Chitabe Camp - Okavango - Safari Botswana

Chitabe in a Nutshell

Chitabe is located in the lower reaches or the Okavango Delta, just South of the Moremi Game Reserve, only a short transfer flight from Maun. It has built its reputation over a few decades as a go-to-place for excellent game drives, with consistent predator and big game sightings. It has however maintained its classic safari camp “mojo” by sticking with raised “Meru-style” tented accommodation – we like this as it usually means the camp puts more of an emphasis on the wildlife experience. High standards of decor, dining and comfort are of course well met at Chitabe and you come here for some serious dry-land game viewing!

Fast Facts

8 luxury tents
Swimming pool (its 12 meters long….you can do laps!
Gym
Located in a private concession (no congestion)
Game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, night drives, walks
Access by light aircraft
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Child Policy

Children 6 years or older are accommodated
If travelling with children between 6 and 12, private activities need to be booked and paid for
Children between 6 and 16 MUST share with an adult in the same room
Minimum age for walking is 13
There is no family unit at this camp. However, CHITABE LEDIBA (sister camp) does

How to get there

This lodge is accessible by air with its own nearby airstrip. Light aircraft transfers are abvailable from Maun, Kasane and just about any other bush airstrip.

Game viewing and activities

All game viewing is done in the private NG31 concession, congestion free as there is no public access.

Game drives are the staple activity here, both day and night.

This is a highly productive “dry-land” game viewing lodge! Chitabe is bordered by two rivers (The Gomoti and Santantadebi), which usually burst their banks during each flood season, flooding surrounding floodplains. Just to the North is Chief’s Island and the Moremi Game Reserve. What makes the game viewing so productive here is that there always remains a significant, high dry-land area that supports the full range of predators and large game species. So you come here to tick off these sought after animals!

These predator rich “high and dry” zones are complemented by a fantastic variety of other habitats: You will find open grassy floodplains (which can seasonally flood) near the Gomoti river to the East, acacia and mopane woodland on any slightly higher ground and more permanent water in some parts of the Santantadebi River to the West. Deeper channels are fringed with lofty riverine woodland, providing even more varied habitat for even more varied species of mammals and birds. Essentially, the concession has a broad range of habitats for varied types of game viewing!

Due to the abundance of wildlife, if you only had time on your safari for one camp, this could be it?

Camp Environment

The camp has recently been refurbished, bringing it up-to-date with style, modernity and solar power

The general feel of this camp is that it is “classically built” – this means expansive raised wooden decks, thatched main buildings and classic East African “Meru-style” tents.

The setting on a treed island is peaceful and shady with views out onto an open floodplain. You will find plenty of comfort in the main area with inviting sofas under the cooling thatch and a well stocked “360 degree” bar offering plenty of opportunity for a social drink. Across a wooden deck is another thatched area for dining, which you can do with the same amazing views. Lower down, there is a “fire-pit on ground level (off the deck), allowing one to step off the lodge structure. The swimming pool is a great place to spend the heat of the day and there are plenty of big trees shady trees and sun loungers. A further thatched building with a separate small lounge area overlooks the pool.

One final addition is a library where one can retreat to look up in reference books or large coffee table wildlife publications.

The “Meru” tents are excellent and spacious, each with large forward facing viewing decks, stained wooden floors and respectably large ensuite facilities. All the 8 tents are connected to the main lodge on raised walkways – great safety factor, especially with kids! the recent refurbishment has seen each tent tastefully decorated with a touch of modern and functionality, ensuring that Chitabe’s offerings of comfort are right up there in terms of modern Botswana tented camps.

There is no air-conditioning, however, pedestal fans are provided in all the rooms. Bathrobes, slippers, liquid soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, body lotion, room spray, insect repellent, insect spray, shower caps, vanity kit, tissue dispenser, washing detergent (on request), sewing kit (on request) and laundry bag are supplied in each room.

What we think

We like the fact that some of the camp owners (in a partnership with Wilderness Safaris) are involved with the day-to-day running of the camp.

Game is good, top-quality in fact……we would send you here for the high quality game drives. Try stay for no less than 3 nights to take advantage of this.

Fantastic that they kept with the “Meru-style” tents on the recent refurbishment – there is something to be said about sleeping under canvas in Africa!