Botswana Parks
By Anthony Ham
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Botswana.
The Chobe is one of Africa’s magical rivers, and the best way to explore Chobe NP is by boat. In the late afternoon, big herds of elephant and buffalo come to drink at the river, and seeing elephants swim across it is a real treat. There are plenty of hippos and crocs in the river, and the birdlife is just phenomenal. Predator sightings are easier on a game drive. Lion, leopard and wild dog are all present in good numbers.
Pros and Cons
- Excellent wildlife viewing
- Four of the Big Five present and easily seen (rhino is absent)
- Ideal birding destination, especially for waterbirds
- Game drives and boat safaris available
- Self-drive day visitors are allowed entry
- Most accommodation is outside the park
- Self-drive hours are restricted from 9am to 2.30pm, the worst time for wildlife viewing
- The river gets very busy with safari boats in the afternoon
- Very hot in summer
- Limited safari circuits inside the park
Wildlife
Chobe offers great wildlife viewing. The park is renowned for big concentrations of elephant and buffalo that come to drink at the river. Other mammals that are usually spotted on the shore are bushbuck and puku. Lions often lie in ambush near the river waiting for an opportunity, but spotted hyena, leopard and cheetah are more easily seen inside the park. Rhino are absent.
Scenery
Chobe’s lifeline is the Chobe River which lazily meanders through savannah and woodland, and the floodplains are usually dotted with animals. The interior is a patchwork of mopane woodland and flat Kalahari sandveld (dry, sandy soil). The Savuti Marsh is another landmark in the park. It is mostly dry, and it is often compared to the Serengeti Plains.
Weather & Climate
Average daytime temperatures in the Dry season (April to October) start at 30°C/86°F in April, and by October they’ve climbed to a very hot 35°C/95°F. Conditions stay fairly hot in the first two months of the Wet season (November to March), before the heavy storms of January and February sweep away the worst of the heat.
Best Time to Visit
You can see animals year-round at Chobe, but the Dry season (April to October) is when wildlife viewing is at its best here, particularly along the southern bank of the park’s broad, namesake river. You’ll also see some unforgettable sunsets across the water at this time, though you’ll be elbowing the high-season crowds while checking them out.
Mike Unwin
