An African Journey through a Photographer’s Lens

Discover a new level of relaxation with the Zambezi Queen Spa -where curated treatments and river reviews come together in perfect harmony. Inspired by the rhythms of the Chobe, our spa offers a tranquil space to unwind and reconnect with nature, adding a gentle touch of indulgence to your river safari experience.

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Staying on board the Zambezi Queen is like being on a permanent game viewing vehicle, but with a much higher comfort factor. Situated in the heart of the Chobe region with access to river frontage of the Chobe National Park, we also offer water-based game drives by tender boat, allowing you to experience the enormous diversity and concentration of wildlife up even closer.

Game viewing on the Chobe River is at its most exceptional from March to November when the weather is drier and the animals are more mobile as they search for food and water. Summer and spring also offer unique opportunities though, as you watch the landscape burst into life after the first rains of the season. Catch sight of huge herds of elephant as they swim across the water, as well as buffalo, lion, crocodile, lechwe, puku, giraffe, zebra, sable, kudu and the occasional leopard as they gather to quench their thirst at watering holes. Besides animal life, you’ll also see a huge variety of birdlife and plant life as you listen to the sounds of a hippo grunting and breathe in the sweet smell of African grass.

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

No trip to the Chobe is complete without trying your hand at a fishing safari where if you’re lucky, you may even catch a tiger fish. One of the greatest fighting fish in the world, the tiger fish is the most sought after prize of these waters and is known for its ferocious spirit. It's not all about tiger fish though. You may also hook one of the many bream species, African pike, tilapia, catfish or upper Zambezi yellowfish as you explore over 100 kms of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers, as well as the winding Kasai Channel and thrilling Chobe and Mambova rapids.

We offer both conventional equipment as well as flyfishing equipment for our fishing safaris, because we know that the area is renowned worldwide for its flyfishing. We supply rods, flies, lures, lines, leaders and reels and all equipment is included in our rate.

Because of our unique location, we offer excellent fishing safaris all year round – from the annual floods starting in March to the feeding frenzies in the winter months. Our highly knowledgeable guides, the tackle and bait we supply as well as well stocked cooler boxes make fishing in Africa an experience to remember. Land an eight pounder or more and earn bragging rights for years to come, as you enjoy a fishing trip that's second to none.

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Fishing Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

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Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Fishing Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

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Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

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With over 450 species, a mix of terrains and a dramatic African backdrop, the Chobe River is the perfect setting for a highly rewarding birdwatching safari. Birding season starts in September, when the first migrants arrive, boosting the bird population sometimes by 20% compared to the winter months. From December through to March birdlife on the Chobe is extremely busy and the colourful breeding plumage on display is an extraordinary sight.

Experienced birders and even eager amateurs will delight in spotting distinct birds such as African skimmers, rock pratincoles and the African finfoot, either through their binoculars or with the naked eye. Having access to your own knowledgeable guide and tender boat lets you spend many hours on your birding safari also viewing cattle egrets, fish eagles, open-billed storks, lesser-striped swallows, pied kingfishers and the striking carmine bee-eater. The slow drift of the tender boat means that you won’t disturb the peaceful silence and can also get up close to the birds and observe their fascinating behaviour.

Credit: Andrew Morgan Andrew Morgan

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Guest

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Uninterrupted access to wild animals. Absolute silence. Golden light. The Chobe River is an unforgettable photographic safari destination, and one of the wildlife photographers’ hotspots in Africa. To help you capture that perfect moment, our custom-designed photographic safari boats are available on request and cater for 6 clients in individual photographic seats. The boat contains custom-designed swivel chairs that give you greater stability and 360-degree views for a wider range of subject matter. Every seat is equipped with a mounting for resting SLR cameras of all types and you’ll get your own experienced safari guide who’ll help you find that perfect shot.

Bring your own photographic equipment as we don’t supply this - the optimal lens to bring is an 80 - 400mm zoom. Because this is a water-based safari, you'll be able to take unique shots in a safe environment, being able to view the animals in the Chobe National Park surrounded by that magical golden light Africa is renowned for.

Photographic Boat Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Photography Credit: Guest

Photography Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Photographic Boat Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Photography Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

Photographic Boat Credit: Cabin Fever Cpt

One of the best ways to learn more about a country is to experience its culture. A village tour while on board the Zambezi Queen will take you by tender boat to a local Namibian village called Ijambwe, situated on the floodplains of the East Caprivi. Meet village elders and locals and gain a greater understanding of how the inhabitants of this 100-year old village live, including their daily challenges and traditions.

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

Credit: Andrew Morgan

With a maximum of just eight guests, Zarafa Camp offers complete flexibility. Drives do focus on the most comfortable and productive times of day, early morning and late afternoon, but full day drives are also quite common at a guest’s request. Picnic brunch can be delivered, and the vehicles are stocked with cold drinks. The camp has two custom built Land Cruisers specially designed for our conditions and photography (fold-down screens, raised roofs, photographic bars, multi-plug invertors) with seven individual bucket seats.

