Little Vumbura
- Okavango Delta, BotswanaLittle Vumbura is situated on a beautiful island in a private concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta.
touch the soul of africa
This is your chance to explore one of the continent’s most game-rich and beautiful concessions.
Safari in complete exclusivity, away from the tourist crowds and bulging 4x4s; here, it’s just you, your binos, and the wildlife.
Float down secluded waterways and access areas remoter than you can imagine on a mokoro safari.
Game view from the cool depths of the swimming pool and watch the steady stream of wildlife at the lagoon in front of camp.
The guides at Mapula are some of the best in the business; trained by safari legend Ralph Bousfield, each one has an intricate knowledge of the area that’s hard to beat.
It’s not a Bousfield family camp if it’s not a little bit quirky and jam-packed with character, and Mapula is no exception. The team have given the original lodge a facelift, and the nine canvas-and-thatch bedroom tents are replete with king size metal four-posters and feather-filled pillows to fall face first into after a day’s game viewing. Ensuite bathrooms have both indoor and outdoor showers, and there’s two natty Malawi chairs in the mini lounge area, ideal for siesta snoozes. Safari-chic finishing touches include rich Kilims on the floors, polished butler trays and brass lanterns.
At the main area, an aquamarine swimming pool is the perfect antidote to hot Delta afternoons – and if the cool waters don’t tempt you in, the views over the hippo-filled lagoon below might. If you’d rather stay dry, pick a perch in the lounge to keep watch over the wildlife action; there’s a variety of comfy sofas and slouchy armchairs to choose from. Then there’s the ‘chill pit’, a sunken lounge area overlooking the lagoon, which does exactly what it says on the tin.
Game drive through vast tracts of pristine wilderness in search of lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, hippo and the rare sitatunga antelope.
View the wildlife at eye level on a boat or traditional mokoro safari through the lily-filled channels (NB water activities are subject to water levels in the Delta and may be limited in low water season from October to January).
Spend a real night in the wild in our fly camp and sleep in a mosquito-net tent under the stars (NB fly camping is subject to water levels in the Delta and may be limited in low water season from October to January).
Munch on three-course feasts under a star-packed sky in a unique ‘fly dinner’ experience.
Pour a G&T, pick your spot, and watch in awe as the sun sinks below the watery plains – the perfect sundowner.
Tick off some of the Okavango specials from your bird-list- the slaty egret, Pel’s fishing owl and the African skimmer to name a few.
Mapula Lodge will run on 80% solar power (with a back-up generator for those unavoidable emergencies). Despite being in the heart of the watery wonderland of the Delta, Mapula reuses all of the grey water, and separates the waste, natural and otherwise. The characters you’ll meet in camp are all from the surrounding communities and our fabulous manager Eric (who some may recognise from Jack’s Camp) is at the helm, standing by with his training manual!
The camp managers will be forming partnerships with different conservation programmes and projects in the areas that we operate. Each project will be supported by revenue from the 1.5 percent of turnover initiative.
