Chobe National Park

The mighty elephant as she leads her herd to water, the gentle swish of her trunk as she steps through rolling grasslands. The crack of wood as a playful youngster scratches up against an old Baobab tree. Graceful in each movement, the matriarch forges ahead, delivering her herd to the fresh cool waters of the Chobe River.

Single file the elephants step out from behind their leader; once again she has guided them to the water source that will see them through another dry season. Joined in their frolics by the ever-present zebra with their iconic stripes and unique braying bark, the giraffes with their long necks dipped impossibly low as they reach forward to drink. They are all blissful, but not unaware, as a lion or even an exquisitely dappled leopard might be lurking patiently nearby.

Tell me more

Located in Northern Botswana along the Chobe River, Chobe National Park is Botswana’s first National Park and is home to one of Africa’s highest game concentrations. Originally inhabited by Bushmen, Chobe has also been home to the Hambukushu, Bayei and Basubiya people.

 The Chobe Riverfront area has the most concentrated presence of wildlife and is the easiest to access, just an hour-long drive from Victoria Falls you will not be disappointed by this unique ecosystem. The more remote Linyanti Marshlands are home to a wide array of wildlife including large herds of elephant which can be viewed from canoe on the various lagoons and smaller waterways.

For an entirely different experience you can visit the Savuti region with its mysterious and changeable channel, which sees the region change from desperately dry to a green paradise, these changes have also influenced the animals to adapt and adopt some truly unique behaviours.

When should I go?

Famed for its vast elephant and buffalo herds Chobe National Park is characterised by four seasons which offer distinctly different experiences.

From December to March the park becomes a birder’s paradise; with sunshine filled mornings followed by afternoon rain showers you are likely to come across many of the 460 plus bird species that inhabit the park.

April to May offers up beautiful blue skies and lush green vegetation, with cooler evenings you are likely to see more game than tourists along the river banks.

In June, July and August you will experience game viewing at its finest. As water levels drop throughout the park herds of animals converge on the Chobe River banks, where they can be viewed from land or the river itself by boat.

Characterised by high temperatures and dry conditions, September and October offer up the perfect conditions for big game viewing.

The most unpredictable month for weather is November, as this is the turning point in Chobe before the rainy season really begins; the river banks are flocked with both local and migratory birds.