Camp Chitubu
Highlights
- Spectacular Luxury Tented Rooms: Camp Chitubu has six Bedouin-style tented suites and one family tent, all on a ridge above a natural spring with panoramic salt-pan views.
- Exceptional Cuisine: Continental or full English breakfast, wholesome lunches, game-drive canapés, three-course dinners and biscuits baked fresh every day.
- Well-Stocked Bar: Soft drinks, local and South African beers, South African house wines, spirits and liqueurs.
- Central Guest Area: An open-air Bedouin-tented hub with dining room, bar, lounges and a firepit, all facing the salt pan.
- Safari Experience: Twice-daily and full-day game drives, walking safaris with professional guides, and superb photography in unfenced wilderness.
- Custom 4x4 Vehicles: Three tiers of seating, a storage box with rain ponchos and blankets, and USB charging for cameras.
- Night Escort Service: Guides walk guests to their tents after dark, for safety and the chance of nocturnal wildlife on the way.
- Personalised Adventures: Birdwatching and other special interests arranged on request.
Information
- Lodge type: Tented Camp
- Location: Sinamatella, northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 6 Tented Suites + 1 Family Tent
- Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes. Hwange National Park is a malaria area, so take prophylaxis; the risk is highest in the November to April rains.
- Getting there: Light aircraft to Sinamatella Airstrip, then an open game-vehicle transfer to camp; road transfers from Victoria Falls can also be arranged.
Discover Untamed Luxury At Camp Chitubu: A Safari Paradise In Hwange National Park
Camp Chitubu is a seven-tent luxury safari camp on a ridge in the Sinamatella region of northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, just 2 km from Mandavu Dam. Mandavu is the largest body of water in Hwange, Zimbabwe's biggest national park at around 14,600 km², and in the dry months elephant, buffalo, lion and plains game gravitate towards it from across the north of the park. The camp looks straight down onto a natural spring, so the game viewing begins before you have left your veranda.
Camp Chitubu opened in 2022 and is run by guide Julian Brookstein and his wife Ashley, and the camp is built around walking. Zimbabwe trains some of the finest walking guides in Africa, and Sinamatella's basalt ridges, mopane woodland and seasonal pans are superb country for exploring on foot. Hwange holds over 100 mammal species, including African wild dog and sable antelope, and is one of the richest birding parks in southern Africa. This is a camp for travellers who want the real wilderness of Hwange with genuine comfort waiting at the end of the day.
Rooms And Suites
Camp Chitubu has six Bedouin-style tented suites and one family tent, each on a solid foundation and each facing the salt pan below the ridge. Power comes from an on-site solar farm, so there is electricity around the clock without the drone of a generator.
Every tent is angled for the view. Beds come as a generous king or two singles, made up with crisp cotton sheets and warm blankets, and placed so you can watch the pan from your pillow. An open wardrobe gives plenty of hanging and shelf space, and each tent has a private safe.
Bathrooms sit at the back of each tent: a high-pressure wet-room shower finished in teak and brass, a flush toilet, double basins beneath a large mirror, and fluffy towels. The amenity kit is thoughtful: soaps, body wash, lotion, scrub pads, sunscreen, lip balm and mosquito repellent. Laundry is available on request.
The family tent has two rooms sharing one bathroom, which makes it an excellent choice for parents travelling with children or friends sharing a safari.
Cuisine And Wine
Meals at Camp Chitubu are generous and home-baked, and the rate includes every one of them. Mornings start with a continental or full English breakfast. Lunch is wholesome and comes with dessert. Afternoon tea is served before the evening drive, canapés go out on the vehicle, and the day ends with a three-course dinner.
The kitchen bakes biscuits fresh every day, and they sit in the main area with premium teas and coffees, available whenever you want them.
The bar serves unlimited filtered water, soft drinks, local and South African beers, and a selection of South African house wines, spirits and liqueurs. It is ideal for a sundowner or a nightcap by the fire.
Facilities
Camp Chitubu's central guest area is a large open-air Bedouin tent with the dining room, bar and lounges all looking out over the salt pan. The styling is contemporary safari: relaxed, comfortable and made for long lunches and lazy midday siestas between drives. The staff are among the warmest and most attentive in Hwange, and guests feel at home from the moment they step off the vehicle.
