Chitabe Trails
Chitabe Trails At A Glance
The camp itself is situated on one of the most beautiful islands in the Delta. Surrounded by ancient ebony, leadwood and sausage trees, Chitabe Trails has five tents and usually accommodates six or seven guests in the same luxurious tents as those of Chitabe. A few nights per year we may go to eight guests, but this is not normal. The main difference between Chitabe and Chitabe Trails is that the tents at Chitabe Trails are not raised on wooden decking but are built on the ground. This camp's roomy tents have bathrooms en suite, as well as an additional outdoor shower. Pathways connect the guest tents with the main area. The dining room, lounge and pub areas are under canvas overlooking the waterway in front of the camp. There is a great pool, too.
Chitabe Trails - Fact Sheet
LOCATION
o South Eastern Okavango Delta
o Moremi Game Reserve borders the north and east.
o In a private concession / reserve
PRICING
January - end June - shoulder rates
July - end October - highest prices
November - end December - shoulder rates
ACCOMMODATION
Number of tents: 5 luxury rooms in total consisting of:
4 ¾ twin bedded tents
1 kingsize-bedded honeymoon tent
This camp can accommodate 8 guests plus a tour leader or 10 guests in a private group.
Tent details:
o On ground, not on raised walkway
o En-suite facilities within the tent
o Outdoor showers in addition to internal showers
o Fans in all tents
o Verandas overlooking the flood plains
o Mosquito net in the honeymoon suite, other tents all mosquito proofed (so mosquito nets not necessary)
o Soaps, shampoos and insect repellents are supplied in each room
CAMP DESCRIPTION
Communal Area:
Private small camp
Public areas raised off the ground,under canvas
Pub, lounge and separate dining room
Pool
GAME VIEWING
Buffalo, elephant, lion, warthog, lechwe, hippo, leopard, cheetah, tsessebe, cerval, aardwolf and wild dog.
ACTIVITIES
Game Drives:
Land game drives in open 4x4 Land Rovers - the camp has 1x 10-seater Land Rover, ie 8 guests in a vehicle
Night drives.
Walking Safaris:
Walking safaris are offered from camp.
Hides Water Activities
Guests see lots of water and in years of high water levels (like 2000), Chitabe can offer mokoro safaris.
ELECTRICITY & WATER
Camp has a 220v generator. Electricity is run in the kitchen and main areas when guests are not in camp. When guests return from daily activities, generators generally switched off (for peace in camp).
12v battery power (charged by the generator) is used for lighting and fans in each guest tent 24hrs a day. Hairdryers etc cannot work here.
Video battery can be charged by the generator when guests on game drives. Hence bring spare battery and charging unit.
Solar heated water for showers etc.
DRINKS POLICY
All local drinks beers, wines and mineral water are included in the nightly tariff, with the exception of premium wines & champagne, and premium liqueurs & spirits.
LAUNDRY POLICY
Laundry is done on a daily basis and inclusive in the nightly tariff with the exception of 'smalls' ie underwear, which are not washed due to local customs.
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Curios and or imported drinks will be billed to the guest and settled on check out. Payment can be effected by cash (US$), travellers' cheques or the following credit cards: Visa or MasterCard. If guests feel that they want to tip, our recommended tipping schedule is as follows:
Guides - US$5.00 per person per day
General Camp Staff - US$3.00 per person per day
Specialist Guides (if applicable) - US$10.00 per person per day
(This is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards)
FLYING TIMES
to/from Maun 20 minutes
to/from Kasane 1hr 20 minutes
Kasane to Victoria Falls 20 minutes but allow additional time for customs and immigration
AIR STRIP DETAILS
Located 20 minutes' drive from camp
Licensed for heavier aircraft up to 5700kg MAUW (maximum all up weight), can take aircraft up to King Air size.
Air strip co-ordinates: S19.27.86, E023.22.45
THE OWNERS
Chitabe (and Chitabe Trails) is owned by Dave and Hélène Hamman, two well~known and respected characters in the Okavango. Dave and Hélène have managed a number of camps in the Okavango. It was during their time at Mombo that they really became enthusiastic about wild dogs. They got to know individual dogs and started to follow them on a daily basis and learnt more of their life histories, their trials and tribulations. Three years later they co~produced the book Running Wild ~ Dispelling the Myths of the African Wild Dog, the definitive book on these wonderful animals. Dave's passion for photography and his knowledge of the dogs made him the logical choice to be the cameraman for National Geographic's documentary on the wild dog of the Okavango. They have moved on from Mombo and now have built and own Chitabe ~ camps which are in an area where wild dog are regularly sighted. Hélène oversees the day to day operation from their Maun base, while Dave still spends much of his time on assignment with National Geographic's photographers.
Wild Dog Conservation Fund
A portion of the accommodation charges from each guest goes towards a wild dog conservation fund which Chitabe has established. Dr Tico McNutt began the wild dog research project in 1989, with a study area of about 3000 square kilometres. About 160 wild dogs in ten to twelve packs inhabit this region. Chitabe is part of this study area.
