Wilderness DumaTau

DumaTau (meaning 'roar of the lion') is a luxury tented camp, in the private 125 000-hectare Linyanti Wildlife Reserve which borders the western boundary of Chobe National Park in northern Botswana. The camp is built on raised boardwalks under a shady grove of mangosteen trees, overlooking a large hippo-filled lagoon on the Linyanti waterways. The source of the Savuti Channel is close to the camp and game drives along the Savuti are one of the highlights of the camp.

The rooms are spacious, raised off the ground and under thatch with canvas walls - allowing guests to enjoy the night sounds of Africa from the comfort of their rooms. The bathroom facilities are en-suite, with hot and cold running water. Each room has an additional outside shower. There is a dining room, pub, lounge, plunge pool and a special guest toilet with a fantastic view. The region has all the habitat diversity to make it a haven for wildlife.

Activities are diverse and allow guests time on the water, on land and occasionally on foot. Day and night game drives are conducted in open 4x4 vehicles along the Savuti Channel and the banks of the Linyanti River. There are many hides in the area where guests can enjoy wildlife viewing close up and away from a vehicle. One of the best hides is right at the source of the Savuti and many species of game and birdlife can usually be seen from this hide.

The area is famous for its elephant concentrations in our winter months and for the great game viewing all year. Huge herds of elephant congregate in winter along the waterways and lagoons - and at the waterholes that are located along the Savuti Channel. During these dry months, sable and roan traverse the flood plains. All the predators - lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog - feast on the prey species in the area, including impala, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, lechwe, tsessebe and all the other plains game.

Elephants are one of the area's biggest attractions, especially in the dry winter months, along with red lechwe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, sable, roan, eland, giraffe, baboon, vervet monkey, warthog, crocodile and buffalo.

Then there are the predators - lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and hyaena - and the nocturnal animals - bushbabies, spring hare, aardwolf, serval, genet, pangolin - and the smaller predators.

Birding is great here, from the Okavango "specials", such as Slaty Egret, White-rumped Babblers and Wattled Cranes, to the bushveld species

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve offers one of Africa's most exhilarating wildlife experiences. The area covers 125,000 hectares (about 275,000 acres) of prime wildlife country situated between the Okavango and Chobe regions. Yet, there are only 26 rooms in 3 small camps that are allowed to access the game drive areas of this reserve.

To put this into perspective, the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve is just about double the size of the Sabi Sands Reserve in South Africa. The Sabi Sand Reserve successfully houses over a thousand beds in world-famous lodges like Singita, Londolozi, Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi and many others. Space and privacy are what sets this reserve aside - as well as its brilliant wildlife concentrations.

Elephants are one of the reserves prime attractions - especially in our winter months when they are forced to congregate along the waterways and around the waterholes of the area when the rainfall filled depressions and pans of the interior dry up. At times the reserve must have several thousand elephants roaming around. Red Lechwe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck, Sable, Roan, Eland, Giraffe, Baboon, Monkey, Warthog, Crocodile and Buffalo are some of the other animals to be found here. Then there are the predators ~ Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena ~ and the nocturnal animals ~ Bushbabies, Spring Hare, Aardwolf, Serval, Genet, Pangolin ~ and the smaller predators. Birding is great here ~ from the Okavango "specials", such as Slaty Egret, Whiterumped Babblers and Wattled Cranes, to the bushveld species.