Chobe National Park

Exciting and inspiring!

I think it was great. All of it. From the beginning of the drive till sleeping in the tents.

Chobe gives the opportunity to experience the bush in a river setting and a rich mix of species.

We visited Chobe, whilst staying in Kasane, as part of a road trip from Cape Town to Namibia and Botswana. There has been little winter rainfall this year in Southern Africa and Etosha in Namibia was very dry and dusty. Chobe, with its river location, was, by comparison, green and lush. This results in a varied mix of animal and bird species in a relatively small area.
We completed the whole trip in a two wheeled drive VW Polo, which was perfectly adequate for the majority of the trip and was very frugal on petrol. However, this means that access to Chobe National Park in your own vehicle is not possible, due to the sandy nature of the roads in the Park and the need for good ground clearance. Instead it was necessary to use game drives, which whilst costly, has the advantage of a driver / guide, which gives you a greater opportunity for viewing and photography.
Elephants abound in Chobe and it is nice to see them visit the river in groups for bathing and drinking. Buffalo are also common.
It is particularly important to visit the Park on a boat trip from Kasane. Not only does this give a different viewing dimension but it provides the opportunity to have close encounters with Buffalo , Hippo and Crocs. The rare Puku and Red Lechwe antelope species were easier to see from the boat. The bird species seen along the river are also impressive. Fish eagle, open billed stork and giant kingfisher, being highlights.
Kasane offers a range of accommodation from safari type lodges to bed and breakfast accommodation to suit all tastes. It also has an excellent range of shops, banks, petrol stations and eating establishments. As independent travellers we found it is easy to organise the game drives and boat trips. As a bonus, it is also a good location to visit Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

so many game and not soooo much tourist.
Great nature

A Beautiful Time in a Beautiful Place

We have not been directly in the Chobe National Park, but we stayed three days at the Savute Safari Lodge in the Savuti area, one of the four distinct areas of the Chobe National Park and situated in the most western part of it.
Beside the amazing view of literally hundreds of elephants we have had the rare opportunity to see other big mammals like lions, leopards, african wild dogs, buffalos, impalas and so many more.
Moreover we also encoutered a lot of birds (mostly birds of prey) and reptiles.
The most amazing and special experience was the hospitality of the people who were host to us in the lodge. They told us a lot about their culture, lifestyle habits and they seemed very curious about the european culture and our lifestyle. Truly an exchange we enjoyed a lot.
We will never forget this unique trip.

Chobe is the jewel in Botswana's wildlife crown -- just take a trip down the Chobe RIver and you'll see why. There are animals everywhere here, from swimming elephants to lounging leopards. Don't expect to be the only one watching that pride of lions, but if you can eschew the luxury lodges and do some camping out in the wilderness, that's the way to experience Africa. Try to stay two days or more, since every day you'll see something different. And one more thing -- be ready to feel very depressed when it's time to leave.

This feels like Africa

Many of Southern Africa's wildlife parks have become developed to the point of disneyfication but not Chobe. It still feels raw, gritty, and intimate. Perfect location for a self drive safari with outstanding human food and lodging also available just outside the park in Kasane.

The most incredible experience ever, if you get the chance- GO!

Chobe National Park was part of our camping safari package. The entire trip was extremely well organised, our group of 12 participants well looked after. Fresh food is prepared each evening and facilities were basic, but perfectly adequate. The Chobe national park is well looked after and access regulated to protect the wildlife. Living in the park allowed for early starts for the gamedrives in the morning and plenty of time in evenings to see amazing african sunsets. The wildlife was incredible and with the truck it was possible to get really close without bothering the animals. For lovers of bird photography the diversity is astounding. Overall a trip to be highly recommended.

Nowhere else have I seen such huge herds of wild elephants - it was an incredible sight. There was also huge amounts of other wildlife, like baboons, giraffe, antelope and zebra.

Thoroughly enjoyed the boat trip! Hundreds of animals within minutes.

After experiences safaris via vehicles, the boat was a nice change and offered us a unique opportunity to view animals in a different way. We witnessed dozens of elephants swimming, babies holding their mom's tails, lots of hippos, crocodiles, birds, buffalo, deer and other animals up close and personal. Plus Chobe is much more colorful than Kruger in early September. Beautiful area. Highly recommend the day trip out of Victoria Falls!

Amazing landscape entouring an outstanding fauna

The best part of this park, compared to other great parks in Africa, is the landscape. Concerning animals, it is the best place to see elephants that I know.
Good organisation, guides and food with Kananga.
Do not miss the boat at the sunset, you really dont know where to look at.