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its large lion prides and, during the rains, its impressive zebra migration. Game here can be seriously in-your-face and camping is not for those of nervous dispositions. Birdlife is excellent throughout Chobe, especially along the waterfront, and you have a fair chance of sable, wild dog and cheetah.
Wall-to-Wall Animals
Chobe is justifiably rated as one of the premier game-viewing parks in Africa. Everything here is in abundance making it an ideal destination for the first-time safari-goer. I can’t list everything here, but the herds of elephant and giraffe are exceptional and on my last drive into the park we were treated to lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog all in the space of about 30 minutes. My favourite wildlife experience of all time was finding ourselves between two fine male lions about 50 metres apart that promptly set up a phenomenally loud roaring ‘contest’ for about 5 minutes. Hairs on the back of my neck as I write this! Everything comes at a price though: this superb game viewing means it gets very busy and you’ll often find six or more vehicles jostling for the best position around a very bored-looking lion. The big lodges and touring groups all have their set routines so pick an independent operator who’ll find you the lion when the other guests have all returned for their breakfast. Try to fit in Savuti Marshes too.
Huge Concentrations of Large Animals, All Easily Spotted Along the Chobe River
This isn’t the first park where I’ve done a boat safari, but it was by far the best, with the highlight being the baby elephants swimming. You can even choose to sleep on a houseboat. I bush camped, which is one way to beat the Chobe Riverfront crowds since
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there won’t be many other vehicles around during the late afternoon and early morning portions of your game drives. Another way to escape the masses is to visit the Savuti and Linyanti Marsh areas, which have water sources in the dry season and host many predators.The Chobe Riverfront
The Chobe riverfront is the premium wildlife-watching area of Chobe National Park and is accessible from the north of the country. It defines the border with Namibia and is only a short drive from Zambia. You won't be the only tourists in here but the loop roads off the main gravel track, along the riverfront, will get you away from the tour groups.
It was the first park I visited in Africa after an absence. As I headed down to the river, a European roller bolted across the front of the car and a herd of impala grazed peacefully by the roadside, not long after I saw giraffe, zebra, plenty more antelope and a lone male lion. The highlight though was the elephant herds - they're huge and the best way to see them is to go down the river by boat. Guides will pull into shore when they see a herd drinking or bathing and you stop only metres away, close enough to touch...almost. It's a truly awe-inspiring and slightly terrifying experience.
Exceptionally Good Game Viewing on the Lush Chobe Riverfront
Chobe is divided into several distinctly different ecosystems where safari options vary. My experience of Chobe is a day or overnight safari to the lush plains and dense forests along the Chobe River in the northeast, and is a safari operator’s favourite that’s often teamed with a visit to Victoria Falls just over the border. The normal drill is a morning game drive, followed by lunch at a riverside lodge and an afternoon river cruise. Game drives are always rewarding and could include giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, numerous antelope, and accompanying predators include lion, hyena and wild dog. But the highlight for me is the cruise, a gentle float to observe Chobe’s always-busy riverfront as the animals drink, and is rightfully best known for seeing impressively large herds of elephant. It’s a popular short safari, but the other regions (definitely Savuti) beckon to experience Chobe well off the beaten track.
Kingdom of the Elephants
Savuti Marsh, an immense sea of grass encircled by distant walls of camelthorn acacias, attract tsessebe, zebra and other plains game, making this a happy hunting ground for cheetahs and lions, while the nearby hills hold the promise of leopards. An additional dry season
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spectacle is Pump Pan, a natural theatre-in-the-round where water from a borehole guarantees daily visits by elephant bulls and thirsty flocks of doves and sandgrouse. It is also renowned as the home of a lion pride whose members have become notorious for preying on the young elephants that accompany the breeding herds when they come in to drink at night.Elephant Snorkellers
Game consists of a fantastic variety of wading birds (I’m not a bird expert, but those who are rave about Chobe’s 450 species), aquatic antelope (red lechwe are abundant here) and, of course, elephants. My boat driver and I convulsed with laughter as a herd of juvenile bulls duelled on
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the riverbank with some cheeky baboons, who retaliated to mock charges with a volley of dung-throwing. If you’re lucky (I was), an ele or two will take to the water near your boat, their heads streaming water and gleaming blackly in the sun as, trunks raised like snorkels, they make their way from one side of the river to the other.Chobe’s Charms and Challenges
I’ve only been to Chobe once and my visit was limited to one night (the result of a very hectic itinerary) in the busiest area of the park near the Chobe River. It’s easily accessible from Vic Falls and has plenty of wildlife (particularly huge herds of elephants), so much so that you simply don’t know where to look next – but this also means that it has plenty of tourists. Boat trips are by far the best way to experience this part of the park, but the river too is busy at certain times, particularly for sunset cruises. High on my wish list are the Savuti and Linyanti areas, real wilderness regions away from the crowds. That’s not to detract from the beauty of the popular river area – but just be aware that there’s little bush solitude here… I would highly recommend staying for longer and exploring Chobe to its full potential.
