Chobe Safari Travel Advice

For general information on travelling to Botswana, visit our Botswana travel advice page.

Top Travel Tips for the Chobe National Park

Know where to go: Chobe is informally divided into two main regions: the Chobe River area in the north and the drier Savuti area in the south-central part of the park.

The Chobe River area is best visited from May to October; Savuti at any time, including the summer rainy season. Excellent accommodation is available in both areas though Chobe Game Lodge is the only riverfront accommodation within the park; all Savuti accommodation is located within the park boundaries.

Take a cruise: one of the best ways to see elephant herds at the Chobe River is on an afternoon guided boat cruise during the dry season. A small motorboat offers manoeuvrability but a bigger ‘sunset cruise’ boat offers more comfort and better views.

Bring your binoculars: the Chobe River is a legendary bird watching hotspot with around 500 recorded species – keen birders should visit in the summer months.

Don’t miss out on Savuti: the recently re-flowing Savuti Channel has turned much of the area into prime game viewing country with abundant predators. Moreover, large numbers of migrating zebra pass through Savute in late November/December and again in February/March, making for spectacular game viewing.

Flights & Getting Around

Did you know you can book your flights through Go2Africa? For more information and frequently asked questions, please see our Flights section.

Kasane Airport: overlooking the Chobe River, the gateway to the Chobe National Park is served by flights from Maun, Johannesburg and Gaborone. You’ll transfer by road to your safari accommodation, and since Victoria Falls is only 70km away over the Zimbabwean border, road transfers to the world wonder can easily be arranged.

Game drives in the Chobe National Park are conducted in open-sided 4X4s; guests staying in the Chobe River region will have the opportunity to go game viewing by motorboat, pontoon or even a double-decker boat, perfect for sunset cruises.

The Savuti region of central Chobe is accessed by charter flights from Kasane, Maun and the Okavango Delta or by road as part of your mobile camping safari itinerary.