Chitabe Camp
Chitabe is set on an old, established tree island and first opened in July 1997. The whole camp is raised up on wooden decking, and walkways lead between the eight tents and the lounge and dining area which form the centre of the camp.
Here you’ll find a large central area with a bar on one side, under thatch, and a separate dining area. Scattered around the open areas of decking are tables and chairs. One walkway leads from here down to a largish plunge-pool (about 8m by 3m), and all of this is under typical tall, shard trees of riverine forests – including jackalberries, Diospyros mespiliformis, knobthorns, Acacia nigrescens, and sausage trees, Kigelia africana.
There are four tents on each side of camp, and all have a solid door which leads into a large Meru-style tent. Here you’ll find twin beds, or a double, surrounded by mosquito netting under a fan, plus a few wicker chairs, a table and a simple wardrobe. The en-suite bathroom is part of the tent, with a shower cubicle, a washbasin and a flush toilet. There’s also a (much nicer) outdoor shower, enabling you to watch the stars as you refresh.

Chitabe Trails
This is a smaller version of the main Chitabe Camp, built a few hundred metres from the main camp, on the other side of the same island. It uses exactly the same style of tents and furniture as the main camp. However, here the tents are built on the ground, not on platforms, and they’re linked by natural paths through the bush rather than polished wooden walkways. (Note one of these rooms is a new ‘family unit’ where two tents, with two beds each, are linked by a shared en-suite bathroom.)
Although very unprepossessing, Chitabe Trails remains one of my favourite camps in the Delta. I often prefer the Delta’s smaller, more intimate camps and the experience that I had here on my last visit was magical.