Chobe National Park Travel Guide
Chobe National Park Travel Guide
The Chobe National Park is one of the most popular game reserves in Botswana. Situated in the far north of Botswana, Chobe includes the Savute and Linyanti regions which are known for high concentrations of lion and elephant. However, Chobe is best known for the Chobe River floodplain, where herds upon herds of animals gather in the dry season between June and October. The game reserve is most easily accessed from Kasane, a town just to the east of the park on the banks of the Chobe River, close to the border with Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls.
Highlights
- Easy to get to from Kasane and Victoria Falls
- Excellent game viewing
- Best boat-based game viewing in the world
- Various lodges inside and outside the national park
- Large elephant herds and other animals, especially during the dry season
Chobe National Park in northern Botswana is a vast game reserve, and parts of it are very remote. Yet it can be easily accessed from Kasane, and it is a popular day-trip destination for visitors from the Victoria Falls area (just over an hour away).
Chobe National Park has a few distinct areas which are best for game viewing such as the centrally situated Savute channel, the remote Linyanti and Nogatsaa regions, and the Chobe River area in the far north of the park.
The Savute Area
The Savute area has a number of great lodges and campsites, and the waterholes here attract large numbers of animals (including predators) especially in the dry season. Elephants are in abundance, and lions are often seen. There are a couple of permanent safari lodges in the Savute area, as well as mobile tented camps.
The Linyanti Region
A beautiful, unspoilt wilderness region to the west of Savute, the Linyanti has a number of upmarket camps and lodges.
The Chobe River Area
The Chobe River area offers the best boat-based game viewing in the world. You can cruise up and down the river and watch herds of elephant, buffalo, sable antelope, roan antelope, zebra, kudu, giraffe, impala, lechwe and puku come down to the river, particularly during the dry season from June to October. The birdlife is prolific, too, and the river is teeming with hippo and large crocodile. Game drives along the riverbank are particularly successful and often bring sightings of lion, leopard, hyena and wild dog. Cheetah are rare but they can be seen here, too. There is one permanent game lodge inside the national park in the Chobe River area, and a mobile tented camp and quite a few good quality lodges on the outskirts of the national park on the banks of the Chobe River. Game drives and boat cruises take place inside the game reserve, and the lodges outside offer an easy and affordable way to experience Chobe National Park.
To explore the lodges in Chobe National Park, have a look at our map below, or use the menu above to search for lodges in the Chobe National Park area. You can sort them by price if you like.
Getting there
By road - Chobe National Park can be reached by road from Livingstone Airport in Zambia, Victoria Falls airport in Zimbabwe, or Kasane Airport in Botswana. Any of these airports are an easy two-hour flight from OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa.
By air - You can fly to Maun, Botswana, and take a short air-hop from there to your lodge in the Savute area. For experienced adventurers, it is possible to drive through Chobe National Park if you have lots of time, a 4x4 vehicle and a GPS.
Ghoha Hills Savuti Lodge
Sitting unobtrusively on a hillside overlooking the Savuti plains below, Ghoha Hills Savuti Lodge is an intimate, luxury lodge. Completely solar-powered and designed to sit gently within its environment, you'll enjoy unsurpassed 180-degree views over the game-rich surrounds.
Chobe National Park
The Chobe National Park is one of the most popular game reserves in Botswana. Situated in the far north of Botswana, Chobe includes the Savute and Linyanti regions which are known for high concentrations of lion and elephant. However, Chobe is best known for the Chobe River floodplain, where herds upon herds of animals gather in the dry season between June and October. The game reserve is most easily accessed from Kasane, a town just to the east of the park on the banks of the Chobe River, close to the border with Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls.
Kasane town - gateway to Chobe
Chobe Game Lodge
Chobe Game Lodge sits on the banks of the Chobe River in Botswana's diverse Chobe National Park and is the only permanent game lodge in this area. Its 44 rooms all overlook the Chobe River and Caprivi floodplain. For those looking for ultimate exclusivity, there are four luxury suites, each with its own private plunge pool and viewing terrace. Chobe National Park is home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa and offers spectacular game viewing all year round.
Savute Channel
Muchenje Safari Lodge
Muchenje Lodge, set on an escarpment overlooking the Chobe River, is a popular safari destination with great views over the Chobe floodplain. It is the only luxury lodge in the area west of the Chobe National Park, and offers fantastic open-vehicle game drives within the park.
Chobe Safari Lodge
Chobe Safari Lodge offers luxury, yet affordable, safari accommodation in the Chobe area, overlooking the Chobe River. Situated in Kasane, Botswana, Chobe Safari Lodge is a large resort-style safari lodge bordering the Chobe National Park, which is famous for its excellent game viewing.
Chobe Marina Lodge
Chobe Marina Lodge is situated just outside the Chobe National Park in Kasane, Botswana. The lodge provides luxury accommodation with beautiful views over the Chobe River. Chobe Marina Lodge offers a variety of activities, including open-vehicle game drives in the Chobe National Park, or game viewing by boat along the Chobe River, reputedly the best boat-based game viewing in the world. This lodge is reasonably priced and can easily be combined with nearby Victoria Falls for an unforgettable safari.
Chobe Savanna Lodge
Chobe Savanna Lodge is a luxury establishment overlooking the Chobe River in Namibia's Eastern Caprivi. The lodge offers spectacular views of the Chobe River and the vast floodplains of the Chobe National Park's Puku Flats, with its abundance of wildlife.
Savute Safari Lodge
Savute Safari Lodge is a luxury lodge situated on the banks of the Savute River channel in Chobe National Park, Botswana. The lodge offers accommodation with magnificent views of the Savute Channel, great game viewing and birding all year round. Known for its quality service and luxurious suites, Savute Safari Lodge will provide you with a uniquely African safari experience.
Savute Elephant Camp
Savute Elephant Camp is a luxury camp situated on the banks of the Savute channel. Previously, the channel was dry and the camp used to overlook an active waterhole. Since 2009 the Savute channel has been flowing again and now the camp offers spectacular views over this veritable wildlife oasis in the heart of the Chobe National Park in Botswana. The game viewing is spectacular.
Linyanti Region
This vast, unspoiled wilderness area in Botswana's northern region comprises the extensive Kwando/Linyanti River system. Game-rich and scenic, this area is more remote than some of the other game reserves in Botswana. It offers private, informal safaris without any of the restrictions of national parks. Expect night game drives, bush walks, off-road game drives, canoe and mokoro game viewing and even horseback riding safaris.
Nogatsaa Pans Lodge
About 80km south of the Chobe River in Botswana lies Nogatsaa Pans Lodge. The area is studded with natural clay-bottom pans that provide plentiful water in summer, supplemented by boreholes during the winter months. Idyllic and peaceful, there are raised hides at four waterholes for watching the fascinating inhabitants of this pristine bush.
Linyanti Bush Camp
Linyanti Bush Camp and Linyanti Expeditions are situated just outside the Chobe National Park in the game rich Linyanti region.
Kings Pool Camp
Kings Pool Camp is a premier luxury safari lodge overlooking the Kings Pool Lagoon and the Linyanti River in northern Botswana. The accommodation is spacious and elegant, combining exclusive luxury with beautiful surroundings, welcoming home comforts and superb service. Kings Pool is in big elephant country, with an excellent chance of seeing lion and wild dog.
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