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 up to $355 for a patch of dust at Chitake 1 and 3B, the two sites closest to the spring (Chitake 2 and Baobab are $235). Most visitors bring a professional guide, and the Chitake code of conduct expects you to explore on foot, not by car.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The most intense predator action in the park, right at the spring
- Chitake 1 sits under a big natal mahogany by the river crossing
- Built for walking and sitting, not driving past the action
- The dry season concentrates buffalo herds and lions at one water source
Cons
- No facilities of any kind; every drop of water comes in with you
- 4WD access only, no airstrip, about 65 km inland
- Chitake 1 and 3B cost $355, extras $85 a person
- Most visitors need a professional guide for safety
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 at Chitake Springs Campsites
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.
Questions about Chitake Springs Campsites
How much does it cost to camp at Chitake Springs?
Chitake 2 and Baobab cost $235 a night for up to six people, while Chitake 1 and 3B cost $355, both at the international rate with extras at $85 a person. Check in at Nyakasikana Gate, not Nyamepi, and book through ZimParks Central Reservations before you travel.
Can you self-drive to Chitake Springs?
You need a 4WD to get there; there is no airstrip, so this site is reached by vehicle only, about 65 kilometres inland from the river camps. Once you arrive, though, Chitake is designed for walking and sitting by the spring rather than driving, and most visitors bring a professional guide.
Is Chitake Springs good for families?
We found no published child policy for Chitake Springs, so ask when you book. Consider what the site actually offers first: no facilities of any kind, every drop of water carried in, and predator activity concentrated at the only water source for miles, which the camp's own code of conduct treats as a walking and sitting experience, not a drive-by one.
When is the best time to visit Chitake Springs?
The dry season, roughly July to November, is best, when the spring becomes the only water for many kilometres and draws buffalo herds and their predators to it. Outside the dry months the camp is less compelling, since the spring's pulling power depends on everything else drying up first.