Great Plains Conservation in Botswana: Seven Camps Across the Okavango and Selinda Reserve
Some safari operators manage lodges. Others manage entire ecosystems. Great Plains Conservation falls firmly in the second category, and the distinction shows up in every decision they make — from where each camp is placed to the wood it is built with.
In Botswana, they operate seven camps spread across the Selinda Reserve (130,000 hectares of private concession), the Duba Concession (deep in the Okavango Delta), and the Sitatunga Private Reserve. Four belong to the top-tier Réserve Collection (all Relais & Châteaux members) and three to the Explorers Collection — simpler in form, identical in substance. All open year-round. All solar-powered.
What follows is a camp-by-camp breakdown, with the details that matter when designing an itinerary.
Who's Behind It: Dereck and Beverly Joubert
Great Plains Conservation was not born as a tourism company. It was born as a conservation project that uses tourism to fund itself. Founded in 2006 by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, a couple of South African filmmakers who have spent over four decades documenting African wildlife for National Geographic. They have produced more than 40 documentaries, earned eight Emmy Awards and a Peabody, and hold the title of National Geographic Explorers at Large — a distinction shared by roughly a dozen people worldwide.
Their philosophy is captured in a term they coined themselves: Conservation Tourism. Not tourism with a green veneer, but conservation funded by low-volume, high-value tourism. They manage approximately 1.5 million acres across Botswana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, and every dollar generated by a night's stay supports wildlife protection, community training, and habitat restoration programmes.
It is no coincidence that Duba Plains — their flagship Okavango camp — doubles as their personal home base. Dereck designed most of the camps. Beverly handled the interiors. They live inside what they sell.
Two Collections, One Philosophy: Réserve vs Explorers
Before diving into each camp, the structure matters. Great Plains divides its properties into two tiers:
Réserve Collection: Rigorous Luxury
These are the Relais & Châteaux camps. Spacious suites (100 m² at Zarafa, 242 m² at Duba Plains), a private plunge pool at each suite, copper bathtub, indoor and outdoor showers, eco-friendly over-bed air conditioning, personalised minibar, professional Canon camera equipment in every suite (body + 100–400 mm telephoto + wide-angle lens), a curated wine cellar, interactive kitchen, and spa.
In Botswana, there are four: Zarafa Camp, Selinda Camp, Duba Plains Camp, and Sitatunga Private Island. Each also features a separate two-bedroom family suite that operates as a private camp within the camp: dedicated guide, dedicated vehicle, dedicated chef.
Explorers Collection: Essentials Without Compromise
Selous-style or 1920s-era campaign tents on wooden platforms. No bathtub, no hairdryer, no spa. But there is a swimming pool, WiFi, in-room safe, fans (air conditioning only at Duba Explorers), three meals daily with premium drinks included, and the same guides, the same vehicles, and the same access to the reserve as the Réserve properties. What changes is the wrapper. What doesn't change is the safari.
There are three: Selinda Explorers Camp, Okavango Explorers Camp, and Duba Explorers Camp.
The price gap between the two lines is significant. But the quality of wildlife viewing — which depends on location, animal density, and guide expertise — is identical.
The Seven Botswana Camps
Zarafa Camp & The Dhow Suite at Zarafa — Selinda Reserve
Capacity: 4 suites (max 8 guests) + Dhow Suite with 2 bedrooms (max 4 adults or 2 adults + 3 children)
Zarafa overlooks Zibadianja Lagoon, the source of the famous Savute Channel. During the dry season, hundreds of buffalo and elephants gather in front of camp to drink. Leopards, lions, the Selinda wild dog pack, and — with luck — cheetahs round out the predator roster.
Each suite spans 100 m² under canvas, built on recycled century-old teak railway sleepers. Private plunge pool with lagoon views. Gas fireplace — Zarafa is the only Great Plains camp in Botswana that has one, welcome on winter nights when temperatures dip below 5 °C.
The H.E.S. Zib pontoon is a Zarafa signature: a 275 sq ft floating platform with sofas, a bar, and dining area where brunch and sundowners are served while hippos surface nearby. For photographers, there is a purpose-built boat with fixed camera mounts and swivel chairs.
The Dhow Suite deserves its own mention. At 210 m² (2,260 sq ft), it is one of the largest under-canvas suites in Africa. Sold on an exclusive-use basis: private guide, private vehicle, private dining. The entrance is a carved Lamu wood door. Two en-suite bedrooms, each with a copper bathtub and indoor-outdoor shower.
Practical note: Zarafa runs on a solar farm of 170 panels. The wine cellar holds hundreds of bottles selected by the Jouberts, prioritising producers with a social or environmental commitment. The spa sits between Suite 4 and the Dhow Suite.
