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Wilderness Chitabe
Okavango Delta, Botswana · Wilderness · High Luxury
In November 1996, while staking their new camp, Dave and Helene Hamman met a wild dog with an entirely white tail. They knew him: one of 24 puppies they had followed at Mombo, now the Chitabe logo. The camp opened in July 1997 on NG31, 22,000 private hectares between the Gomoti and Santantadibe, beside Moremi. A 2025 rebuild put eight larger canvas tents on steel frames, with no concrete in the ground. More than 50 leopards have been recorded here, and the wild dogs still den nearby.
- 8 rooms
- Opened 1997
- Neighborhood: Chitabe Concession
- Rooms from 1,216 sq ft (113 m²)
About Wilderness Chitabe
- The logo dog's tail was white from base to tip. In November 1996 the Hammans recognized him as one of 24 Mombo puppies that had taken up a new territory on the concession they had just been awarded.
- Chitabe opened in July 1997 after a 1996 tender. The camp sits on 22,000 hectares of private NG31 ground between the Gomoti and Santantadibe channels, beside Moremi Game Reserve.
- The 2025 rebuild enlarged the tents. Eight canvas rooms now stand on steel frames, with insulated walls and stretch roofs, and with no concrete footings in the soil.
- More than 50 individual leopards have been recorded on the concession. The camp is one of Africa's most reliable for wild dogs, especially while pups are in the den from June to August.
- Chitabe Lediba, five tents on the same concession, is a separate camp. This stay is the larger Chitabe, which reopened in 2025 with eight tents.
History
Dave and Helene Hamman won the tender for the Chitabe concession in 1996 and opened the camp with Wilderness in July 1997. While they were still choosing the site, in November 1996, they met a wild dog with an entirely white tail, one of 24 puppies from a pack they had studied at Mombo. That dog became the camp logo.
Chitabe sits between the Gomoti and Santantadibe channels, on the 22,000-hectare NG31 concession beside Moremi Game Reserve. The camp reopened in 2025 after a rebuild: eight canvas tents, larger than the old ones, on steel frames with no concrete footings. A smaller sister, Chitabe Lediba, shares the concession and is a separate stay.
Experiences
- Game drives — Morning and afternoon game drives reveal the spectacular wildlife at sunrise and sunset.
- Golden-hour sightings — Golden-hour wildlife sightings guided by expert guides.
- Walking safari — Walking safaris guided by expert guides in the concession.
- Helicopter safari — Soar above the Linyanti and Okavango Delta on a helicopter safari for a new perspective.
- Wildlife photography guiding — Many guides are also experienced wildlife photographers, offering insights into capturing the ecosystem.
- Birding — Chitabe is part of an internationally recognised Important Birding & Biodiversity Area.
Amenities
- Shop selling locally crafted keepsakes
- Back-of-house tour of solar farm
- Evaporative air coolers in rooms
- Private vehicle available subject to availability (booked in advance)
- Bush picnics
- Traditional barbeque highlighting local cuisine
- Guided walks (seasonal)
- Helicopter safari
- Stargazing
- Private safari
- Conservation experiences
- Night drives permitted within Chitabe Concession
- Mokoro and motorboat activities seasonal on Chitabe Channel
- All-inclusive
Awards
- Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards (2025)
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