The Camp

Location: Okavango Delta, Botswana
Number of Tents: 5

Chitabe Lediba Camp offers an exceptionally intimate safari experience—ideal for small groups or families. Its two family units have two separate bedrooms and en suite bathrooms. All spacious Meru-style tents are built on raised decks and feature roomy interiors with polished wood floors and fine contemporary furnishings. En suite bathrooms have outdoor showers with panoramic views of the Okavango Delta. The open dining area and lounge are shaded under a high thatched roof. An open hexagonal teak deck also offers space to relax with unimpeded views of the animals that frequent the camp, including the occasional close-up of an enormous elephant. Even the pool has a glorious vantage over the small lediba, the waterhole after which the camp is named, where wildlife sometimes congregate. At every turn, guests at Chitabe Lediba Camp have the chance for close encounters with an amazing host of African wildlife, while staying in extraordinary comfort in an isolated location.

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Facilities & Amenities

• En suite bathroom with indoor/outdoor showers
• Family Accommodation: 2 family units, each with 2 en suite bedrooms (1 king bed and 2 twin beds) with private entrances connected by shared deck (2nd bedroom has no outdoor shower)
• Shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion and insect repellent
• Hair dryer
• Room fan
• Tea/coffee in room
• 220v charging outlets in room
• In-room safe
• Central plunge pool
• Laundry included
• Local drinks included (house alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)
• Credit cards accepted (Visa and MasterCard)
• No air conditioning, telephone, Internet or cellular coverage

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Wildlife Viewing & Activities

The 69,000-acre Chitabe Concession is unique even in the Okavango Delta in that it harbors such a variety of habitats in close proximity, ranging from palm-dotted floodplains to open savanna and acacia woodlands. Seasonal floods and perennial swamps create lush oases. All this gives rise to a surprising diversity of species, providing guests a wide range of wildlife-viewing and birdwatching experiences. High numbers of impala draw leopard, which are often seen near camp. Buffalo, elephant, lion, cheetah, zebra, tsessebe, giraffe and kudu are frequently seen, and occasionally wild dog, the subject of the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project that takes place in the area. The camp has two elevated platforms that can be utilized for wildlife viewing by day. Morning and afternoon wildlife drives explore the breathtaking variety of landscapes. Afternoon drives usually return after dark in the hopes of spotting nocturnal genet, civet, serval, porcupine and on occasion, aardwolf. Birdlife is also superb, with raptors in abundance.

The Okavango Delta is a year-round wildlife viewing destination, with the peak mammal viewing in the dry winter between June and October and fantastic birding all year. The below chart shows major wildlife sightings. Other typical sightings may include small mammals, such as jackals, foxes, caracal and serval, and a wide variety of birds and reptiles. Exact sightings will depend on weather and wildlife movements and can vary from camp to camp, since many camps are located on islands.

Climate

Conservation

Chitabe Camp contributes to the Botswana Predator Conservation Project through the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project. Dave and Helene Hamman, owners of both Chitabe Camp and Chitabe Lediba Camp, have dedicated many years to photographing the African wild dog. Their efforts, combined with the extensive knowledge of Dr. "Tico" McNutt, culminated in the book Running Wild: Dispelling the Myths of the African Wild Dog. Ongoing research, as well as addressing the surrounding communities' attitudes toward these animals, has resulted in a gradual increase in awareness of the plight of the endangered African wild dog. Chitabe Camp also hosted a two-year Cambridge University study on fire ecology and its effects on rodent populations. The study uncovered vital information about the delta's small mammal fauna, which has never before been studied in depth. The findings on the impacts of fire will be incorporated into management plans for the Okavango Delta.

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