Lebala means wide open spaces in Setswana and the scenery is dominated by vast plains with scattered palms and tree clumps backed by wooded savannas. This wild expanse is contrasted with the casual elegance and luxury of the camp itself. Lebala Camp is situated 30 kilometers to the south of Lagoon Camp and fronts onto the Linyanti Wetlands. Open grasslands scattered with Illala Palms stretch to the south and west of Lebala. The perennial and southerly flowing Kwando river disappears into the vast marshes before emerging as the Linyanti river, flowing in a north easterly direction. The triangle formed in Namibia by this direction change is home to the Mamili National Park.
The eight spacious tents are unique and were designed by us specifically for this camp. Each one is built on a raised teak deck, laid out with maximum comfort and privacy in mind. The tents have an entrance foyer with a reading and writing area, en-suite bathrooms with Victorian clawfoot bathtubs, "his and hers" washbasins and flush toilets. The bathrooms lead out to a reed enclosed open-air shower with hot and cold running water, powered by LP gas for hot water on demand. Each secluded tent has its own sundeck, and is set back among the trees. The endless vistas from the large windows and decks across the vast plains, make Lebala one of the finest wilderness camps in Africa.
The wetlands and flood plains around Lebala offer a wonderful variety of wildlife with excellent sightings of elephant, hippo, lechwe, zebra, giraffe, impala, wildebeest, kudu, tsessebe, roan, sable, buffalo and the ever present predators; wild dog, lion, cheetah and hyena. After dark, spotlights are switched on and the game drives expose our guests to nocturnal sightings of rare and elusive species such as, leopard, Selous Mongoose, small spotted genet, and aardwolf, to name a few. Nocturnal bird species that are encountered include Natal Nightjar, Pennantwinged Nightjar and a large variety of owls.
Mouth-watering fare is prepared by our chefs and served in the open-sided dining room. After dinner there is a wonderful camp fire around which to sip a coffee or enjoy a nightcap. As you drift off to sleep, you will often hear hippo grazing out of water near your tent. In the warmer months, feel free to take a refreshing swim in the Lebala pool!