Kaparota is a small camp on the northeast side of the Vumbura concession, about 50 minutes drive from the Vumbura airstrip. It stands on an island dominated by sausage trees, Kigelia africana – a location that (like many of the sites in the Delta now used for camps) was first used as a hunting camp. Then in 2001 hunting stopped in the reserve, and this rustic camp converted to cater to photographic safaris. It’s designated by Wilderness as a ‘vintage’ camp which means that it’s not as luxurious as many of their camps – but instead is a little more rustic and a little less costly.
The five simple Meru-style tents are all raised up on individual platforms, complete with a small veranda furnished with a couple of canvas deckchairs. Each tent has a private ‘bathroom’ at the back, which is roofless and separate from the sleeping area. Here you’ll find a washbasin, a flush toilet and a (hot and cold) shower. Inside are twin beds, a basic wardrobe and a few chairs.
Kaparota is, in some ways, simply a cut-down version of the concession’s plusher camps. It offers the same range of activities and guiding standards as the other camps here. However, its game drives do often head back southwest, towards the area of the other camps, which is generally a more productive area of better game.