Reviews of Chikoko Tree Camp
(99%) From 87 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Crocodile & Chikoko Camps
The walking experience & staying in the 2 completely different bushcamps for 2 nights each was fantastic. We kept the same team for the 5 days & this was also great. We were 2 couples who had only just met a Tafika, then we had Alex the Scout, Mukupa the guide & Justan as the tea boy.
As we were together the whole time, we all ended up with an excellent friendly, trusting, relationship with the team which I think they also appreciated. As our fitness was good we were walking nearly 6/7 hrs a day. I also have to mention the work of Mukupa as the guide who has a great sense of humour, & worked tirelessly for the whole 5 days as guide, host & all round entertainer.
Alex was also meticulous in his safety, advice & knowledge of animal behaviour. The highlight & most exhilarating was tracking a pride of lions for nearly 2hrs & finally finding them asleep under a bush with 9 cubs having just eaten a buffalo kill
Chikoko Tree Camp review
Chikoko Tree Camp is more elegant than Crocodile, but still has a remote bush feel. The tent platforms built up into the trees made this camp special. Again, the staff was attentive and the food was delicious.
Crocodile Bushcamp and Chikoko Tree Camp are satellite walking safari camps associated with Tafika. The 6 km / 3.5 mile walks between camps were relaxed and unhurried, though walking across areas with dried hippo footprints required some concentration. Our experienced walking safari guides, Isaac and Bryan, were excellent teachers educating us on details of the animals, birds and traditional uses of the local trees and plants. Unfortunately, wildlife was scarce on our walks.
However, we did enjoy watching elephants, puku, impala, kudu, and baboons from the elevated vantage point of our tent at Chikoko Tree Camp. We sought off after a small pride of lions that were frequenting the area near Crocodile Camp during our afternoon walk. They were close by, as we could hear them across the dry riverbed, but twilight was fast approaching and we had to return to the safety of camp. I don’t know if I was disappointed or relieved at missing the opportunity to see the lions on foot.
If I could have a do over in planning my itinerary after the fact, I would have added another night at Tafika and settled for one day walking safari at Chikoko Tree Camp, simply for the game viewing opportunities. Had we seen the lions while walking at Crocodile, perhaps my enthusiasm for the walking safaris would be different.
Great walking at Chikoko Tree Camp
We had a really good time at Chikoko Tree Camp We had great walks with Isaac and were well looked after by the Chikoko team. Having seen their oven we were amazed how good the food was.
the location was in the bush and we liked the rooms in the trees.
Chikoko Tree Camp review
Everything about Tafika also applies here. Food still brilliant.
Because it was very hot, I would have preferred to have tea or coffee first thing and then set out for a walk at dawn, so that you could be back in camp about 9.00 for breakfast. It would have left a lot of time in the middle of the day but this would have been preferable to the last hour of very hot walking.
As we were by ourselves we got to know the staff really well and were totally captivated by their charm and friendliness.
Lack of charging facilities could become a problem for longer stays.
Because it was so hot, we were showering a lot. Although we were economical with water, we felt slightly uncomfortable using a shower when we knew that the tanks had to be filled by hand.
Particularly beautiful because there was a full moon. Safety rail in bedrooms in your field of view from chairs!
Fabulous experience at Chikoko trail camp
We had an excellent time at Chikoko - the lodges are very well built into the trees and comfortable - though the stairs up are interesting!
Brent ensured our walking safaris were really informative - he knows everything about the flora and fauna as well as the animals and explains how everything interacts. And then at night can talk about Big Wave surfing in Hawaii during the winter!
The four hour morning walks seemed to go by so quickly. Wonderful sightings of elephant, buffalo and the deer on walks including experiencing maybe 1,000 buffalo stampeding past us.
It's great to be in such a remote area and fully experience the bush. The food was very good and a marvel how well the cook copes with the limited facilities.
As with all of Remote Africa the organisation and staff were excellent.
Birthday at Chikoko
Walking to Chikoko with Alex, skirting round buffalo and elephants, tracking a lion is what makes a walking safari so memorable.
Accomodation good and enjoyed being up in the trees, stairs quite steep and narrow and need to be sure footed in the dark.
Birthday celebrated with cake and candles and a rendition of Happy Birthday from the staff, a lovely treat.
Chikoko Tree Camp review
The beds were too soft. Just foam material. But the view from the bed was excellent. Lots of elephant shrews in front of the veranda.
Very remote, lots of animal noises during the night. This was great.
Chikoko Tree Camp review
Once you start walking on safari, you are hooked. While you see more "big animals" when you drive, you miss the million little things that you can only see on foot. But the key to an excellent walking safari is the guide, and we were hugely fortunate to be taken on The Chikoko Trails by Brent who made the whole area come alive. Well supported by the scout and the tea bearer George, our 4 days walking couldn't have been more enjoyable or interesting.
The Chikoko Tree Camp is rustic, but hugely comfortable. The team is superb, and you will marvel at the delicious dishes which arrive from the basic kitchen.
Baboon ate my toothpaste :)
This was my second visit to Chikoko. The grass at the walking camps was very high at this time of year making it harder to spot game but our guide Brent was excellent and kept the walks interesting, and dealt well with the mix of safari experience levels in our group.
We still saw plenty of game including watching elephants cross the river, just no cats this time. There was a naughty baboon stealing anything edible from the camp, including chewing on my toothpaste. I always thought it odd that Remote Africa provide toothpaste in the rooms, who goes on holiday without toothpaste? But it came in handy!
I believe there is a plan to replace all the steps in the chalets as these are getting a little precarious.
Food was excellent, probably the same as Tafika but I think it seems even better when you've been walking! It's amazing what they can produce from such a basic kitchen.
We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.
