Chobe National Park

Visited: Aug. 2019 Reviewed: Nov. 20, 2024 Submitted in:

Chobe National Park truly lives up to its reputation as a must-visit destination for wildlife enthusiasts. Boasting the largest elephant herd in the world and a vast array of other incredible wildlife, it's a spectacle that should not be missed. A Wildlife Lover's Dream: Chobe's sheer abundance of wildlife is breathtaking. The massive elephant herds are a highlight, but the park is also home to lions, leopards, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, and many birdlife. The diverse ecosystem, coupled with the park's vastness, ensures a truly immersive wildlife experience. Beyond the Wildlife: Chobe offers a wide range of activities to cater to different interests. Whether you're keen on game drives, boat safaris, or exploring the surrounding landscapes, there's something for everyone. This variety adds to the overall appeal and ensures a dynamic and engaging experience. Luxury & Comfort: The presence of luxurious camps enhances the overall experience, providing a comfortable and opulent base from which to explore the park. These camps offer a blend of comfort and wilderness, allowing visitors to truly relax and enjoy their vacation without compromising on luxury. Verdict: Chobe National Park is undoubtedly a top-tier destination for anyone seeking a wildlife adventure. The sheer abundance of wildlife, the variety of activities, and the luxurious accommodation options make it a truly exceptional experience. If you're planning a safari in Botswana, Chobe should be at the top of your list. It's a destination that delivers on every promise and leaves you with unforgettable memories.

Visited: Jul. 2024 Reviewed: Jul. 19, 2024 Submitted in:

Chobe National Park is the best way for one to get to see wildlife, the greatest surprise is the seeing lions in the park, and if you are lucky you will get to see a leopard walking down to the Chobe River. The game drive will give you an authentic experience with wildlife being so close and in their natural habitat. The river safari is calm and seeing waterbucks grazing on the islands is thrilling as you get to watch them swimming back to the banks of the Chobe River.

Visited: Aug. 2023 Reviewed: Sep. 12, 2023 Submitted in:

Chobe National park is a magnificent gesture for tourists with its flora and fauna. It is popular with many herds of elephants and buffalo. Its popularity has attracted the whole world.

Visited: Oct. 2022 Reviewed: Feb. 04, 2023 Submitted in:

I went with my family in this park which is bordering three countries it was not what I expected but more than our expectation ,This was great seeing the big herd of elephants and hippopotamus. We will definitely tell our friends.

Visited: Mar. 2018 Reviewed: Feb. 11, 2021 Submitted in:

I was lucky enough to go on a boat cruise on the Chobe River. You depart from near Kasane town and go on a 2 to 3 hour boat cruise maximum 20 to 25 persons. I do suggest going on a smaller boat than a large boat, more personal. I thought I was on a wildlife TV programme as we got to see so many elephants along the river banks and hippos in the water. This area has the largest concentration of elephants in the world and I can easily see how that is possible. Morning or sunset boat cruise is recommended.

In 2018 my husband and I had to opportunity to go to Chobe National Park. We headed out on a boat ride first in the afternoon to see the animals come down to drink. To our left along the riverbank we watched as a herd of elephants made their way down to the water for a drink. This group was so close and we were able see young elephants in between all the adults. Botswana is an amazing place to see elephants. With the world’s largest population, there is no chance of not seeing them in nature reserves. As the boat took us further down the river, we saw a bachelor herd of four large bulls who were knee deep in the long grass/water. We stayed awhile watching them eat and wade through the water only 5 metres away from the boat. We were also surrounded by waterbuck, buffalo and crocodiles basking on the riverbank. The next day we headed back into the park by car. It was very early when we headed out, still dark. Morning in Africa is a fantastic time to start a safari, the wilderness just comes alive. We saw hippos grazing and then heading back to the water for the day, as well as lots of antelope grazing near the water. The amazing experience we had at Chobe was the moment we spotted two adult female lionesses with six cubs. We managed to follow them for a little bit at a distance as not to disturb them. We turned our car off and they eventually made their way past our car. It is a large park however we did find that especially when there was an apex predator (the lions) that a lot of cars turned up. A few self-touring cars were very pushy, driving through certain areas to get close to the lions and two cars even separating three of the cubs from the rest. Other than that, the rest of our drive throughout the day was almost like we were completely alone just wilderness surrounded us. I recommend this park greatly and, although we did not see all of the big five, there is still an abundance of wildlife in an untouched area. If you are an elephant lover then Chobe and Botswana is definitely the place to visit.

No matter what language you speak, you're most liking going to be saying something similar to the person next to you--elephants! Chobe is riddled with these pachyderms, and it is truly a sight to behold. Chobe's proximity to Victoria Falls means it has more tourists than I tend to like on safari, but it is possible to have a somewhat remote experience by paying extra for your own vehicle, which we did. I highly recommend it. I would see vehicles laden with tourists, their heads all bobbing around inside the vehicle, vying for a good vantage point, and thought how miserable I would have been in this situation. Chobe also allows for self-drive safaris, and I recommend trying to get off the main drag to help eschew the hordes.