The Land of Giants
The first time I visited Chobe, I couldn’t believe the number of elephants in the waterfront area. They were everywhere. Big herds get together to form even bigger ‘super herds’. Chobe’s nickname ‘The Land of Giants’ is spot on. Up to 120,000 elephants congregate here in the dry season. There is a thrill about being surrounded by elephants in the bush, but I really enjoy watching them in the water. They always appear to be in a hurry when approaching the river. As if they suddenly can’t wait any longer. Lined up on the shore drinking, they make a lovely picture. Invariably, some elephants will wade in deeper to bathe and youngsters love to wallow and play. A highlight for me was watching a small herd crossing the river; it was heartwarming to see how these gentle giants nudged and helped the babies when needed. Aside from elephants we saw lots of buffalo, hippos and gigantic crocodiles on a sunset boat cruise. Morning game drives proved to be best for predators; I saw two lionesses hunting and a leopard in a tree on my most recent visit.
Place of Elephants
If you love elephants, then you will love Chobe. During the dry season, safari goers are treated to endless processions of these grey behemoths drinking, swimming and frolicking in the perennial river. With thousands of elephants involved, this entertaining spectacle is best appreciated from the water and I strongly recommend taking a boat cruise along the Chobe River while you’re there.
Elephants are unquestionably the main attraction, but the hippos, crocs and birding are also spectacular. The park is home to the full array of predators and lion prides in Chobe have adapted their hunting techniques to target both buffalo and elephants! These kills can be harsh to watch, but it’s a great privilege to witness Africa at her most primordial.
If I were to single out one dislike, it would be that parts of Chobe – especially in the east along the river– have become very commercial and crowded. But, so long as you steer clear of these visitor bottlenecks, a highly rewarding safari experience awaits in Chobe.
Elephants Everywhere
In fact, there are too many, and conservationists are concerned that they are damaging the delicate ecosystem of the Chobe National Park by eating themselves and everything else out of house and home. But at face value, the encounters I have had with Chobe’s thousands of resident pachyderms have been a highlight of my numerous visits to this very popular park.
I particularly love the boat safari options available on the main river, which allow you to drift slowly downstream within meters of giant crocodiles, vociferous hippos, uncountable birds, and, of course, hundreds and hundreds of elephants.
There’s nothing quite like observing the shenanigans of a herd at bath time, and it’s evident that they really do love this part of their day. The calves are always splashing around like kids at the pool, the adolescents spar with each other
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in the shallows, and the grown-ups, even the big bulls, practically smile with pleasure as they take the weight off their legs in at the deep end. It’s a joy to behold.Because of its close proximity to the ever-popular Victoria Falls and its relatively easy access, Chobe can become crowded with tourists at times. However, if you venture deeper into the park on a self-drive or organized safari, you’ll soon find yourself away from the human crowds. You might still get caught up in a traffic jam caused by elephants though.
Stunning River Frontage – but Can Get Very Busy With Tourist Traffic
The essence of this national park is its stunning setting along the Chobe River. It attracts vast numbers of elephants and watching the elephants moving in and out of the water at sunset is the quintessential Chobe experience. The river also attracts a lot of other animals and a huge variety of waterbirds. Lion, leopard and hyena are present, but don’t come here expecting to see predators.
The disadvantage of Chobe is that it can get very crowded in high season, with lots of day-trippers staying in the lodges outside the reserve and queuing up for game drives and boat trips.
Another more peaceful way to experience the Chobe is to stay on one of the houseboats that move up and down the river. I also love the specialist photographic boat trips. These boats have a very shallow draught, enabling you to get close to the waterbirds and, if you’re lucky, photogenic elephant encounters.