Expect a raw and wild experience at Guma Camp. You'll be driving off road on a bumpy jeep track just to get here. This is true 4x4 territory. See that thick soft sand? Looks daunting? Well, guess what? It is. Drive through, cross the water and just when you think you’re nearly there, directions to camp suddenly change with the weather. Concentrate. If you’re not the driver, lucky you. Lap it up.
And then you’ll be there. Hidden amidst a grove of ebony and fig trees on the banks of Guma Lagoon, the camp is a haven for fishermen and birdwatchers alike. The Okavango River is one of the best freshwater fishing rivers in Southern Africa. But watch out. There are plenty of predators about. In fact, adaption is the key to survival here. Even prides of lions have learned to swim and hunt in Botswana’s floodplains.
Hippos, crocodiles, frogs, crickets. A true Delta adventure awaits. Mammal, reptile, amphibian. An of course birds galore including the resident owl, Ducky. We’re not kidding, he’s an old regular. A tourist favourite he's been coming here for years.
Rustic and simple. This certainly is not a luxury option for accommodation, but it does offer you all that you would hope to experience of the Delta. It's anyways all about the destination, so as long as the wilderness is tops, who cares?
If you're staying full board you can dine on the deck over looking the lagoon. Dinner has to be pre-ordered each morning as all meals are freshly prepared. Vegetarians and children are catered for. You can ask for a packed lunch too.
Sit on your deck and watch. Marvel. Relax and take it all in.
Watch the lagoon, relax, dine, repeat.
Or go fishing. Or bird watching. Or both. Sun birds, barbets, herons, eagles.
The Guma area is all small lagoons, small palm fringed islands and narrow winding waterways. Dense papyrus, dense reeds. And, of course, the Guma Lagoon itself. Teeming with a vast variety of fish species, the lodge is a paradise for fishing enthusiasts. Good for spin or fly-fishing. Tiger fish can be caught year round but peak season is September to November. This is the annual catfish run too, known locally as the Barbel Run. Watch tens of thousands of catfish in frenzied pre-spawning feeding behaviour. Large catfish and Nembwe, the most sought after of the bream species, are also caught during the runs.
Fantastic fact coming up... To date, the tigerfish record at Guma Lagoon Camp is 7.2 kg and the tigerfish spin-fishing record is 6.8 kg. Oh, and before you try and eat your catch, Guma Lagoon Camp supports a catch-and-release policy of all fish species. Experienced local guides will accompany you as no private boats are allowed at Guma and, when fly-fishing, it's 2 guests per boat.
Fancy fishing the mighty Okavango River? Go for it. It's a 40-minute boat ride through a narrow network of channels and one of the best freshwater sport fishing rivers in Southern Africa.
Besides fishing you can bird watch. There are over 200 species here, living in wetlands, floodplains, riverine forest and dry woodland. Pels fishing owl, white backed night heron, African skimmer, Rufousbellied heron and Lessor Jacana. The best time is September to late January when there are prime feeding conditions and all the migrant species are present.
You can also go on guided half, full day or even overnight mokoro jaunts. Mokoros are traditional dugout canoes used by the Okavango’s first inhabitants, the Bayei and Banoka people. You'll have a fiberglass or wooden mokoro for two people. The Head Mokoro Poler will give you a safety briefing and then you'll be poled along. You could see large herds of red lechwe bounding through the water and elephants feeding. You'll lunch on one of the larger islands and go on a guided walk too.
Or you may just feel like a guided motorboat cruise, perhaps some horse riding? Definitely go on an organised night excursion. You bird watch and star gaze on a boat using a spotlight.
If you want to drive further afield you could head for Mashatu Game Reserve, Tsodilo Hills, Naxi Pan National Park, Makgadikgadi Pans or the Moremi Game Reserve.
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