Beside the main area is an open-air firepit, the natural gathering point after dinner for nightcaps and the day's sightings under an enormous Hwange sky.
Camp Chitubu is unfenced, so after dark a guide walks every guest back to their tent. It is a sensible safety measure and quite often an extra sighting, with hyena, genet or elephant moving through camp at night.
Activities
Camp Chitubu offers game drives, walking safaris and photography in the unfenced Sinamatella region of Hwange National Park. Game drives run twice daily, or as a full day out with a packed lunch, and your guide shapes each outing around what you most want to see.
Walking safaris are the signature activity. Professional guides lead guests on foot through the ridges and pans around camp, reading tracks and approaching game at walking pace, which is the most thrilling way to experience Hwange.
Photography is excellent at every skill level, and the guides are happy to position the vehicle for light and angle. Tell the camp about special interests such as birding in advance, and they will tailor your activities around them.
The 4x4 game vehicles have three tiers of seating, two guests per row, so everyone has a clear view. A custom storage box holds complimentary rain ponchos and blankets, and USB ports keep cameras and phones charged in the field.
A private vehicle can be booked before arrival for an additional fee. It is ideal for families, keen photographers, and anyone who wants to stay at a sighting for as long as they like.
Camp Chitubu Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Camp Chitubu in Hwange National Park?
Camp Chitubu is in the Sinamatella region of northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, on a ridge overlooking a natural spring and salt pan. The camp is 2 km from Mandavu Dam, the largest water body in Hwange, which draws elephant, buffalo and predators throughout the dry season. Sinamatella is quieter than the park's south-eastern Main Camp area, with basalt ridges and mopane woodland.
How many rooms does Camp Chitubu have?
Camp Chitubu has seven tented units: six Bedouin-style tented suites with king or twin beds and en-suite bathrooms, plus one family tent with two rooms sharing a bathroom. Every tent faces the salt pan below the ridge. The camp runs on an on-site solar farm, and bathrooms have high-pressure wet-room showers finished in teak and brass.
Is there malaria at Camp Chitubu?
Yes. Camp Chitubu is in Hwange National Park, which is a malaria area, so anti-malaria prophylaxis is recommended for every guest. Risk is highest during the November to April rainy season and lower in the dry winter months. Speak to a travel doctor before departure, and use repellent, long sleeves and trousers in the evenings.
What activities are offered at Camp Chitubu?
Camp Chitubu offers twice-daily game drives, full-day drives, and walking safaris led by professional guides, the camp's signature activity. Photography and birdwatching can be tailored on request, and a private vehicle can be booked in advance for an extra fee. Game vehicles have three tiers of seats, two per row, with ponchos, blankets and USB charging on board.
When is the best time to visit Camp Chitubu?
The best time to visit Camp Chitubu is the dry season, July to October, when water is scarce across Hwange National Park and game concentrates around Mandavu Dam and the pans near camp. May and June are cooler and still excellent. The November to April rains bring green landscapes, newborn animals and superb birding, with game more widely dispersed.
How long should I stay at Camp Chitubu?
Uyaphi recommends three to seven nights at Camp Chitubu in Hwange National Park. Three nights allows a good mix of game drives and at least one walking safari; four or five nights gives time to explore Sinamatella and Mandavu Dam without rushing. Camp Chitubu combines well with Victoria Falls for a classic Zimbabwe safari itinerary.
In Conclusion
Camp Chitubu is one of the finest small camps in northern Hwange National Park: seven tents on a ridge above a natural spring, 2 km from Mandavu Dam, with walking safaris at the heart of every stay. It pairs solar-powered comfort, excellent home cooking and outstanding hospitality with some of the wildest and least crowded game viewing in Zimbabwe.
Camp Chitubu suits walkers, photographers and anyone who wants to experience Hwange up close rather than from a busy loop road. Three nights is the minimum to do it justice; four or five lets you settle into the rhythm of the bush.
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Camp Chitubu Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- All meals
- Soft drinks
- Shared safari activities
- Laundry
- Emergency Medical Evacuation
- 2% Zimbabwe Tourism Levy
- VAT where applicable
- All flights
- Road Transfers
- Alcoholic & Premium brand drinks
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
- Personal Medical and Travel insurance
- National Parks conservation Levy
- River Usage Levy
- Fishing levy
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