Selinda Camp & Selinda Suite — Selinda Reserve
Capacity: 3 suites (max 6 guests) + Selinda Suite with 2 bedrooms
Where Zarafa faces the lagoon, Selinda Camp faces the Selinda Spillway as it enters the Linyanti River. It is a smaller camp, more intimate, with just three suites in the main camp. The architecture pays tribute to three cultures — European, Mokololo, and Bayei — and the design revolves around four elements: water, air, earth, and fire.
Each suite has a private plunge pool, a climate-controlled walk-in wine cellar, and the same Canon photography kit as Zarafa. The Selinda Suite operates independently with its own guide and vehicle.
The Selinda Spillway historically flooded every winter, though it now does so irregularly. When it does, boating becomes possible — an activity that transforms the character of the safari entirely. The reserve is home to the Selinda wild dog pack and the Selinda Lion Pride, featured in the National Geographic film Birth of a Pride.
Practical note: 24-hour live wildlife webcam available on the Great Plains website. Partial wheelchair accessibility: the suite nearest the main area has a ramp.
Duba Plains Camp & Duba Plains Suite — Duba Concession
Capacity: 5 suites (max 10 guests) + Duba Plains Suite with 2 bedrooms
The flagship camp. The one the Jouberts chose as their personal base. Set on an island in the heart of the Okavango Delta, surrounded by permanent floodplains, papyrus channels, and mopane woodland. Access is by light aircraft only (40 minutes from Maun), then a 5-minute drive.
Duba Plains is the sole operator on its concession. This means total exclusivity over the territory: no other vehicles, no other camps competing for sightings. The concession is known for high-intensity predator-prey interactions — the Jouberts' documentaries on lions hunting buffalo across flooded plains were filmed here. Uncommon Kalahari species like aardvark and pangolin are also regularly sighted.
The suites, each spanning 242 m², are raised on recycled railway sleepers with panoramic floodplain views. Interactive kitchen, wine cellar, media centre. The flat-bottomed boat has fixed camera mounts designed specifically for water-based photography.
Practical note: the most wheelchair-friendly camp in Botswana. Elevated wooden walkways connect all areas, and the nearest suite has a full ramp.
Sitatunga Private Island — Sitatunga Private Reserve
Capacity: 2 suites (max 4 guests) + Sitatunga Suite with 2 bedrooms (max 4 adults)
The newest camp (opened July 2023) and arguably the most singular. Sitatunga is a private island deep in the Delta, accessible only by helicopter (10 minutes from Duba Plains) or motorised boat. There are no game drives here — there are no roads. The primary activity is water: boat excursions, mokoro, and guided island walks.
The design is Dereck Joubert's, inspired by the fishing baskets of the Bayei, the indigenous fishermen who have lived in this region for over 200 years. Suites are housed inside giant bamboo funnel-shaped structures that evoke those baskets, elevated into the tree canopy. The colour palette mirrors what you see looking out at the Delta: misty greens and sun-bleached woods.
All wood is recycled or reclaimed. Not a single new tree was felled. Plastic was eliminated almost entirely from the construction process.
This is where you may spot sitatungas (Tragelaphus spekii), the elusive aquatic antelope that gives the camp its name — an animal almost impossible to see in any other safari context.
Practical note: medium malaria risk (higher than the other camps, which report minimal risk). Recommended stay: 2–3 nights, ideally combined with Duba Plains.
Selinda Explorers Camp — Selinda Reserve
Capacity: 3 tents + 1 two-bedroom family tent (max 10 guests)
Set on the banks of the Selinda Spillway, about an hour's drive from Selinda Camp (its Réserve sibling). Campaign-style tents in the tradition of early East African explorers, furnished with recycled hardwood and Zanzibar textiles. The common area is Bedouin-style, with separate lounge and dining spaces.
It is the only Explorers camp with a family tent in Botswana — two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. This makes it the most logical choice for families who want the Explorers experience without sacrificing space.
The Selinda Reserve in September can hold up to 9,000 elephants. The camp sits in prime predator habitat: lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs are regular sightings. Rare antelope including roan, sable, and eland add to the list.
Activities: day and night game drives, guided walks with armed rangers, canoeing on the Spillway (when winter floods allow), catch-and-release fishing (March–December).
Okavango Explorers Camp — Selinda Reserve
Capacity: 6 tents (max 12 guests)
The largest of the Explorers camps and the most remote. Located in the southwest of the Selinda Reserve, precisely where the upper Okavango Delta water system meets the Selinda Spillway — a confluence of two iconic ecosystems in a single location.
The design evokes 1920s safari aesthetics: canvas tents on wooden platforms, expedition-era styling with modern comforts. No family tent (double or twin configurations only), but triples can be arranged on request. Ideal for groups of friends or couples wanting to book the entire camp for a private experience.
