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CHITABE CAMP

Chitabe Camp is situated on one of the most beautiful islands in the Okavango Delta, surrounded by ancient ebony, leadwood and sausage trees. Located on a private concession alongside the Moremi Game Reserve, Chitabe offers classic Okavango scenery and a great wildlife experience.

The area is constituted by a superb variety of habitats, including waterways and marshlands, dry acacia and mopane woodland, riverine areas, open grasslands, and seasonal floodplains. Such diverse eco-systems in turn make for a wonderful array of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and cheetah, as well as most other species of wildlife associated with Africa. Chitabe is particularly famous for the enormous herds of buffalo that move through the concession, and for sightings of the rare and highly endangered African painted wolf ('wild dog').

Accommodation at Chitabe is in eight luxurious tents built on elevated teak decks, under a lush canopy of indigenous trees. Each tent is well decorated with very comfortable beds, en-suite facilities, an outdoor shower, and a lovely balcony overlooking the open flood plain in front of the camp. A separate thatched dining area, lounge and pool area is linked to the tents by raised teak walkways. From the walkways the prolific wildlife often moving through camp can be safely viewed.

The smaller Chitabe Lediba Camp is located on a different part of the same island. Although fairly close to Chitabe 'main camp', it is run as a completely separate entity and has a magic all its own. Chitabe Lediba consists of five of the same luxurious en-suite tents described above. However, accommodation is more rustic in that the tents are not raised off the ground on decking as they are at the main camp, but nestled into the forest. This affords guests a more intimate experience with the bush and one feels a bit closer to nature.

Both camps exude a wonderful safari ambience, and we found both to very well run, with high level of service and personal attention. The choice between the two camps would be a personal one, favoring the intimacy of Chitabe Lediba Camp for the more adventurous traveler.

Ecotourism angle

Until recently, the private concession on which Chitabe is located was used for hunting. When the contract with Botswana's Department of Wildlife came up for renewal in the late 1990s, Dave and Hélène Hamman outbid the hunters, and the concession has been turned over to photographic safaris (Dave himself has done various assignments on wild dogs for National Geographic).

The concession falls within a vast study area (1,200 square miles) in which vital research is being conducted on the highly endangered African painted wolf ('wild dog'). In addition, a portion of the accommodation charges from each guest goes towards the 'Wild Dog Conservation Fund'. Wilderness Safaris (which manages the camp) is a major financial contributor to various private and non-governmental conservation projects. By staying at this type of private concession, guests are directly contributing to preserving the wilderness and wildlife in these areas because their fees are used to sustain conservation. What is more, photographic safaris are 'non-consumptive' so that, as the saying goes, you leave nothing but your foot prints, and you take nothing away but memories.

To find out more about Chitabe Camp, or to make a reservation, call toll-free in the USA

1-888-227-8311 or email us.

CLASSIC AFRICAN PORTFOLIO - OKAVANGO DELTA