chitabe or savuti?? buyers remorse
 

We are going to botswana and SA in late May 09. We have booked for 3 nights Little vumbura, 3 nights savuti , 3 nights desert and 3 nights mala mala.

I have read rumblings that perhaps May is not a good time to go to Savuti and
chitabe would be better. What do the experts think?? Should i try to switch savuti for chitabe?

J

I was near Savuti (at Duma Tau) in June of last year and gameviewing was excellent. I'm not sure how different May would be.

IMO, It would depend on how much rainfall the area would have received over the summer months. In 2007, they had normal to below normal rainfall and the whole Linyanti area was very productive for gameviewing end May into June 2007. I had some very good gameviewing in the other two neighboring concessions last year.

I have been at Savuti in May and the game viewing was phenomenal. Cheetahs, Lion, Leopard, and Wild Dog, plus lots of interactions. Wildlife viewing is never certain but Savuti is unlikely to disappoint you.
Chuck

The Savuti channel is flowing for the first time in decades and is close to reaching Savuti camp.

Previous experience in gameviewing in this area means nothing. It might be fantastic still and it may not.

Most of the viewing used to centre around the channel which was dry, it is now a completely different ball game.

Chitabe camp gets rave reviews from many on this forum. I saw lion & wild dog whilst I was there but did not think much of the overall experience. I thought the guiding was not upto par and the two chitabe camps are too close to each other.

Geoff.

ttt

johnnys,
I was also at Chitabe in June of last year, and had excellent game viewing. I was at Chitabe Trails (now Lediba), and found the atmosphere quite charming. While the game viewing there was excellent, the volume and diversity was better in the Linyanti.

Hari's and Geoff's comments about rainfall and the water levels are excellent points of course.

Tough call. I think you'll have a fantastic time at either camp.

thanks everyone. I think we'll stand pat and stay at savuti. I think the wait until next may will kill me!

J

No remorse, just enjoy.

Great itinerary.