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A top safari destination
From the moment I landed at the airstrip, the Chitabe experience started. Nothing was too much effort for the team.
Accommodation is in spacious permanent tents that include a king-size bed, indoor- and outdoor shower, bathroom, veranda, desk as well as a trunk with everything you need for early morning coffee.
The rate includes morning and afternoon game drives, game walk, all means, local drinks as well as laundry. The bathroom has more than enough lotion/soap/conditioner and soap that makes it easy to pack light. There is a safe in the room as well for anything that needs safekeeping.
Meals are served in the dining area, the boma, or in the bush, depending on what the lodge has planned.
The lodge itself has a curio shop, firepit (my favorite place in the lodge), gym, swimming pool, library and lounge areas. You can always meander your way down to the bar for a drink during siesta times.
Early morning wake up times are confirmed daily and a flask of boiling water is delivered when the team wakes you up. Given that it was winter, someone fetches you to take you to the dining area for breakfast before the game drive. After the game drive, arrive back to enjoy brunch. Siesta time is for your own leisure with another meal served before the afternoon game drive. After the evening drive, it's back to the camp for a three course dinner. Meals are scrumptious with different flavours and meal options.
O.D was the guide for my stay and he must be one of the best in the business. He shared information freely on various topics and he used his instinct, knowledge and senses to find top sightings.
On the way to the tent on the first night, we were informed that lions were passing through and that set the scene for a bush symphony. Lions, Reedbuck, Hyena and baboon calls echoed through the night, stirring the imagination.
At first light, we were out, searching for lions. We found (and followed) two half-grown cubs until they connected with the rest of the pride. We enjoyed the sighting to the background of lion, hyena and wild dog calling. While enjoying coffee, O.D suddenly mentioned that the wild dogs were making contact calls not too far from the road. After packing up, we found the dogs not too far from the coffee spot (and next to the road). He managed to keep pace with the dogs until they connected with the rest of their pack, introducing us to the Chitabe pack (without their alpha male that they lost).
We also spent an hour with one of the resident leopards and her cub. We sat with the female until she gave us a show of waking up and climbing down the tree to find her cub. We followed her until she was joined by her cub and sat with her until darkness descended.
On the second last morning, we explored the Gometi area and enjoyed two separate lion sightings, including lions on a buffalo kill. This area is a piece of paradise and we found hundreds of animals on the plains – lechwe, wildebeest, elephant, impala, zebra and more. Having coffee on the banks of the river was another highlight.
On the last game drive, we enjoyed lion sightings, cheetah, buffalo as well as wild dogs. And then, after a coffee break, it was time to go to the airstrip, once again a seamless experience that makes Wilderness my favorite safari company.
Apart from the predators (and an abundance of plain game as well as birds), we also enjoyed sightings of an Aardwolf, Honey badger and large spotted genet.
This was one of the best safari experiences - not only because of the abundance of game but each person at Chitabe contributed to the overall experience.
A top safari destination...
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Fabulous Chitabe Lediba! We absolutely loved our time here! Six nights and we could have happily stayed longer. We have been friends with our guide OB since 2016 and when he moved here last year he said we absolutely had to come. He is a fabulous guide and obviously knew how much we would love it here. Superstar, Moalosi looks after his guests as soon as you arrive. His joyful heart and warmth remain with you throughout your stay. He really is an incredible, intelligent friend. Our tent was wonderful and we listened in our comfortable bed each night to sounds of animals we had seen during the day. OB knew exactly where to look and we saw 2 lionesses take down a kudu while all were running through the river on our first day. We were in a traffic jam of over 1000 Cape buffalo, we tracked and watched lions make many attempts to take down prey followed 8 with cubs, saw a 16 foot crocodile and found 17 of the wild dogs right after they had killed four impala. We counted a 26 hippos together walking on land and several more in and out of the water. The number of elephant is huge! We saw many different leopards hunting, minding cubs and eating caught prey in the trees. And many birds and animals such as the African wild cat, we have never seen. The amount of game here is incredible (including thieving baboons who found my hair spiking gel! 🤣) The food is outstanding and bartender Jay makes a great gin and tonic. The staff does eveyhing so well.We are currently making our plans to...
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My husband and I stayed for 3 nights at Chitabe Lediba. Our stay was out of this world. The staff were incredible - so friendly that when it came to leave I felt like part of the family. Tank was the most brilliant guide - such a good tracker and spotter. Although we didn’t see Wild Dogs, he worked so hard to try and find them. We saw everything else including a very special (and heart in my mouth) sighting of a cheetah mum and her two cubs and her kill. Thank you! We...
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