Vumbra Plains Camp - Okavango - Safari Botswana

Vumbra Plains in a Nutshell

Vumbura Plains comprises two separate (but linked) lavish camps (North and South), consisting of a total of 14 raised, large palatial rooms. This is a top-rated Wilderness Safaris lodge, with few barriers in terms of luxury accommodation, service standards and opulence. The game viewing is pretty top-notch too, with full access to the Vumbra Concession on both land and water activities. Notably, the concession is leased from local community land owners in an ecotourism partnership. This is NOT a traditional-style “Bush” camp by any means and so would rather suit someone looking for luxury and a game viewing experience all rolled into one. While not cheap, it certainly delivers!

Fast Facts

14 luxury rooms – split into 2 different camps with their own facilities, run independently
2 of these are family suites – each with 2 rooms (in North Camp)
Price range of USD1398 – USD3003 pppn
Swimming pool and private plunge pools
Located in a private concession along with Little Vumbra
Game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, night drives, walks, boating (fishing), mokoro
Access by light aircraft
DOWLOAD VUMBRA PLAINS FACTSHEET

Child Policy

Children 6 years or older are accommodated
Great family units with 2 separate rooms and 2 bathrooms
If travelling with children between 6 and 12, private activities need to be booked and paid for
Children between 6 and 16 MUST share with an adult in the same room
Minimum age for walking and mokoro is 13
Minimum age for boating is 6 years
For hot air ballooning, minimum age is 7 (and an adult must accompany any child under 16)
2 family units available
Download family unit layout
Download “Bush Buddy” programme

How to get there

This lodge is accessible by air with its own nearby airstrip. Light aircraft transfers are available from Maun, Kasane and just about any other bush airstrip. There is an exciting boating-in option available at this lodge too – enquire for details

Game viewing and activities

All game viewing is done in the private Vumbra (Kwedi) concession, free from public access. Proceeds go to the Okavango Community Trust.

Game drives are the staple activity here, both day and night. However, this lodge has permanent water nearby, making it a good choice if you want to also include water activities (boating, mokoro, fishing)

This is a beautiful and diverse area with a good range of dry-land habitats for productive game drives. There is permanent water nearby as well as seasonally flooded areas. This concession is “drier” further north at the”Mopane belt” – during drier times, large numbers of herbivores are attracted to Vumbra once the waterholes in the Mopane have dried up. This makes the game viewing rather intense, and it would be a go-to location to tick off sightings of all the big game and the full range of predators.

The only thing that is slightly unfortunate is that between Vumbra North and South Camps and the nearby Little Vumbra, there can be quite a few game drive vehicles out on activity at any one time – this may slightly restrict your viewing as there are limits to the number of cars allowed at each sighting?

Hot air ballooning is possible from Vumbra, using a helicopter to access the launch site.

Helicopter flips can also easily be arranged with stunning scenery for arial photography.

Due to the abundance of wildlife and varied activities, if you only had time on your safari for one camp, this could be it?

Camp Environment

The camp is up-to-date with style, modernity and solar power. There is a back-up generator if the solar fails.

The setting is very long tree island with plenty of shade, overlooking a floodplain that usually holds water and the odd passing animal. Vumbra North extends (North of course) from its own central area in the middle of the island, all connected with raised wooden walkways. There are 8 units on this side of camp and a further 2 family units. Vumbra South of course, spans the other direction and has a further 6 units.

The main areas of each satellite camp are an impressive sprawl of large expansive wooden structures with beautiful views of the surrounding floodplains. Each flows into sunken lounges, a fireside area and a dining room and bar. You can choose to dine inside or out on the open deck in the evenings under the stars. Large “concertina” doors are usually kept open, giving Vumbra a very spacial feel so you can take in the views from wherever you choose to relax, dine or socialise. You get well looked after hanging out here, with attentive staff on hand to serve a latte, cappuccino or ice cold drink.

The rooms at Vumbra are jaw-dropping! These palatial and voluminous spaces are well spaced from each other, offering secluded privacy to enjoy them. Each room has floor-to-ceiling glass sides with sliding doors, assuring unlimited views onto your surrounds. Decked levels separate a bedroom, a bathroom and shower (separated by curtains if needed) and a sunken lounge. Your own outside space has an expansive deck with private plunge pool and a covered sala complete with lounge and sun loungers – you can easily choose to spend your siesta here! There is no air conditioning, however, a ceiling and pedestal fan are installed. In each room you will find a huge bed with mosquito net, a writing desk with all modern charging points, tea and coffee making facilities with mini-bar, Olympus camera and binoculars, electronic safe, simple exercise equipment and complimentary wifi.

Bathrobes, slippers, liquid soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, body lotion, room spray, insect repellent, insect spray, shower caps, vanity kit, tissue dispenser, washing detergent (on request), sewing kit (on request) and laundry bag are supplied in each room.

In our opinion, you will certainly enjoy the rooms at this camp!

What we think

We like the fact that this is a community owned area, run in partnership with Wilderness safaris. Nearby villages get direct benefit and jobs.

Game is good, top-quality in fact……we would send you here for the high quality game drives. Try stay for no less than 3 nights to take advantage of this. Further, there are some varied activities to take advantage of.

This is essentially 2 lodges built on the same island but run separately. It might be slightly too big, but you certainly don’t feel like that because each is run mostly independently.

This is not for people looking for an authentic “bush camp” experience, but more for those wanting a bit of luxury and style combined with a quality game viewing experience!