BOTSWANA - Little Vumbura, Okavango Delta
Little Vumbura Camp is a superb classic Wilderness Safaris camp, situated in the same region of the Okavango Delta as its sister camp Vumbura Plains (a premier Wilderness Safaris camp). The region is located in the extreme north of the Delta in an area known locally as the Kwedi Reserve. Here the vegetation ranges from open floodplains to dense mopane bushveld - offering spectacular game viewing and birding opportunities all year round. This camp is outstanding value for money and one of our favourite Okavango camps – based on both personal experience and the very positive feedback from our clients on their return.
The permanent swamp and island habitat abounds with beautiful treed islands, surrounded by permanent waterways created both by the summer rains and the annual winter floodwaters of the Okavango Delta. The camp is situated on one of these very picturesque islands, surrounded by the floodplains and deep, clear Delta channels.
ACCOMMODATION:
Little Vumbura has only 6 tented rooms, all with an en suite bathroom with adjacent separate shower and a private deck. The rooms are built on raised wooden decks extending from the public areas. A plunge pool and reading area are adjacent to the dining area and bar – all with views overlooking the plains. A star deck leads off to one side, where guests can enjoy the magnificent night skies around a convivial fire.
ACTIVITIES AND WILDLIFE:
Common trees found around Little Vumbura Camp are the jackalberry, African mangosteen and the sausage tree, which provide shade food and shelter to an astounding range of wildlife and birds.
Game drives in this region are incredibly productive - arriving guests often sight their first game on the trip from the airstrip to the camp. The annually flooded grasslands of the Okavango Delta surrounding Little Vumbura are locally referred to as 'melapo' and offer seasonal viewing of elephant, giraffe, impala, sable antelope, kudu, zebra, common waterbuck and reedbuck, tsessebe, wildebeest, red lechwe and Cape buffalo. Encounters with hippo and crocodile are common in the waterways. Predators include the African Wild Dog, several resident prides of lion, leopard, cheetah and the African wildcat.
The birding around Little Vumbura Camp is amazing …… in the summer many migrant species are present. Pel's Fishing Owl is regularly seen, with other specials including Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret, Chirping Cisticola, Little Bee-eater, Fan-tailed Widowbird and possibly Rosy-throated Longclaw.
Surrounded as it is by water and lying close to large rivers, water-based activities are a focus at Little Vumbura Camp with mokoros traversing the floodplains under the guidance of experienced polers. Motor boats make their way up and down the permanent channels.
Game drives in open Land Rovers allow guests to get close to animals in the savannah areas. Walks (on request) are an opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective.
Little Vumbura Camp is part of a community participation plan known as the Okavango Community Trust (OCT) - bringing the benefits of ecotourism to the communities that live in the Okavango Delta. The 5 villages which are located on the northern perimeter of the Okavango Delta in the Moremi Game Reserve are part of the Okavango Community Trust - which helps to manage the affairs of the community as a whole and to ensure that rewards are fairly distributed. The land on which Little Vumbura is located is leased from the community and Wilderness Safaris markets, sells and manages it. Locals also benefit from the many employment opportunities, skills development and Wilderness Safaris' ongoing commitment to uplift the living standards of the community.