari.
What we love!
- The vintage tented suites and décor are truly unique and unforgettable.
- Guides here are absolute experts and fantastic storytellers.
- The Curiosity Cabinet of local finds, and the library were lovely surprises.
- Fly-camping on a remote, lantern-lit island, with just a mosquito net between you and the stars, is magical.
- The old-world showers with copper and brass fittings add an elegant touch.
- Bed canopies give the suite a feeling of yesteryear.
Need to know…
- Duke’s is open year-round and the camp is unfenced.
- Four more suites will open in March 2023
- The camp is completely solar-powered.
- There are no hairdryers or wifi here.
- Children over six years old are most welcome.
Reviewed by Keri Harvey