Vumbura Plains
Hotel
The ownership of this area of approximately 100,000 hectares has been transferred to the people of the northern border region of the Okavango by the Botswana government and the Tawana Land Board.
In this way the local population derive a direct benefit from the wilderness, the environment, and the projects undertaken in this region.
In order to assure that all benefit from this arrangement equally, all profits from the projects in the region are paid into the Okavango Community Trust. This read more » trust represents the interests of all the people living in the five villages to the north of the Okavango.
They also enjoy first rights to any job opportunities, training and the benefits of other community projects that are run in the area from time to time. The five villages involved in this initiative are Seronga, Gunitsoga, Eretsha, Betsha, and Gudigwa.
This trust has selected Wilderness Safaris as their joint venture partner, to run and manage the lodges and the tourism activities in this area. With this arrangement come hunting permits for the region, including the ability to hunt elephant, leopards and so on.
Wilderness Safaris has elected NOT to take up these permits, losing in the process something in the order of US$300,000 yearly.
The reasons we have elected not to hunt are many and varied, but one of the most important reasons is that hunting and photographic tourism cannot mix in the same area for many reasons. One of them is that the animals in the area quickly catch on that hunting is taking place, and they either move away or become very skittish.
However, a result of this “photos only” policy in the Kwedi area (and because of the wide ranging habitats and permanent water in the floodplains) the Kwedi now has some of the best wildlife viewing in all of Botswana.
The vegetation ranges from the vast open flood plains to dense Mopane bushland and offers spectacular game viewing and bird watching opportunities all year round.
Wilderness Safaris offers a new luxurious refuge in the midst of this amazing landscape: Vumbura Plains Camp. Consisting of a mere six chalets, Vumbura offers the visitor maximum privacy and undisturbed safari pleasure mixed with a friendly atmosphere.
Living
The six chalets are an experience in themselves, as outfitted in light wood and glass with the aim of providing a modern and comfortable atmosphere. Fine furniture pieces made from exquisite materials
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invite you to get comfortable and stretch out: a living experience not commonplace in the Okavango Delta.
Every chalet is fitted with a spacious en-suite bathroom with hot and cold running water. A guaranteed highlight is the shower with a view over the wilderness.
Anyone who prefers to shower under the stars need only open the door, as each chalet has a further open-air shower area.
The rooms are luxuriously and comfortably appointed – only those who are seeking the TV and telephone will search in vain. We think these would be somewhat misplaced in such a soothing and peaceful environment.
The dining room, lounge and bar areas are tucked beneath the protection of large indigenous trees, and offer superlative views across the surrounding plains. A relaxing plunge into the pool takes the sting out of the day’s heat.
Access to this area is only by light plane. Visitors are then transferred overland to the camp; or during the floods by motor boat or Mokoro.
Activities
The camp offers guests a wide range of both land and water-based activities. Our experienced rowers of the BaYei tribe guide you through the waterways in Mokoro (hollowed-out tree trunks), the local means
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of transportation for centuries. Boat trips into the interior of the Delta are also possible when water levels permit.
All-terrain vehicles give guests the opportunity to observe the animals in this region from as near as possible.
This region is most certainly one of the few in which one can spot red lechwe antelope from a Mokoro in the morning, and then a sable antelope from the land rover in the afternoon.
At Vumbura you can meet the grassland inhabitants such as kudu, gnu, and tsessebe, as well as those which live in the damper regions: red lechwe, waterbucks, hippos, crocodiles and sable antelope.
We often observe more of these than impala. Buffalo and elephant herds move through this region, followed by their predators: lions, leopards, cheetah and hyena.
And a rich combination of Okavango water birds and their neighbours from the acacia and savannah covered areas make this region a very special experience for all bird lovers.
