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In the Dry season (April to October), elephant numbers are phenomenal; the concession lies along an important elephant migration route. This is also when I’ve had my best sightings of lion, leopard, African wild dog and buffalo. You might also see red lechwe, roan and sable antelope. But from November onwards, it’s very difficult to see anything apart from a small number of elephants, and many game drives from the luxury camps here stray into Kwando or Chobe if they want to see anything of note; an African wild cat was my favorite sighting in Linyanti at this time of year.
But leaving aside the wildlife for a moment, the scenery, with so much river frontage, is also a big draw. I always like to think of the marshes as northern Botswana
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in microcosm – reed-filled waters ideal for exploring by boat and classic delta scenery alongside surprisingly dense mopane forest and sweeping grasslands. The birding here, too, is outstanding and best observed from the water.
Wildlife Drama, Off-Road and on Foot
The Linyanti Concession, which lies just west of Chobe, shares all the wildlife drama of the national park, but serves it up in a smaller, wilder, more exclusive package. It also hogs some superb riverine habitats – the riparian forests and open floodplains bordering the Linyanti River, a continuation of the Chobe, which waters the region all year round. Antelopes, monkeys and hyenas are here in abundance.
Like its larger near-neighbours, Kwando and Selinda, Linyanti is a private reserve where walking, night drives and off-road driving are all allowed. This adds a wonderful extra dimension to the experience of immersing yourself in the bush. I think it’s worth researching your choice of lodge carefully, though, as Linyanti is a place where the highest rates don’t necessarily guarantee you the best wildlife-watching.
Beautiful Waterfront Setting
Linyanti is a private concession with just a handful of high-end lodges, so it feels very wild and you will see few other safari vehicles. The concession borders the western section of Chobe National Park and with no fences the wildlife is free-roaming. The landscape is varied with mopane woodland, open grasslands and, best of all, the beautiful river frontage along the Linyanti River and Savuti Channel. There are lots of elephants, sploshing around in the water, and big herds of buffalo. Linyanti has a great reputation for wild dogs – having said that we failed to see this wide-ranging carnivore during our stay here, although we did see lion. As this is a private concession, the lodges offer night drives and nature walks, and you are allowed off-road at predator sightings.