Reviews of Chitabe Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
69 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Chitabe Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
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"Amazing luxury at Chitabe Camp"
This camp was extremely luxurious with great location in a huge reserve. The game was brilliant! including a white rhino! Our guide was very knowledgable and the staff could not have been friendlier. The view from the room was super and the outdoor shower really great. The feeling of peace and pristine wilderness is what we really love about Botswana. The level of luxury was if anything OTT but a great thing to experience." See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Chitabe Camp feedback"
We cannot fault the accommodation or food.
Outstanding in every respect." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana
"Chitabe Camp review"
The management is unengaged and the attitudes made me a little uncomfortable. Any problems brought up to the management were answered with, we'll take care of it, but then nothing would happen. I heard there are plans to re do the common areas and to put in a new pool. Time and money would be better spent fixing the guest tents.
Scheduling for wake-up, drive start time and end time, meals, cocktails, allowed for no flexibility. Heaven forbid you were watching an interesting animal encounter on the afternoon game drive. You had to get back to camp. It just wasn't a welcoming place and it was due to how the camp is managed. I experienced this at the other Wilderness Safari camp where we stayed, and I will avoid them in the future.
The staff outside of management was very nice and our guide OD was knowledgable. Game viewing was good." See all these reviews: 14n in Botswana; 5n in South Africa
Chitabe went on to say that provided everybody in your game drive vehicle agrees, activity timings can be adjusted and they will make more effort to ensure guests are aware of that.
"Fabulous animal viewing "
Camp has a relatively small communal area and is due a facelift which is booked next January and all the comments we had about the noisy walkways and general areas are being addressed .
All meals were on one large table ." See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana
"Chitabe was spectacular"
The Camp is not a water based camp but there are areas of water close by, shallow waters.
A truly luxurious experience in the wild. The lodges are on stilts as are all the walk ways, The amazing experience starts when you are collected from the airstrip. The person explains who they are, how long it will take to get to the camp and although he is not a guide will point out animals as we drive towards the camp.
All staff are friendly, courteous and welcoming. At the bar, Jay and his team were always smiling and made us lovely mocktails. Food was lovely not always our choice of vegetarian meal but we could see the effort made with limited bush ingredients to make it interesting for us.
The sightings were truly amazing, we saw 4 lionesses on a kill just outside the camp one evening. the same lionesses on other days with 10 cubs and another day where 2 male lions had joined the group in eating another buffalo carcass. Ebs our guide was very knowledgeable and passionate. On some morning drives ,as it led to interesting sightings. we were out from 6 to 12. Ebs would always ask if everyone was ok to extend as it was an exciting sighting. We saw most of what we had on our wish list and even more but it was truly a great experience because of the guide's engagement with everyone on the jeep. Even having a flat tyre became an experience where we helped.
As one of the higher cost camps, we had high expectations. I can say they were met and exceeded. All managers talked to all the guests, welcomed back after each drive and joined the dinners. Well done Chitabe and thank you Expert Africa for the recommendation. We will be back one day!" See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"One of the best!"
"Chitabe Camp review"
A general comment applicable to all camps about the food. The presentation was first class and the choice remarkable given the difficult supply logistics. All meals were a delight and the temptation to over-indulge difficult to resist. Our only negative comment is that with one exception, the evening meal meat courses were almost always overcooked, or bordering on being so. And conversely, the vegetables had on some occasions merely been shown the water - we quickly learnt to avoid the french beans!" See all these reviews: 14n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Chitabe: Possibly my favourites camp"
Everything was perfect and the staff were so smiley and pleasant!
My guide Phin was very experienced and provided an excellent game viewing experience." See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana
"Chitabe Camp review"
Dry camp that made it more difficult to have an off-road experience because we had to drive over dead trees. But when we did - it was expertly handled by our driver and guide. He went out of the way to bring us to the hyena den and to find the wild dogs over difficult terrain.
But our guide did not engage us - the fact that I forget his name is evidence to this - although clearly an expert he did not include us when he spotted tracks, he habitually missed sunset when he finally stopped for drinks and when our vehicle would not start when we were parked by the hyena den he did not communicate this to us although we all noticed it." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Luxury in the Eastern Delta"
On our final night in camp, they set up a surprise cocktail reception for our group out in the bush, which was a very nice touch. Breakfast food not quite as varied as at Tubu Tree, however the other meals were comparable and of very good quality. We enjoyed the fire pit at Chitabe as it is close to the main lounge area and therefore gets more use by guests compared to Tubu Tree.
Wildlife here was further from the camp and sometimes required 30 to 45 minutes of driving on rough road before spotting much in the way of animals (other than birds and impala). Elephants, zebra and giraffe were in small groups compared to Tubu Tree. However, the long drives were worth it given the abundance of baby animals were saw: leopard cubs, lion cubs, hyena cubs, as well as baby elephants and zebra!
We also saw a large pack of wild dogs which we would never have found without the expert tracking skills of our guide, Phinley. Phinley was a man of relatively few words, and you needed to actively ask questions if you wanted to get information from him. Each guide has there only style and he was more reserved, but no less knowledgeable, than our guide at Tubu Tree." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
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