Okavango Delta
Chitabe Lediba
Chitabe Lediba camp is situated in the Chitabe Concession which covers 28,000 hectares of pristine Okavango wilderness. It borders the well-known Moremi Game Reserve and is nestled between two main river systems, the Gomoti to the east and the Santantadibe to the west.
The camp is intimate and private, with five tents and two family units, each with two adjoining bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms. The spacious Meru-style tents are built on raised decks with luxurious interiors; en-suite bathrooms complement the outdoor shower “with a view.” A dining area, lounge and pool with glorious views over the surrounding floodplains and a small lediba (a remnant lagoon that has become a waterhole), after which the camp is named. Game comes to drink from this water source often during the day.
Explore the area on morning and afternoon game drives, the evening drive usually returning after dark so as to get a chance at spotting the shyer nocturnal animals such as genet, civet, serval, porcupine and possibly aardwolf. Other wildlife seen in the area includes elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog which often steal the show.
What makes Chitabe unique even in the Okavango Delta is its wide variety of habitats within close proximity, ranging from classic Okavango scenery with llala palms dotting floodplains, open savannah and acacia woodlands. A finger of perennial swamps, inundated with water throughout the year, extends into the Chitabe Concession and the area is also dominated by seasonally flooded areas which transform over fifty percent of the concession from dry floodplains into a lush oasis, when the annual floodwaters meander through. All this gives rise to a surprising diversity of species, which allows Chitabe to offer guests a plethora of game viewing and birding experiences.
Facilities
Tented rooms, outdoor showers, swimming pool, dining room, bar and lounge.
Local Wildlife
A great range of plains animals and particularly well known for its predators including lions, leopards, cheetah, wild dog, genet, civet, serval and aardwolf.
Optional Activities
Game drives, night drives and walking safaris included on a shared basis.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
Take time out to sit and watch the waterhole by the camp. The wildlife changes here by the hour with different birds and mammals arriving at varying times throughout the day. The intimate camp is ideal for small groups and families.
If you have any questions regarding our Botswana tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
On behalf of my wife and myself, I would like to thank all at Reef and Rainforest for arranging so superbly yet another exceptional wildlife experience. As you are aware our ‘expeditions’ tend to be species led and this year’s brief was to observe and photograph the ‘Three Big Cats of Africa’ in a truly wild setting (i.e. no fences). Your recommended destination, Botswana, did not let us down, in fact the whole trip proved an outstanding success in all aspects.
We stayed in three camps (three nights in each) across the Okavango Delta and surrounding area, each provided a different environment which ensured our aims were met. Each camp was run to a very high standard, was extremely comfortable and provided excellent meals. The quality of guiding and tracking in all our camps was of the highest standard. As Botswana manages its natural resources so well all the camps were small (no more than 18 guests) ensuring a very intimate safari experience in pristine wild African habitat.
I am delighted to report our big cat objectives were realised. All observations were lengthy and offered excellent photographic opportunities. However, unexpectedly, the highlight of our spectacular trip turned out to be sightings of two separate packs of African Painted Dogs. We visited two dens, the first had a very healthy number of adult dogs, approximately fifteen and eighteen pups. The second had seven adult dogs and sixteen pups. At Lebala we had the privilege of spending a prolonged period of time following the pack of dogs as they hunted, an experience we will never forget.
When one also considers the significant mammal and bird species we observed, Botswana is truly a must visit destination for the wildlife enthusiast. Incidentally we also observed three serval and two African wild cats. We also thoroughly enjoyed our few days at Victoria Falls, possibly the most spectacular waterfall in the world, the hotel in Zimbabwe was excellent. Viewing the falls from the Zambian side and also the helicopter flight are both well worth doing.
This was our third consecutive trip with Reef and Rainforest, and I would be very surprised if there is not a fourth being planned very soon. Thank you all once again.