Reviews of DumaTau
Wildlife sightings and reviews
49 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited DumaTau and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
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"DumaTau Camp review"
Absolutely everyone was so friendly & helpful - Brenda & her team do an excellent job.
The chef, Grant, produced the most delicious & creative food. Best we've ever had on safari. If he ran a restaurant near where we live we would be regulars!
Our driver/guide was Niq. He was highly knowledgeable & great company.
We enjoyed the fact that Duma Tau offer both the land & water based safaris - you can take a motorised boat along the river. The river trips were wonderful experiences & add a layer of variety to the safari.
We also had a lunchtime BBQ "in the bush" on one of the days - a total & wonderful surprise." See all these reviews: 10n in Botswana
Buffalo
Multiple sightings
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
1 sighting
Hippo
Multiple sightings
Lion
Multiple sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Wildebeest
Multiple sightings
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"DumaTau Camp review"
The camp is located on Osprey Lagoon along the Linyanti River between two elephant crossings. Rooms are connected to the central outdoor dining area, bar and fire pits by raised walkways.
We saw countless elephants using these ancient crossings in small groups and larger family groups. The older elephants help the little ones swim across the river and we often watched juvenile males wrestle with each other as they completed the crossing. Truly, this is a magical experience.
The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, on the northernmost fringe of Botswana, is rich in wildlife and the habitat is varied. We enjoyed driving safaris, a boat safari to photograph elephants swimming the river (at a respectful distance) and a walking safari. Viewing animals on foot is very different than from a vehicle. When on the vehicle you could get very close to the animals but when on foot they are very nervous and run away. Even the lions we came across while walking ran away but later the same ones allowed us to drive up very close. While not running, we did end our walking safari at that point and go back to the vehicle.
We were guided by Peter, an experienced and knowledgeable guide, who gave us a truly memorable experience. He spotted leopards, lions, many birds, countless elephants and he even found a chameleon - something I’ve long wanted to see in the wild. We saw the first newborn impala of the season.
I felt very emotional leaving DumaTau and we cannot thank Peter enough for the quality experience." See all these reviews: 12n in Botswana; 7n in Namibia; 3n in Zimbabwe
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
2 sightings
Hippo
6 sightings
Leopard
3 sightings
Lion
4 sightings
Zebra
2 sightings
"DumaTau Camp review"
The view is lovely from the room. The rooms are on 2 levels, necessitating mindfulness when coming and going.
Duma Tau appears to rely on its reputation as a premiere camp, rather than striving to be a truly premiere camp. We missed several of the pleasing attributes of other Wilderness camps. For example. we were greeted by the manager and a cold washcloth, rather than the customary assemblage of the entire staff with beautiful singing and introductions. And when we entered the room it was clean but undecorated - at all other camps the beds are artistically decorated with towels shaped like birds and flowers and leaves strewn in beautiful arrangements. And we felt limited connection with the staff, in surprising contrast to our other camps. However, when staff realized that our anniversary was just a week away, we were surprised with a lovely decorative arrangement, including champagne, fruit and cheese - an unexpected delight.
Lunch on the boat was a wonderful experience and the best meal we had during our three day visit. Otherwise, meals were uninspired and the selections were very limited. There appears to be a bit of cost-cutting in both food and beverage selections. Both breakfast and dinner buffet are unlit so it is helpful to bring a flashlight. We several times asked to have a private table (and were assured this would be available) but at every meal we were seated with 3-6 other guests." See all these reviews: 14n in Botswana
"DumaTau Camp review"
I asked our guide to please talk about everything we were seeing but it seemed he was very ready for his break to go home, which really disappointed me. We repeated the same drives several times, I think because it was easy.
Wildlife viewing was OK. Highlights were a leopard with his aardvark meal up a tree, and a place with hundreds of carmine bee eaters who return each year to nest." See all these reviews: 14n in Botswana; 5n in South Africa
"Manager"
"DumaTau Camp review"
There were options of seating arrangements although mostly you were sat with the people on the jeep and often the guide as well." See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana
"Nearly a mistake."
One caution to "seasoned" safari travelers: Duma Tau attracted the most obnoxious Americans we encountered on our trip.