Credit: Great Plains Conservation

Another huge benefit of staying within the conservancies is the ability to appreciate the stunning landscape on foot, peacefully, without the noise of engines. We highly recommend this unforgettable experience. Talk to the managers to arrange a good time and location for a walk. Usually early morning or evening is the best time, as the middle of the day is too hot to venture out of the shade. Wear good

walking shoes, a hat, and neutral coloured clothing so as not to alarm the wildlife, and take binoculars. Your guide will have water for you. Walks are led by licensed guides with firearm training.

The HES Zib, Zarafa’s special pontoon boat, is an utterly unique experience. The 275 sq. foot deck is complete with couches, a dining area and bar where guests can comfortably enjoy floating brunch or sundowners while watching hippos and elephants in the water. It is also an exceptional platform for birding.

Credit: Great Plains Conservation

Credit: Great Plains Conservation

Each of Zarafa’s guest suites has a professional camera set, including a camera body and lenses. Photos will be downloaded to a DVD on guest’s departure. Each suite comes with a pair of high-quality binoculars for guest use as well. For stargazers, each room comes with its own telescope for use on each suite's private deck.

Credit: Great Plains Conservation

A full syllabus of bush craft skills for our young explorers. This is a complimentary program that follows in the footsteps of National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence, Dereck and Beverly Joubert. An extensive pack will be provided to eager children on arrival, so they can learn about animal calls, how to track wildlife, and other facts and figures about the wild. At the end of a child’s stay, he/she will become a Young Explorer and Conservation Ambassador - ready to go out and tell the world about what they have learned and what they too can do to help protect this beautiful environment.

Fly-fishing and rod/reel kit is available for those who want to try their cast at the local fish (except January and February when there is a moratorium on fishing).

Explore the lagoon and channels around the area by flat-bottomed power boat. (Seasonal and water level dependent)

Credit: Great Plains Conservation

The Spa at Zarafa is located between suite 4 and the Dhow Suite. The Spa offers guests two treatment

areas and with a range of treatments available. Spa treatments are at an additional cost.

Spa Treatments Credit: Great Plains Conservation

Spa at Zarafa Camp Credit: Great Plains Conservation

Rhino's Without Borders
• Great Plains Conservation and andBeyond joint initiative Rhinos Without Borders is dedicated to ensuring the survival of Southern Africa’s rhinos by translocating a breeding population of 100 animals to a Botswana safe haven. By December 2019, 87 rhinos had been relocated.
• Rhinos Without Borders has provided jobs and training for multiple teams of field monitors, fully equipped with vehicles and aerial survey capabilities.

Solar Lantern Project
• Our Solar Lantern project provides community members with a safe and sustainable light source. Providing a basic need to communities living on the edges of the Okavango Delta: safe and sustainable light.

Kids Conservation Camps
• Through the Great Plains Student Conservation Camps one of our longest running programs, we are fighting lack of knowledge with proactive conservation education by reaching teachers and students both in their communities and in Great Plains camps with environmental and conservation education. Since the program began more than ten years ago hundreds of children have benefitted from the program in both Kenya and Botswana.
• Great Plains has partnered with conservation groups and artists to produce conservation-focused comic books. This collaboration transcends traditional educational materials, engaging children of a wide age spectrum and literacy abilities in conservation messaging.
• Conservation education provides a way to engage youth with the natural world at a pivotal time in their lives. The Great Plains Foundation believes that through thoughtful engagement, environmental education, fun and mentorship, youth in communities that border protected land can learn to appreciate the uniqueness of their ecosystems and become champions for the land and animals they live among.

The Great Plains Academy
• Great Plains Academy provides personal and community enrichment opportunities for individuals in northern Botswana. The Great Plains Academy’s role is to tackle the lack of accessible, quality education by starting in one region and expanding into other areas in Africa.

Solar Mamas
Great Plains Academy’s Solar Mama Program in collaboration with The Barefoot College in India took 9 women from the community to be the first participants in the Great Plains Academy’s Solar Mama Program. These nine women embarked on a five-month course in Inda to learn solar power technology and basic business skills. When they return, they will be solar engineers, businesswomen and trainers who will work within their communities to expand access to solar power.

The Solar Mamas Initiative
- teaches women a new skill that creates income and empowers them within their communities.
- Encourages environmental stewardship.
– Supports the spread of rural electrification via renewable energy.

Mobile Cinema Project
With several of their films already translated into local languages, the goal is now to run roving screenings in partnership with local education and conservation organizations. By increasing the knowledge of those who live within these fragile ecosystems, we are eroding the pillar we call Greed and instilling a wonder and respect for the environment.