We spent one night in Kasane by the Chobe river. On our arrival we went on a sunset cruise and the following morning on a game drive by the river. We saw a few elephants having a drink, giraffes, an iguana lying in the late sun, another elephant bathing in the marsh, several different species of birds and hippos, of course; but what we enjoyed the most was the beautiful sunset. To our minds, if you want to see wildlife, you go to the bush or savanna is there a difference? The highlight of the game drive was a herd of buffaloes munching the grasses while three hungry female lions delicately approached. It was apparent that a group of nearby impalas were on the alert. Wildlife can be cruel but its about survival. What as "civilized" human beings do we do? We recommend the short flight to Savute. One feels small but privileged to see the immensity of the bush. Unfortunately the Savute channel has dried but the grasses are luxuriant and fragrant and although high at the close of the rainy season towards the end of April, you can still spot lions with their cubs taking a nap with their four legs in the air. Elephants were not so prolific as we'd expected - had they migrated ? - but giraffes welcomed us on the airstrip and zebras stood still as we took photos. But perhaps what has left a print are the wide plains of high grass, the baobas trees - one a thousand years old - a cub turning around to face us, the splendour of a majestic male lion at sunset, the fragile elegance of the giraffes, ... . We stayed at the intimate and well integrated into the environment Savuti Camp composed of five tents with all you need - a comfortable bed, hot running water, good food and the extraordinary possibility to doze off and wake up to the sound of a hyena, a lion or perhaps an elephant.

Savuti is a great place to experience the African savannah. It has a variety of landscapes from open plains, river beds and rivers, to more bushy areas.In this review, I'm writing about my experiences around the Savuti Campsite and general wildlife spottings in Chobe. Savuti, Chobe’s plains, are full of wildlife Overall, Savuti in Chobe National Park is what I expected from a safari park in Africa: some sandy roads, tones of wildlife, great sceneries, and much more. There are also ancient rock paintings here--for those who are willing to look. Obviously, I had to go and check it out, but it was very small. We also mat a couple of people who went searching for it but didn’t find it. It’s also not really crowded and it has a decent road system (sandy roads), which allow you to find areas which are quite remote. They also have impressive baobab trees (although I can’t compare to other areas), but they are just a great addition to the semi-open landscape. The Savuti campsite is a very nice place with the ability to drive in a lot of different directions. As the camp is not fenced, you have the ability to already see wildlife in the camp. Near the restrooms, I’ve spotted a mongoose. On one of the days, we had elephants in the camp. At first, it was a pleasant sighting, but some of the tourists left some food hanging around, and the elephants were exploring their camping area. Just take it in mind when you go out camping. You are in the living space of the wild animals, do your best not to interact with them. Close to the Savuti campsite, there is a bridge over the Savuti canal, around there we were lucky to see some wild dogs. We were just too late to see the kill, but we could observe them nicely. Although the park rangers were a bit more sceptical, as the kill was very close to their office. They decided it was better to scare them away. Not too pleasant for the tourists, although we all could have a very good sight of them. But in the end the park rangers did a good job, they should try and keep the distance between the animals and the people. Overall, the Rangers are very friendly. South of the Savuti Campsite, you have amazing possibilities to spot wildlife. You can follow a trail along the Savuti Canal and hope to see some animals near the water. This area is a bit bushier but was very good for herbivores. Going South on the Sandridge Road will bring you to a more open area. These areas are amazing for spotting impala, greater kudu, elephants, giraffes, and much more. We even spotted lions and a civet on the road. Maribou Pan is another great place to spot some wildlife. Chobe is known for its large density of elephants, and it will not let you down. We've seen plenty of elephants, sometimes large groups. We had an amazing time here, enjoying the wildlife to its fullest. Our next stop was Chobe Riverfront.

The road from Savuti towards Chobe Riverfront is long and sandy, but very nice though. You are going from the very remoteness of Savuti (Chobe) towards Kasane, which is the biggest town around Chobe Riverfront. You slowly make your way back to civilisation. Kasane is a very nice town with a lot of options (food, accommodation, activities) and is the place to be to book some activities. That's where we booked our boat safari. Personally, I think boat safaris are the best way to explore the Chobe Riverfront, or at least to get a notion where it's all about. There are a lot of different options, from taking a small boat specialised in photography to a large boat with deck. I went for a small boat for about 12 people or so. You get nice and close to some of the animals and it's a great opportunity to take some pictures. Although it's a tough job to keep your camera steady with waves from different boats. On the boat safari, I did not get the feeling of being very remote. There were a lot of different boats around and often they were queuing. This being said, I also heard about safaris going deeper into the Riverfront (which might be less crowded). Anyway, this safari was a great experience. Exploring the Chobe Riverfront on land was also very nice. It has a combination of more forested areas and plains. It's definitely worth checking out the roads near the river around sunrise and definitely sunset (even if it's just for the nice sunset above the river. They have a couple of nice campgrounds and picnic places. Again, beware of the animals, I've seen monkeys stealing food and lions wondering along the picnic sites. So just remember you are still in the wilderness.