The camp is in a beautiful location which combines water, mopane woodlands, and exceptional terrain along the Savuti channel. The wildlife this year was largely absent at Duma Tau, but because Wilderness has three properties in the concession we were able to roam into both King's Pool and Savuti Camp territories where we had exceptional viewings of lions, leopard and even a male cheetah." See all these reviews: 14n in Botswana
"still one of our favourite places"
Lunch on the river makes a really nice change" See all these reviews: 10n in Botswana; 9n in Namibia
"DumaTau Camp review"
Our guide here, Lazy (Lazarus) was excellent and with Ona at Little Vimbura, was our other "10 out of 10" rating.
A general comment applicable to all camps about the food. The presentation was first class and the choice remarkable given the difficult supply logistics. All meals were a delight and the temptation to over-indulge difficult to resist. Our only negative comment is that with one exception, the evening meal meat courses were almost always overcooked, or bordering on being so. And conversely, the vegetables had on some occasions merely been shown the water - we quickly learnt to avoid the french beans!" See all these reviews: 14n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Great Start at Duma Tau"
Having been on safaris before in the kruger, we knew that the ' big five ' would always be there so best time was when we spent a whole morning tracking a pride of lions and our guide's expertise led us to them and what an awesome sight. The game viewing here was generally excellent and the camp very exclusive and friendly. Lovely scenic pool which my kids enjoyed and elephants came up to them from the lagoon right up to the pool.
Food excellent and out lodges were lovely too - only issue was no hot water in our lodge for the 2 days and only had hot water on the final morning. It didn't effect my our overall experience but my wife was not best pleased! They did try to fix the issue twice to no avail.
That not withstanding, it is a lovely camp indeed and the staff and manager very friendly." See all these reviews: 4n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
"DumaTau Camp review"
Our exceptional guide, Mocks, met us at the airstrip and from the first offering of an ice cold washcloth, we knew we were in heaven. The amount of game and the ability to get close was phenominal. I had hoped to see leopards - no problem. We watched spellbound as a leopard snacked on its impala kill high in the tree. Pure magic! Following the wild dogs around for 2 days was exceptional. We loved the background knowledge that Mocks had regarding the local wildlife.
The only drawback was the amount of excellent food versus the noncaloric output unless you count bouncing around in a safari vehicle." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 1n in South Africa
Holiday styles & special interests in Botswana
From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Botswana.
Other lodges in Kwando-Linyanti area
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Lagoon Camp
Within the vast Kwando Reserve, renowned for its wild dogs, Lagoon Camp offers excellent game viewing that focuses on predators.
Lebala Camp
With enthusiastic guides and trackers, Lebala – in a vast private reserve – is particularly well-placed for seeking wild dogs.
Selinda Camp
In an attractive area that is particularly rich in game between June and November, the luxurious Selinda Camp caters particularly well for photographers.
Linyanti Bush Camp
An increasingly rare find in Botswana, Linyanti Bush Camp blends relative simplicity with numerous activities and very good guiding.
Savuti Camp
For years the Savuti Channel ran dry, but it's now flowing again and this newly refurbished, 7-room lodge has pride of place to witness the spectacle.
Selinda Explorers Camp
The luxurious, traditional tented Selinda Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by really top notch guides in a game-rich area.
Zarafa Camp
Zarafa is an exclusive camp overlooking the scenic Zibadianja Lagoon within the Selinda Reserve, a particularly game-rich area between June and early November.
Motswiri Camp
Motswiri is a super little camp with just five tents, each overlooking the Selinda Spillway. Come especially for walking, birdwatching, canoeing and horseriding safaris.
Kings Pool
King’s Pool is a top-end luxury safari camp with a price tag to match; the game viewing can be very good during the dry season.
Linyanti Ebony
Independently owned and run, the small Linyanti Ebony sits on the same site as Linyanti Bush Camp, with similarly high standards of guiding, and a strong emphasis on the wildlife experience.
Selinda Adventure Trail
The Selinda Adventure Trail offers a novel and tranquil way to travel through part of Botswana's pristine wilderness whilst staying in comfortable fly-camps and led by a knowledgeable guide.
Little Motswiri
A simple and remote satellite camp, Little Motswiri focuses on non-motorised activities, particularly walking and horseriding. It enables guests to explore 120,000 acres of private wilderness around the Selinda Spillway.
Linyanti Expeditions
Tip-top guiding. In tune with the habitat. Down-to-earth, authentic camp comfort. A place of wilderness safari harmony.
Footsteps across Linyanti
Footsteps Across the Linyanti is the only true mobile walking safari we know of in Botswana. Explore a wild and remote wilderness on foot with a knowledgeable guide.
Okavango Explorers
The traditional, tented Okavango Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by great guides in a wildlife-rich area.