Tress For Africa
Through the Conservation Grow project, Great Plains Foundation aims to restore indigenous trees to landscapes across Kenya, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Working with local communities and schools. The project teaches the value of indigenous trees and their critical role in functioning ecosystems.
To date we have planted trees in partnership with schools in Botswana and Zimbabwe as part of our conservation education outreach work and on a deforested section of land bordering the Maasai Mara.

Land For Lions Project
We have partnered with local communities and other conservation stakeholders to run The Land for Lions project. This project aims to provide sufficient protection and habitat for wild lion populations to survive. Current Land for Lions projects operates in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Botswana, utilizing innovative approaches to generate maximum positive impact for lion conservation outcomes. It includes projects such as restoring the Sapi Reserve in Zimbabwe and raising funds for emergency purchases of critical corridors of land.

Project Ranger
Project Ranger fills a critical gap in supporting the wildlife monitoring, surveying, and anti-poaching operations of existing NGO’s in Africa. It is an emergency fund supporting those on the front lines of conservation, supplementing the budget deficits of local ground partners by funding salaries and providing operational support for wildlife monitors, rangers and anti-poaching personnel. Contributions from private individuals, foundations, and corporate partners keep rangers employed and ensure they have the resources they need to do their best work.

Traditional Herding Workshops
Humans and wildlife have coexisted for millennia in Botswana’s Okavango Delta region. Over the generations, unique cultural adaptations were developed to address the competing interests of wild animal populations and domesticated livestock.

Unfortunately, recent cultural shifts in values have meant that the lessons and wisdom from previous generations are being abandoned, resulting in poor land management and human-wildlife conflict. Through Traditional Herding Workshops, we re-introduce local farmers to the wisdom of their forbearers and encourage them to apply these lessons to their current practices.\

Life With Elephants
Through a relationship with villagers who are members of Ecoexist in Eretsha, the Great Plains Foundation is able to bring guests to their Life with Elephants tour.  The tour has benefited the community both financially and through a meaningful cultural exchange.

Safari drives (day & night) take place in some of Botswana’s best adapted vehicles. Duba Plain’s Toyota Land Cruisers are uniquely designed to traverse the floodplains. These are, of course, open-sided, canopied and customised for photographers (raised roofs, photographic bars, multi-plug inverters). Seating only four to six guests on each vehicle, the Cruisers are fully stocked with drinks and snacks. Each suite has a professional camera and lenses as a package for guests to use or try out. Images are downloaded and presented for them to take away at no additional charge.

While the focus remains on the most comfortable times of day (early to mid-morning and late afternoon to evening) for drives, it is very common in Duba Plains to spend full days out in the field, having brunch delivered to the vehicles because the wildlife is so good and our focus is on finding and spending time with these extraordinary experiences.

Our schedule is flexible and guests are encouraged to create their own itinerary according to their interests. Very often, our safaris will continue into the night in search of nocturnal species. Great Plains guides are also keen trackers and birders and guests are encouraged to experience everything the camp has to offer.

Another huge benefit of staying within the conservancies is the ability to appreciate the stunning landscape on foot, peacefully, without the noise of engines. Usually early morning or evening is the best time, as the middle of the day is too hot to venture out of the shade. Wear good walking shoes, a hat, and neutral coloured clothing so as not to alarm the wildlife, and take binoculars. Your guide will have water for you. Walks are led by licensed guides with firearm training.

Zipping through the Okavango Delta's network of waterways is an invigorating way to get a sense of the scope of this huge wetland. You’ll undoubtedly have wonderful birding and maybe even some hippo, buffalo and elephant sightings. (Boating is a seasonal activity, typically between May and October but varies seasonally).

This is a great activity during mid-day siesta. Make sure you’re with a guide. During January and February there is a moratorium on fishing. Catch-and-release fishing only.

Duba Plains Camp offers a full syllabus of bush craft skills for our young explorers. This is a complimentary program that follows in the footsteps of National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert. An extensive pack will be provided to eager children on arrival, so they can learn about animal calls, how to track wildlife, and other facts and figures about the wild. At the end of a child’s stay, he/she will become a Young Explorer and Conservation Ambassador - ready to go out and tell the world about what they have learned and what they too can do to help protect this beautiful environment.

Each Duba Plains guest suite comes with a pair of high-quality binoculars for guest use as well as a professional camera set, including a camera body and lenses. Photos will be downloaded to a memory stick on guest’s departure. Photographic tuition through the Great Plains Wild Studio can be arranged for guests (at an additional cost and booked in advance). Tuition can be either on company cameras or own guest’s personal cameras.

