Take me to Duke’s East, is what you’ll be saying to the travel aficionado that’s been assigned the task of planning your trip to Botswana. Of course, there are a plethora of phenomenal spots to choose from when it comes to the Okavango Delta. But when it’s the eight of you (or just two) on an African adventure, eager to discover a place that encapsulates the essence of romance in the wilderness – with inspiration and invigoration and awe and wonder in equal measures – then this safari hideaway is the obvious destination. A captivating canvas-tented abode in the bush.
The Persian rugs across timber floors, the draped fabrics lining the tented suites, the antique cabinetry, the kilims, the cushions, the patterns, the textures and the textiles. The immediate bond you establish with the wilderness that engulfs all of the spaces you occupy. The people that you’re fortunate to meet – exceptional safari guides, endearing chefs and butlers, and nurturing housekeepers. All with extensive knowledge and pride of the area you’re getting to explore. It’s an unravelling tapestry of rich experiences that will be harnessed into your holiday hearts for the rest of time.
Duke’s East is an intimate camp of four suites – two twin rooms, one double, and one family tent with its own plunge pool. The camp sits along a quiet channel of water, shaded by tall leadwood and ebony trees, overlooking the landscape that’s never shy of putting on a wild spectacle. Mornings often begin around the fire, watching the water and hippo bobbing about in its meandering bends. Evenings also end around the fire, after a long exchange of bush banter, as you bid the night birds adieu.
The area is rich in all the game you seek to spot. Fishing trips are seasonally possible, due to the consistency of the flow of water. Plenty of game drives traversing the vast expanse of the delta. Checking out the cheetah and hyena dens.
There will be times when the guide parks the vehicle for you to wait and witness the cubs emerge. Tumbling out of their dens, staring back with their cunning curiosity. Wild dogs are also frequently seen, which is an absolute gift. As are lion. The elephants love to come and feast from the trees, wade about in the water and put on an almighty show as they rightfully claim their turf.
Intimate camp, big encounters
The communal areas of the camp are beautifully stitched together. Meals are shared at one long table, family-style and informal. Guides are likely to join you at the table, trading stories and discussing the plan for the next day. Afternoon high tea is served in a separate tent that whisks you off to an enchanting land.
Barefoot, you’ll explore the world of brews with chocolate and carrot cake, cucumber sandwiches, condensed milk biscuits, homemade lemonade and iced tea. There’ll be mokoro cruises along the rivers on some afternoons, passing beneath the spreading canopies of old sausage trees and wild figs.
When you’re not out on the roads or the rivers, you’ll enjoy the hours spent on your private decks, relishing in the prolific birdlife. Elephants crossing the shallows and the antelope gracefully sipping from the edge. There’s a huge density of predators in this particular region, so you don’t need to venture out on a game drive to spot almost everything that’s on your list, in one breathtaking frame.
You might also like to learn more about the land and the positive impact your visit has on it. The development of local communities, as well as supporting the projects that help to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. One thing’s for certain; you’ll toast to that travel aficionado that got you to Duke’s East. There is quite simply, no other place you’d rather be.
Written by Colleen Ogilvie