Activities: game drives, guided walks, canoeing along Spillway channels (when flooded), fishing. Night drives are especially productive here for nocturnal wildlife: hyenas, lions on the hunt, and lesser-known mammals.
Practical note: just a 5-minute drive from its airstrip. Young Explorers programme available.
Duba Explorers Camp — Duba Concession
Capacity: 5 tents (max 10 guests)
The Explorers camp of the Delta. Tucked into the northeast corner of the Duba Concession, on an island surrounded by permanent floodplain, accessible only via log bridges. When the flood rises, the camp sits quite literally above water. Hippos are audible from the tents at night.
It is the most fully equipped of the three Explorers: it has a safari boutique, in-room exercise equipment, eco-friendly over-bed air conditioning (which the other two Explorers lack), and a swimming pool that has become one of the most photographed features of the collection.
Sharing a concession with Duba Plains Camp, it accesses the same wildlife territory: lions, leopards, buffalo, over 400 bird species. Activities combine drives, mokoro, boating (water level dependent), and guided walks.
Practical note: access via light aircraft to Duba Plains airstrip + 5-minute helicopter transfer. Fully inclusive with premium beverages.
Conservation With Numbers: The Projects Behind the Camps
What sets Great Plains apart from other luxury operators is not just the quality of the suites. It is what they do with the margin.
Rhinos Without Borders is their most recognized project. Launched in partnership with andBeyond, it involved relocating white rhinos from high-poaching-risk areas in South Africa to protected sanctuaries in Botswana. The result: 87 rhinos successfully relocated and over 60 calves born in their new habitat. The project now focuses on long-term monitoring and protection, under Great Plains' sole management.
The Female Rangers are all-women patrol units operating across Great Plains concessions in Botswana and Zimbabwe. They collect data, serve as an early detection force against poaching, and challenge gender stereotypes in rural communities. The first team began training in 2022.
The Solar Mamas are women from villages surrounding the Okavango Delta who were sent to India (Barefoot College) for six months to train in solar home lighting installation and maintenance. They returned equipped to electrify households in a region where only 35% of homes have electricity.
The Great Plains Earth Academy provides vocational training with a conservation and tourism focus for young people and adults in the Okavango Delta region. The Student Conservation Camps — educational camps for children from local communities — have run for over a decade, many of them hosted at Selinda Explorers Camp.
Families at Great Plains: The Young Explorers Programme
All Botswana camps welcome children from age 6. Mokoro and canoe activities require a minimum age of 8.
The Young Explorers programme is designed for children aged 8 to 16 and includes: animal tracking with expert guides, bird identification challenges (the "111 Bird Challenge"), photography lessons, stargazing (spectacular in winter), cooking with camp chefs (including pizza-making at Zarafa and fresh pasta), traditional basket weaving at Duba Plains, African board games (Morabaraba), and impromptu football matches with staff. Children receive an explorer pack with an activity book on arrival and a Young Explorers Certificate on departure.
For families seeking their own space, the options are: Selinda Explorers (the only Explorers camp with a family tent), or any of the two-bedroom Réserve suites (Dhow Suite, Selinda Suite, Duba Plains Suite, Sitatunga Suite), which function as a private camp with a dedicated guide, vehicle, and chef.
Important: camps are unfenced. Active predators move in and around camp. Pools are uncovered. Child supervision is the parents' responsibility at all times.
What to Know Before Booking
Some practical details that brochures tend to bury but that genuinely affect the experience:
Access: all Botswana camps are reached by light aircraft from Maun (40–45 min) or Kasane (55 min–1 hr 25 min). There are no access roads. Airstrips are dirt, 1,000 metres long, and only take light aircraft. Sitatunga additionally requires a helicopter or boat transfer from Duba Plains.
Connectivity: WiFi is available in all tents and suites. There is no mobile signal at any camp. For those who need to disconnect, this is an asset. For those who need to stay reachable, it is worth knowing in advance.
Malaria: minimal risk at most camps (remote areas with low incidence). Sitatunga reports medium risk. Prophylaxis is not mandatory but recommended for those with concerns.
Payments on-site: Visa and MasterCard accepted for extras and boutique purchases. No American Express or Diners. Staff gratuities are best given in cash (pula, US dollars, euros, or pounds).
Insurance: comprehensive medical insurance and emergency evacuation cover are mandatory. The nearest decent medical facility is in Maun; the next with serious capacity is Johannesburg.
Sustainability: all camps run on solar power (with generator backup). Zarafa operates on 170 solar panels. Single-use plastic has been eliminated. Wood is recycled. Duba Plains uses century-old railway sleepers. Sitatunga was built without felling a single new tree.
Great Plains Conservation is one of our trusted partners in Botswana. If you are considering a safari in the Okavango Delta or the Selinda Reserve — whether for a honeymoon, a family trip, or a serious photographic immersion — we would be happy to help design the right camp combination for what you are looking for.
