Botswana’s oldest and second largest national park is home to some of the finest year-round game viewing in Africa.  The park is famous for: massive elephant herds along the Chobe River in the Dry Season (May – October); exceptional predator viewing; the wide Chobe River teeming with hippos, crocs and fish; and the game rich Savute Channel and Savute Marsh home to Africa’s second largest zebra migration and the predators that eagerly follow them (November – March).   During the Green Season (December – March) the animals move from the rivers in the north to the lush grasses and full waterholes in the southeast of the park; from April – November the animals migrate back to the rivers of the north as the interior dries out.  The Chobe River supports the largest concentration of elephants in all of Africa; some estimates have their population in Chobe at 120,000 individuals.  These elephants are physically the largest in the world, although their tusks are relatively small; they are migratory, moving over 120 miles from the Chobe River, where they concentrate in the Dry Season, to the pans in the southeast of the park which fill with water in the Green Season.  Self-driving is allowed in the park, but the deep sand, clay, and uncertain nature of the roads makes a four-wheel drive vehicle essential.

Chobe National Park is accessible, affordable, and self-driving is an option; these great strengths are also the parks greatest weaknesses – big lodges, lots of people, no off-road driving, and queues of vehicles at animal sightings.  The big difference between a safari in Chobe National Park and a safari in the private concessions surrounding Chobe is the number of people and vehicles you will encounter.  In the private concessions you will pay a price for privacy, in Chobe you will pay a lower price but share the bush with more people and vehicles.  The entire area is unfenced and game viewing is spectacular throughout the region.

Chobe Highlights

• Dry season elephant viewing
• Africa’s second largest zebra migration
• Boating on the Chobe River
• Exceptional predator viewing
• Over 450 bird species including Pel’s Fishing Owl, African skimmer and African fish eagle
• Fishing for tigerfish and bream on the Chobe River
• Accessible and affordable safari lodges
• Day trips to Victoria Falls
• Self-driving
• The game rich Savute Channel
• Cheetah and African wild dog sightings

There are 2 main safari areas in Chobe National Park:  Serondela and Savute

Serondela (or Chobe Riverfront) is located in the northeast of Chobe National Park where Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia converge; the area is characterized by the wide Chobe River, lush floodplains and dense forests.  The town of Kasane which has an International Airport serves as the northern entrance to the park and is just 50 miles from Victoria Falls; day trips to Victoria Falls are an activity from the safari lodges in Serondela.  Boating on the Chobe River is a special feature of this area.

Because of Serondela’s close proximity to Kasane, and the fact that large safari lodges have been built, this is the most visited area in the park, and for that matter, all of Botswana.  Some of the lodges are set beautifully on the banks of the Chobe River; here the river is very wide and surrounded by lush plains and dense forests.  Sand roads follow the course of the river and its floodplains and wind through the woodlands, allowing for diverse game viewing.

Serondela Pros: exceptional dry season elephant viewing; the Chobe River; affordable and nice accommodation; convenient location just minutes from Kasane International Airport; boat cruises on the Chobe River; fishing; self-drive option; day trips to Victoria Falls; cultural activities

Serondela Cons: lots of people; lots of vehicles; big safari lodges; no off-roading on game drives; no night drives; no walking safaris

Serondela Game Viewing – Huge elephant herds along the river during the dry season (May-October); excellent predator viewing including:  lion, Hyena, leopard, African wild dog and cheetah; lots of hippos, crocs, zebra and giraffe; massive buffalo herds; antelope species including: lechwe, impala, bushbuck, puku, kudu, tsessebe, roan, sable and eland.  It is best to avoid the Chobe Riverfront during January and February as the majority of elephants and other wildlife will have moved south to other available water sources

Serondela Activities –Game drives morning and afternoon with expert game rangers; bird watching; game viewing from a river boat; sunset cruises on the Chobe River; cultural theme evenings; day trips to Victoria Falls; day trips for river rafting on the Zambezi River; fishing; visit four countries in one day (Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia)

Serondela Lodges

• Mowana Safari Lodge – 111 rooms
• Chobe Marina Lodge – 66 rooms, 10 minutes outside the park
• Chobe Safari Lodge – 76 rooms, in Kasane on the Chobe River, on the park border
• Chobe Game Lodge – 47 rooms, inside Chobe National Park, 2 hours from Victoria Falls
• Muchenje Safari Lodge – 11 rooms, located on the western side of Serondela and the only lodge in the area, 40 minute drive from Kasane, less crowded than lodges closer to Kasane
• Chobe Chilwero – 15 rooms, just outside the park, 10 minutes from Kasane and 1.5 hours from Victoria Falls
• Chobe Garden lodge – 8 rooms

