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. Chitabe Camp is luxuriously appointed with spacious tented suites which 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. However, the price tag may put some travellers off, especially in high season from June to October.
Rooms
Accommodation is provided for up to 16 guests in eight spacious guest tents. The tents feature insulated canvas walls and stretch canvas roofs to maintain naturally cool interiors, further enhanced by energy efficient evaporative air conditioning systems. Interiors are beautifully furnished, with a bedroom area, leading down a few steps to a sitting area, which in turn leads on to a private viewing deck furnished with comfortable chairs. To the rear of the bedroom are a dressing area and en suite facilities comprising a separate flush toilet, double vanity unit and both indoor and outdoor showers. Massages can be arranged in the guest suites.
Central Areas
The thatched central areas comprise a number of different lounge and dining areas and a library. Pre-dinner drinks are often taken around the fire pit which is located on a lower level. There is a small gym, a safari shop and a good size swimming pool.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
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 22,000 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 focus on day and night game drives in open four wheel drive vehicles. Guided walks are also available on request and when conditions are safe, usually from May to November when grasses are not too high, but subject to the discretion of camp.
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).
Projects that Chitabe is specifically involved in include annual donations to WildEntrust, an organisation that oversees Botswana Predator Conservation (which uses cutting-edge science and research with a particular focus on leopard and wild dog), Coaching Conservation (which uses sport to inspire children to care about and understand their natural surroundings), and Community Coexist (empowering communities to manage and sustainably benefit from their natural resources).
Chitabe supports a staff of 85, contributing annually towards children’s school fees, uniforms, and stationery and hosts staff families once a year at the camp. Chitabe embraces profit sharing with all their employees. They also contributes to the Shorobe community, as well as various charitable organisations in the Maun community.
Chitabe also has a habitat restoration project whereby Chitabe’s nursery grows indigenous trees, including baobabs, which are planted to offset elephant damage.
