Review about Nxai Pan National Park by Terry Carew
Not a popular venue but does boast the famous "Baines' Baobabs, a must see if you visit here.
Review about Nata by Terry Carew
Game is around but the pans in the area are the attraction. When they are full of water the birdlife is fantastic. Not a lot of game but it is around.
Review about Moremi Game Reserve by Terry Carew
This park has it all. Great game viewing and birding but can be expensive.
Review about Maun by Terry Carew
A busy hub but is the stepping stone to Moremi and Savuti. There are many affordable options and game can be found out of town.
Review about Chobe River by Terry Carew
You can be in the bush twenty minutes after leaving the centre of Kasane.
Review about Chobe Forest Reserve by Terry Carew
Birding is great anywhere in Botswana. More and more operators are opening lodges and camps in areas outside the parks that offer good value for money. Most of the game in the reserves are well represented in these areas including lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and cape hunting dogs to mention a few.
Review about Makgadikgadi Pans National Park by Terry Carew
In the salt pans it is mostly desert and attracts a different type of animal though not in great numbers or variety. More valuable as an eco experience, though the zebra migration is worth seeing. Nice to spend a few nights hare and then move on.
It is always a pleasure to visit the Chobe national park.
The wildlife in Chobe is diverse and abundant. The park is sub-divided (my definition) into two main centres. The river edge of the park in the very north of the park is my favourite. The road network offers visitors the option of traveling along the river edge next to the floodplain or in the densely wooded area bordering the floodplain. The river road option offers good sightings of the main attractions to Chobe, namely elephants and buffalos. These are very much in evidence as they drink twice daily. Other notable species are impala, waterbuck, sable, hippo, crocodiles, warthogs, puku, lechwe and others. Lions are usually around as are hyenas and jackals. Birdlife is magnificent. The fish eagles are plentiful as are most of the other raptors. Aquatic birds are best seen by buying a seat on a river craft operated by numerous hotels and agencies in Kasane which is outside the border of the park. Boating is very rewarding for big game spotting as well.
The other centre is to the south and west of Kasane and is referred to as Savuti. The Savuti channel runs through the park and drains into the Mbabe depression. This part of Chobe is very popular with visitors and during peak times of the year can be a bit busy. Very well wooded it is one of the best areas in Africa to see four of the big five. Birding is also of the best. Both centres are connected by a road that can be traversed only by a four wheel drive vehicle. About here to five hours traveling is the norm if conditions are good.
Visitors can access the park by self drive 4X4 vehicles (fully equipped and available for rent in Kasane) and camping is available but can be rough, or by booking with an operator and be driven around the park. Advance booking for self drive is essential as camp sites are limited.
The scenery in the park is pretty much dominated by bush and trees, but along the river edge the sunsets are superb as dust and smoke in the air make for vivid colours.
Peak seasons for visiting the park are April to September. October is very dry and can be windy and November to March is the rainy season.
More information can be obtained from the Botswana tourist board or by "googling" Chobe itself.
Review about Botswana by photoa99
Botswana is a birding paradise, you can visit the bushmen of the kalahari desert, it is an incredibly beautiful country and the wildlife is gorgeous. If you love hippos, Botswana is the place to be.
Review about Botswana by Terry Carew
The game reserves are not developed and there are no tar roads in the parks. The camps are unfenced and lions, baboons, hyenas, ratels and others visit at night. Ablutions are not five star. There are always places you can find to park and chill all on your own. Finding a spot on the river and watching the sun set over the Chobe river while enjoying a beverage cannot be beaten.