Chobe National Park

A Chobe River Cruise - Ultimate Wildlife Experience

A boat cruise on the Chobe River, in the Chobe National Park, belongs to the ultimate wildlife experiences. There are few experiences that can compare with the thrill of seeing a herd of elephants playing in the water, or crossing the river and Chobe gives one the unique opportunity of seeing such wildlife spectacles from up close. The bird watching is simply awesome. From the iconic call of the Fish Eagle, to the stately walk of various stork species, the colourful, turquoise flash of Botswana's national bird, the lilac-breasted roller to the acrobatic antics of the Kingfishers, they are all set to delight and entertain you. It was a guide from Chobe National Park that taught me: We call the African Jacana Jesus Bird, because it can walk on water... This long toed bird actually walks over water lily leaves, but from a distance it really seems to walk on water. Chobe National Park ranks as one of my favourite wildlife destinations in Africa.

A wonderful safari full of unexpected and breathtaking sights from beginning to end.

I visited Chobe whilst working as a volunteer on the Book Bus project in Livingstone, Zambia. The crossing from Zambia to Botswana was very straightforward and the trip began with morning coffee at Kalahari Tours’ office followed by a boat safari on the Chobe River.
The wide river channels and lush green islands were an oasis amidst the dry thorn scrub. Not surprisingly, they were rich in bird life including fish eagles, pied kingfishers and white-fronted bee-eaters. It was fantastic to see everything from a different perspective, be on a level with the hippos in the water and get a close-up view of basking crocodiles.
After a delicious buffet lunch we headed into the park for a game drive. I was amazed to see so many elephants of all ages – a huge herd making its way to the water to drink and bathe. It was unexpected and wonderful. The rest of the drive did not disappoint with sightings of warthog, giraffe, impala, kudu, puku, buffalo and more. In the beautiful evening light we watched as elephants, including a two-week-old baby, crossed the river from the islands where they had been grazing and flocks of whistling, white-faced ducks took to the air. The sunset was breathtaking.
I had decided on the camping option for my overnight stay. The comfortable tents were set up in a clearing around a roaring campfire, which was welcome in the chill evening air, and we were very well fed and comfortable. It was great to be immersed in the bush with all the night sounds and amazing, starlit sky. Up for breakfast before sunrise, I was treated to the magical sight of a family of elephants passing quietly by the camp in the half-light of dawn.
All the guides/drivers were friendly, helpful, extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer questions but frequent changeovers made tipping a bit of an issue. I would recommend staying at least one night as it added so much to the experience.
My visit to Chobe was over too quickly and I have every intention of returning.

Very popular with a wide variety due to abundance of water for Botswanna. Popularity makes for more congested camps without the seclusion of some of the other camps.

The most accessible herds of elephants by the river.

LOTS of animals to see, but a lot of tourists as well.

Probably less touristy compared to Kenya and Tanzania, but still too many to my taste. But hey, all tourists want to be alone with the animals, don't they? :)

We had excelelnt guides in the park and saw all the animals we expected to.

Well developed but still authentic bush.

The National Park has a good variety of wildlife, but you may find yourself in competition with a bunch of other people all trying to get the same view of the lionness with cubs or other interesting sight.

Boatsafari on Chobe river 2 gamedrives in park, 6 gamedrives in Elephant Camp

Game is very diverse and abundant in both locations. Well organized drives, perfect knowledgeble guides and drivers. Exept for rhino's we came across all kinds of species also very rare-ones. Accommodation meets reasonable standard. Staff friendlyness could be subject to improvement in Safari Inn, but was perfect in Elephant Camp. It should be stressed more clearly that luggage weight is limited to 12 kilo's when using airtransport to remote camps in tiny 6-seaters. All in all the best value for money in all safari's experienced in Africa, inc. South Africa and Kenya.