About this hotel
General information
DumaTau means “roar of the lion” in Setswana, yet Wilderness thinks of the camp first as elephant country. It overlooks Osprey Lagoon between two corridors that elephants use to reach the water, and in the dry season more than two thousand of them gather in the area. The same ground is prime lion and wild dog territory, which is why DumaTau is known as the company’s flagship elephant camp.
The camp keeps the explorer-tent style: suites raised on wooden decking under canvas roofs, rope balustrades and a floating deck with a fire pit on the water. Interiors bring together hand-crafted mosaic tiles, acacia wood, local textiles and “curiosity boxes” about elephant and wild dog. DumaTau runs entirely on solar power, with solar geysers for hot water, no concrete and cladding made partly from reclaimed timber. Stays include accommodation, all meals, two activities a day, laundry and local drinks, except premium imported spirits and champagne.
Location
The camp lies on the eastern edge of the Linyanti Marsh, close to the Namibian border, in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve — some 125,000 hectares with 45 km of frontage on the Linyanti River and access to the Savuti Channel. The reserve is part of the unfenced Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. Wilderness Air light aircraft reach the Linyanti in about 50–60 minutes from Maun or 30–40 minutes from Kasane, followed by a 30–45-minute drive through the bush from the airstrip.
Spa
The spa at the Osprey Retreat, the camp’s wellness area above the lagoon, has a single treatment room that can also host couples’ massages, and treatments can be taken in the suite on request. The menu covers massages, hand and foot rituals, facials and body treatments; the DumaTau Signature Experience pairs a restorative massage with guided breathwork, facial muscle relaxation and a sleep ritual with calming aromatics. Products come from two African brands, Esse and TheraNaka, the latter built on indigenous botanicals.
Sports & leisure
Elephants at the water’s edge are the main event, alongside lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, wild dog, buffalo, hippo and crocodile; more than 450 bird species have been recorded in the Linyanti. Activities at the camp:
- game drives in open vehicles at dawn and dusk, as well as after dark;
- guided walks with Wilderness guides;
- boat cruises on the Linyanti River and the Savuti Channel, including at sunset;
- the barge, for waterside breakfasts, picnics, birdwatching, sundowners and dinners;
- catch-and-release fishing;
- a log-pile hide for close, eye-level elephant viewing;
- helicopter flights and birding;
- an air-conditioned gym at the Osprey Retreat with a stationary bike, rowing machine, free weights, Pilates balls and resistance bands.
Part of the revenue from each stay supports habitat management and research within the Kavango–Zambezi conservation area.
Restaurants & bars
Menus follow the seasons and local produce, with meals in the lagoon-facing dining room, on the barge or by the fire pit on the water.
- Dining room — the camp’s main dining space, facing Osprey Lagoon;
- Main bar — walls of hand-painted tiles showing a map of the Linyanti;
- Osprey Lagoon Deli — light meals, fresh smoothies and juices, plus wine, cocktails, hot drinks, small bites and ice cream;
- The barge — breakfasts, picnics and al fresco dinners on the water, and sundowners over the lagoon.
Next to the deli, the Safari Boutique sells jewellery, artworks, clothing and keepsakes made in Botswana and elsewhere in Africa.
Swimming
The lagoon-side pool at the Osprey Retreat is finished in charcoal so that its water blends with the lagoon, and it is framed by a deck with in-pool loungers, a pergola and day beds. Every suite also has its own plunge pool on the veranda.
Rooms
The camp has eight spacious tented suites, one of them a family suite — all raised on wooden walkways, each with a plunge-pool veranda facing the lagoon.
Lounge, en-suite bathroom with outdoor shower, spot-cooling for the bedroom, Wi-Fi, and a covered deck with a private plunge pool and lagoon view.
Tented Suite
A spacious wood-and-canvas suite on raised decking facing the lagoon, with a lounge, en-suite bathroom with outdoor shower and a covered deck with a private plunge pool.
Family Suite
A tented suite designed for families, facing the lagoon, with a covered deck and private plunge pool.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.