Deka Camp

A total of 8 superbly appointed canvas suites comprises the total accommodation at Deka Camp. The walls are canvas while the roof is constructed from locally procured thatch and stone. Interior features an en-suite bathroom and shower facilities, including hot and cold running water, comfortable beds in varying sizes and various amenities meant to elevate the guest experience. The interior aesthetic invokes the essence of authentic Southern African safari, featuring canvas hues of khaki amid the canvas walls, and handcrafted furnishings produced by local artisans. The external veranda provides views of the encompassing flats, with views of meandering wildlife. These units can accommodate 2 guests each.

Amenities Include:

• En-suite bathroom
• Shower facilities
• Balcony / deck
• Veranda
• Lounge area
• Electrical outlets
• Complimentary WIFI
• Complimentary laundry service
• Dressing gowns
• Fan
• Safe
• Pure cotton linen
• Tea & coffee

Three meals are served daily, featuring a hearty continental breakfast comprised of fresh fruits, pastries, serials and juices, an al fresco picnic dinner served between activities and a lavish three course evening banquet. Meals range from lite and healthy to lavish and indulgent, ensuring there are preferences to suit all guests. If you have any specific dietary requirements, be sure to inform the camp in advance so the appropriate accommodations can be made. With fully inclusive rates, you’re free to indulge in a comprehensive range of refreshing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at your own discretion, as your time at Deka Camp is one of indulgence.

The lite and airy feel of Deka Bar, with its thatched roof and fully stocked shelves will leave you reeling for a refreshing beverage amid the parching midday Hwange heat. Talented bar staff are happy to fix you up the drink of your choosing, from pints to cocktails and everything in-between. Come and grab a drink in the evening and enjoy sundowners with friends and guides alike as you reminisce an exciting days’ safari adventure.

Embark on your choice of morning, noon and evening game drives throughout the private concession of Hwange National Park for an exclusive game viewing experience of a lifetime. Experienced guides, familiar with the lay of the land and the abundance of wildlife that roams it will lead you safely through the lush landscape in search of the many staple safari creatures that roam the open plains and congregate around waterholes.

Exotic Big 5 game viewing awaits your gaze, with regular sightings of all the big cats and predator and prey alike as you survey the landscape in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Night drives add new dimensions to the game viewing experience, granting the opportunity to view an ensemble of nocturnal creatures that come to life in the evening to search for food and socialise with one-another. The wonders of the wild await you.

Bush walks will allow you to soak up the intricacies of nature while traversing the land at a more intimate and insightful pace than conventional safari game drives. Knowledgeable guides will discuss with you the features of the land while pointing out local flora and fauna. Hwange National Park offers high concentrations of plains game, making any excursion one to write home about. Here, game is shot only with camera equipment, and the fertile plains that surround you offer the perfect opportunity for world-class wildlife photography.

Cast your eyes upon the speckled canvas of vibrant lights displayed by the Hwange night sky while gathered around a cosy campfire in the company of friends and family. Untarnished by light pollution, the remote areas of the Zimbabwean bush provide the perfect arena for a picturesque star-gazing experience.

Machaba Safaris provide support for the Main Camp Primary School, located in a remote village that borders the Hwange National Park. This support includes providing teacher’s wages, facilities, textbooks and a new solar-powered computer lab. They also built the first Gonnye Sethlare PreSchool in May 2019 which provides education for 36 children, and there are plans to build more of these education centres in other locations that Machaba Safaris work in. Their youth development plan gives young men and women the chance to gain work experience, and youths are given the necessary training to become lodge managers.

Machaba Safaris work to identify infrastructure needs within the communities and countries that they operate in and find ways of creating them. This includes providing water to vulnerable communities, establishing sustainable vegetable gardens, putting up animal-proof fencing, and building homes for impoverished families.

Initiatives such as these serve to support local communities by reinforcing the infrastructural foundation on which indigenous peoples live their lives every day. Encouraging sustainable agricultural practices and fostering education in people of all ages offers more prosperous prospects for the future of these communities and allows them to continue living independently while possessing the elements needed to attain a higher standard of living.

Machaba Safaris work with local stakeholders and communities in order to safeguard the crucial ecosystems that exist in Botswana and Zimbabwe. They provide educational programmes and talks in order to teach how humans and wildlife can coexist, as well as giving aid to anti-poaching patrols within the NG32 zone. Initiatives such as this prove highly successful in mitigating and reducing instances of human-wildlife conflict, a complicated issue that both causes distress within local communities but is also counterproductive to the extensive efforts undertaken in wildlife conservation.

At Deka Camp, liken to other Machaba Safaris lodges, the pursuit of eco-friendly energy alternatives stands at the forefront of all operations. The introduction and facilitation of solar powered hybrid energy production has transformed the way in which Deka Camp conducts itself within the ecotourism industry.

The decision to deviate from the sole use of conventional diesel-powered generators and incorporate more sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives has not only a profoundly positive impact on the immediate environment and ecosystem, but on the credentials of the eco-tourism industry collectively. While there’s always room for further improvement and innovation, steps such as those undertaken at Deka set a benevolent path for future operations.

Machaba Safaris lodges consistently strive to go above and beyond with regards to eco-friendly initiatives and innovations with the sole purpose of mediating the carbon footprint inherent to its operations. One such initiative is the implementation of low energy consuming appliances within its in-camp facilities such as energy saving light bulbs and innovative water treatment systems. Deka Camp forgoes the use of certain appliances that excessively and inefficiently require energy such as hairdryers and air-conditioning, opting for alternative means instead.

For example, a comfortable room temperature is maintained within Deka Camp suites through the utilisation of sustainable, locally sourced construction materials such as canvas and thatch, ensuring a pleasant temperature regardless of the extreme heat and cold inherent to the environment. Machaba Safaris also use energy-efficient fridges in their kitchens, which are switched off at night to conserve power. Heat-sensitive items can then be stored in cold rooms and in the cellars to prevent them from heating up.

Machaba Safaris lodges are built with an ever-present conscious for the environment at the forefront of operations. By utilising locally sourced, recyclable and biodegradable materials, retreats such as Deka Camp pose little detrimental effects to the environment in which they are situated. Negating the need to haul industrial quantities of construction materials and lumber long distances through vast habitats and ecosystems serves to maintain the ecological equilibrium desired within such operations. Furthermore, the implementation of such eco-friendly architectural practices allows for the swift and complete recovery of all land used in the construction of Machaba Safaris properties, allowing for the rehabilitation of all properties in as few as 1.5 years.

Waste management operations undertaken at Machaba Safaris Properties adheres to strict ecological standards and sustainable measures. It’s crucial to ensure that all waste produced by such camps is appropriately treated to protect the surrounding environment from unnatural, ecological distress. Once processed using in-camp bio-plant facilities, these inherent and inevitable waste products pose little detriment to the environment and serve to negate the collective footprint of camp operations.