Wilderness Chitabe
Wilderness Chitabe is an exclusive tented lodge located in the game-rich Chitabe Concession in the southern Okavango Delta
The Chitabe Concession is superb for big game sightings, including all the major predators. Whilst the area does get partially flooded each year, water activities are not offered so this is a camp very much focused on traditional game drives. Night drives can be productive too. Wilderness Chitabe is extremely comfortable without being opulent. The tents are spacious and overlook an open ‘vlei’ where game is often seen. Set on high platforms, some of the tents almost have a ‘tree-house’ feel.
The hospitality in camp is very personal and the camp has a warm and social atmosphere with extensive central areas. The guiding is excellent too. We think Chitabe is a great option for anyone looking for fantastic big game and a very comfortable experience, without paying for the very top end luxury options. However, the price tag may still put some travellers off, especially in high season from June to October.
Rooms
Wilderness Chitabe has eight spacious tented rooms catering for up to 16 guests. All the tents are raised on wooden decks and are accessed by raised wooden walkways. They have a framed door leading out to a furnished verandah with views over the surrounding bush. At the rear of the tents are plumbed en suite facilities including a flush toilet, double vanity and both indoor and outdoor showers. The tents are extremely comfortable but by modern standards do not offer extreme luxury.
Central Areas
The extensive main lounge and dining areas are raised on wood decking and set under thatch. The interior areas lead out to exterior decking and a communal fire pit. There is small swimming pool overlooking the plains, around which to spend the heat of the day.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – No
Power for charging – Yes
Swimming pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Chitabe Concession is located in the south eastern region of the Okavango Delta bordering the famous Moremi Game Reserve. The Moremi is often considered one of the most beautiful game reserves in southern Africa, an area of mopane woodland interlaced with giant fig and knobthorn trees, open vleis and river courses. Chitabe, whose 28000 hectare concession is bounded by the Moremi on three sides, is of similar habitat, although it is much drier (any Okavango flood waters are very seasonal, hence there being no water-based activities available from Chitabe).
The game viewing is superb, with cheetah, leopard and wild dog often seen in addition to lion, elephant, buffalo and a wide range of general game. Night drives are productive too, with nocturnal species such as genet, civet, porcupine, serval, African wild cat and spotted hyaena often sighted.
Activities
Game viewing activities at Wilderness Chitabe include day and night game drives in open four wheel drive vehicles and guided walks are available when conditions are safe, usually from May to November when grasses are not too high.
Seasons
Chitabe is open all year round, though game viewing is best from June through to early November.
Wilderness Chitabe caters for children from six years of age, however unlike its sister camp Wilderness Chitabe Lediba, it does not have any family tents. The camp is very focused on game viewing and game drives are the main activity, so it is not a camp we naturally suggest for families with young children. However the exciting game viewing and high levels of personal service in camp do make Wilderness Chitabe an exceptional high end big game experience for families with older teenage children.
Wilderness Safaris established the Children in the Wilderness programme (CITW) focusing on the children from villages close to the remote areas in which they operate, educating them in environmental awareness and training them in the life skills needed to care for and nurture their natural environment. Some of these programmes include operating annual camps for up to 30 children at a time in their lodges, running regular Eco-Clubs in rural schools, Youth Environmental Stewardship (YES) which mentors particular children who have shown a strong interest in their environment and scholarship programmes for primary, secondary and tertiary education.
The Wilderness Wildlife Trust is involved in conservation, anti-poaching, community empowerment and education. The Trust has many projects throughout Botswana (Wildlife Research Increasing Capacity), Namibia (Desert Dwelling Giraffe Study), Zimbabwe (Hwange Elephant Movement Study), Zambia (Zambian Carnivore Program), Malawi (Mobile Response Unit) and Rwanda (Shoebill Arial Survey).
In 2019 Wilderness Safaris joined the Lion Recovery Fund and several of Africa’s other safari operators to form the Lionscape Coalition to raise funds for and awareness of lion conservation.
Projects more related to Chitabe include their financial support of the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust and their assistance to the research by using their guides to collect data on the concession. Chitabe (and their sister camp Chitabe Lediba) run on 100% solar power. By using a reverse osmosis filtration system they are reducing bottled water usage on the concession. Each year the children of the camp staff join in the Christmas party where two days are spent in camp playing games, learning about conservation and enjoying the excitement of exhilarating game drives.