Savute is home to the Savute Channel, Savute Marsh, rich grasslands, savannah woodlands, and the Gubatsa Hills full of Bushman rock paintings.  (Savute is spelled with an “e” inside the national park, and with an “i” Savuti, outside the national park – this is not always the case but you will definitely see it spelled both ways when reading about the area)

Located in the southwest of Chobe National Park, Savute is a productive year-round wildlife area.  Huge concentrations of game pass through Savute on annual migrations from the rivers and marshes in the north and west (Linyanti) to the lush grasslands and pans in the southeast of the park after the summer rains.  A highlight of Savute is in the early summer months; after the first rains in November or December thousands of zebra, impala, buffalo and wildebeest come to the area to enjoy the lush new grasses of the Savute Marsh.  This is Africa’s second largest zebra migration (the Great Migration in Tanzania and Kenya is the biggest), and all these animals are followed closely by large lion prides and other predators. Cheetah and African wild dog sightings are excellent on the grassy plains of the Savute Channel.  Because Savute is less accessible than Serondela and the safari camps in the area are smaller, the crowds are much less than Serondela, but because the area is still within the national park, restrictions still apply:  no off-road driving, night drives, or walking safaris.   The Savute area is home to vast grassy plains teeming with animals, dry desert like landscapes in the Dry Season, elephants gathering at waterholes, large lion prides, the Savute Channel (normally a ribbon of grassland but now is flowing with water for the first time since 1982), the Savute Marsh, and the Gubatsa Hills home to numerous Bushman rock paintings.

Access to the Savute camps is by chartered aircraft from Kasane or Maun, or, a 5-7 hour 4×4 drive from Kasane.

Savute Game Viewing – November - March the area explodes with life as enormous herds of zebra, buffalo and antelopes come to the area after the season’s first rains to enjoy the new lush grasses, these animals are followed by a huge predator population especially lion and hyena, other predators include leopard, cheetah, African wild dog and black-backed jackal; numerous antelope species including:  kudu, wildebeest, impala, tsessebe, waterbuck, roan, sable and eland;  giraffe and warthog are abundant.  Lion, leopard, hyena and huge bull elephants are year-round residents.  The camps have man-made waterholes and when the Savute Channel is not flowing elephants are constant visitors in the Dry Season, providing amazing viewing right from camp.

Birding is good year-round but exceptional during the Green Season.  Bird species include: secretary bird, kori bustard, Abdim’s stork, carmine bee eater, Pel’s Fishing Owl, and African fish eagle.

Savute Activities – game drives morning and afternoon; visit the Bushman rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills; see Africa’s second largest zebra migration; birding; waterhole game viewing from camp

Savute Lodges and Camps

• Savute Safari Lodge – 12 rooms
• Savute Elephant Camp – 12 rooms
• Camping facilities

Chobe National Park Safari Seasons

Dry Season (May – October)

Peak safari season sees warm sunny days and cool to cold nights.  Game viewing is at its best as the bush is dried-out and huge concentrations of animals gather along the Chobe River and other available water sources.  Game is at its most dense and visibility is excellent.  The heat and humidity begin to build in September with October being the hottest month just before the rains; game viewing is excellent along the Chobe River at this time.  Massive elephant herds are seen and lion viewing is epic around water sources.  Peak safari lodge rates apply and this is when the park is at its most crowded.

Green Season (November – April)

The peak rain months are January and February; rain usually falls in heavy afternoon downpours with visually stunning thunderstorms.  Some areas of the park become inaccessible especially for self-drivers.  Temperatures are hot and humid and this is mosquito time, malaria prophylactics are highly recommended during the Green Season.  After the first summer rains during late November or December thousands of zebras migrate from the Linyanti in the north and move south through Savute to the lush grasslands, they are followed by huge predator populations, especially lion and hyena.  The landscape is lush and beautiful with wildflowers in bloom, antelopes are giving birth and the birding is exceptional.  Low season lodge rates apply.  November and December are very hot and humid.  It is best to avoid the Chobe Riverfront during January and February as the majority of elephants and other wildlife will have moved south to other available water sources.