Enjoy an aerial viewing experience with great scenery across the northern part of the Okavango Delta. Add a 15-minute champagne stop on palm island en route. Must be booked in advance and is subject to extra cost and availability.

Explore the Okavango Delta's permanent water channels by mokoro (when water levels allow). This is truly a refreshing yet peaceful experience allowing for wildlife and bird viewing from a unique perspective.

Rhino's Without Borders
• Great Plains Conservation and andBeyond joint initiative Rhinos Without Borders is dedicated to ensuring the survival of Southern Africa’s rhinos by translocating a breeding population of 100 animals to a Botswana safe haven. By December 2019, 87 rhinos had been relocated.
• Rhinos Without Borders has provided jobs and training for multiple teams of field monitors, fully equipped with vehicles and aerial survey capabilities.

Solar Lantern Project
• Our Solar Lantern project provides community members with a safe and sustainable light source. Providing a basic need to communities living on the edges of the Okavango Delta: safe and sustainable light.

Kids Conservation Camps
• Through the Great Plains Student Conservation Camps one of our longest running programs, we are fighting lack of knowledge with proactive conservation education by reaching teachers and students both in their communities and in Great Plains camps with environmental and conservation education. Since the program began more than ten years ago hundreds of children have benefitted from the program in both Kenya and Botswana.
• Great Plains has partnered with conservation groups and artists to produce conservation-focused comic books. This collaboration transcends traditional educational materials, engaging children of a wide age spectrum and literacy abilities in conservation messaging.
• Conservation education provides a way to engage youth with the natural world at a pivotal time in their lives. The Great Plains Foundation believes that through thoughtful engagement, environmental education, fun and mentorship, youth in communities that border protected land can learn to appreciate the uniqueness of their ecosystems and become champions for the land and animals they live among.

The Great Plains Academy
• Great Plains Academy provides personal and community enrichment opportunities for individuals in northern Botswana. The Great Plains Academy’s role is to tackle the lack of accessible, quality education by starting in one region and expanding into other areas in Africa.

Solar Mamas
Great Plains Academy’s Solar Mama Program in collaboration with The Barefoot College in India took 9 women from the community to be the first participants in the Great Plains Academy’s Solar Mama Program. These nine women embarked on a five-month course in Inda to learn solar power technology and basic business skills. When they return, they will be solar engineers, businesswomen and trainers who will work within their communities to expand access to solar power.

The Solar Mamas Initiative
- teaches women a new skill that creates income and empowers them within their communities.
- Encourages environmental stewardship.
– Supports the spread of rural electrification via renewable energy.

Mobile Cinema Project
With several of their films already translated into local languages, the goal is now to run roving screenings in partnership with local education and conservation organizations. By increasing the knowledge of those who live within these fragile ecosystems, we are eroding the pillar we call Greed and instilling a wonder and respect for the environment.

Tress For Africa
Through the Conservation Grow project, Great Plains Foundation aims to restore indigenous trees to landscapes across Kenya, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Working with local communities and schools. The project teaches the value of indigenous trees and their critical role in functioning ecosystems.
To date we have planted trees in partnership with schools in Botswana and Zimbabwe as part of our conservation education outreach work and on a deforested section of land bordering the Maasai Mara.

Land For Lions Project
We have partnered with local communities and other conservation stakeholders to run The Land for Lions project. This project aims to provide sufficient protection and habitat for wild lion populations to survive. Current Land for Lions projects operates in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Botswana, utilizing innovative approaches to generate maximum positive impact for lion conservation outcomes. It includes projects such as restoring the Sapi Reserve in Zimbabwe and raising funds for emergency purchases of critical corridors of land.

Project Ranger
Project Ranger fills a critical gap in supporting the wildlife monitoring, surveying, and anti-poaching operations of existing NGO’s in Africa. It is an emergency fund supporting those on the front lines of conservation, supplementing the budget deficits of local ground partners by funding salaries and providing operational support for wildlife monitors, rangers and anti-poaching personnel. Contributions from private individuals, foundations, and corporate partners keep rangers employed and ensure they have the resources they need to do their best work.

Traditional Herding Workshops
Humans and wildlife have coexisted for millennia in Botswana’s Okavango Delta region. Over the generations, unique cultural adaptations were developed to address the competing interests of wild animal populations and domesticated livestock.

Unfortunately, recent cultural shifts in values have meant that the lessons and wisdom from previous generations are being abandoned, resulting in poor land management and human-wildlife conflict. Through Traditional Herding Workshops, we re-introduce local farmers to the wisdom of their forbearers and encourage them to apply these lessons to their current practices.\

Life With Elephants
Through a relationship with villagers who are members of Ecoexist in Eretsha, the Great Plains Foundation is able to bring guests to their Life with Elephants tour.  The tour has benefited the community both financially and through a meaningful cultural exchange.