Chitake Springs Campsites
Completely wild campsites, no facilities, 4WD only · Southern sector, at the foot of the Zambezi escarpment, about 65 km inland · ZimParks
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Budget
Inside the park
Park-run (ZimParks)
The most intense camping in Zimbabwe. There are no facilities of any kind, every drop of water comes in with you, and the predator activity around the spring is the reason people pay $355 for a patch of dust. Most visitors bring a professional guide, and the Chitake code of conduct expects you to explore on foot, not by car.
Why you'd pick it
- In the dry season the spring is the only water for many kilometres, so buffalo herds and their lions come to you
- Chitake 1 sits under a big natal mahogany 150 m from the river crossing
- A walking and sitting experience by design: game drives are not what Chitake is for
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Mana Pools National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryVAT and the tourism levy are included.
- $24per person, per day
- VehicleForeign-registered vehicle, if you are staying inside.
- $3per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $153 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
The full fee schedule for Mana Pools National ParkRates
From $235 per site. Chitake 2 and Baobab $235; Chitake 1 and 3B $355. Per site per night for up to 6, international rate; extras $85 per person. Check in at Nyakasikana Gate, not Nyamepi.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Very few Mana Pools camps publish rates, so treat all dollar figures as indicative and confirm with the lodge. ZimParks accommodation is priced per site or unit, not per person, from the February 2026 tariff. Private camp bands reflect operator and agent data gathered July 2026; check whether park fees are included when you compare.