Wilderness DumaTau wins Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Award

In Botswana’s Linyanti, north-east of the Okavango Delta, our private reserve sits at the confluence of three rivers. Known for its massive elephant herds – the biggest concentrations in the world – the region is a mix of riverine forests, mopane woodlands, lagoons, marshes and floodplains. Within this landscape you’ll find two longstanding wildlife corridors, and between them – Wilderness DumaTau. 

Set along 45 kilometres of private river frontage on the Osprey Lagoon, DumaTau is an unpretentiously luxurious camp made up of eight tented suites, each with its own private plunge pool and raised deck overlooking the water. I had the pleasure of visiting Little DumaTau in December of 2024, and it was a delight to hear the grunting of warthogs in the reeds in front of my suite. (Hippos snorting around at night are particularly exciting – though heard from a safe, elevated distance). 

DumaTau also features an expansive, lagoon-facing deck in the main area, a romantic floating fire deck surrounded by water, and the much-loved Osprey Retreat, which includes massage rooms, a gym, and a small pool. 

Whether from Osprey Retreat, your private deck, or the main area, you’ll often see the local elephants crossing Osprey Lagoon, sometimes with their young in in tow; a sight that will stay with you long after you leave. DumaTau also offers a sunset barge experience when the water levels allow, giving you the chance to watch elephants create ripples around you as you dine on Chef’s signature dishes, and choose your tipple from an array of drinks, bubbly, and cocktails. 

The barge experience is a slow ‘DumaTau drift’ to quote the guides, but you can zip through the lagoon’s reed-lined channels on a speed boat as well. Your guide will bring along a map of the reserve, to explain how the various rivers and channels – the Selinda Spillway, the famed Savuti Channel, the Kwando River and the Zibadianja Lagoon – create the Linyanti’s river system, pausing to hand you an ice-cold drink as he puts this fascinating ecosystem into perspective. 

The surrounding mopane woodlands are filled with wildlife: elephants, prides of lions and, sometimes, packs of wild dogs, which you can learn about from your guide on twice-daily game drives. Across the reserve, there are small water pans where the elephants congregate – a great place to stop for bush coffee or a sundowner before you head back to camp. Along the way, you may also spot the abundant range of birds in the area, including African skimmers and carmine bee-eaters in breeding season.  

Back at camp, relish in the world-class hospitality that’s earned DumaTau its latest award (and many others over the years), and kept guests coming back year after year. Sister camp Little DumaTau is equally adored:

Situated within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) – the world’s largest cross-border protected landscape – DumaTau plays a vital role in safeguarding ancient wildlife corridors. These pathways, which run on either side of the camp, allow elephants and other species to roam freely as they have for centuries, not just across Botswana, but into Angola, Namibia, and Zambia. Wilderness’ continued presence here helps ensure these lifelines remain intact, protecting biodiversity and supporting the long-term resilience of the ecosystem.

A true testament to the world-class safaris and hospitality we provide, a further three of our camps were listed in the US edition of the Readers’ Choice Awards, securing the following placements.

In the Resorts – Rest of Africa category:

• Wilderness Vumbura Plains (#3)
• Wilderness Mombo & Little Mombo (#7)

In the Resorts – Central & Southern Africa category: 

• Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp (#27) 

Finally, in the UK edition of the awards, we have three wins in the Rest of Africa category: 

• Wilderness Mombo & Little Mombo (#18)
• Wilderness Bisate (#21) 
• Wilderness Chitabe (#22) 

Our warmest congratulations go to the staff at these camps, and our heartfelt thanks to all of our guests who voted in these prestigious awards. Here’s to another year of exceptional travel.