Introduction

Covering a massive 11 700 square km of dusty plains, woodland, savanna and forested floodplain, Chobe is one of the great jewels in Botswana's wildlife crown. Chobe has some of the finest safari lodges in Africa, offering superb game-viewing, sumptuous cuisine and excellent service. Savuti Marsh is possibly the best place for Lion sightings, because it has several resident prides and the number of waterholes is very limited.

Game Viewing & Birdwatching

Once again, the main attraction is Elephant, although Buffalo also drink during daylight hours. In the open grassland to the west of the pans occur the rare Oribi and occasional Reedbuck.

The Chobe river is known for its magnificent bird viewing. There are over 400 different species in the Chobe National Park including Eagles, Kingfishers, Marabou storks and bee-eaters. Carmine bee-eaters build colonies in the sand banks of the flood, plains where they nest in their thousands.

Wildlife of Chobe

The three principle wildlife areas of Chobe are the river front, stretching from Kasane through Serondela to Ngoma Bridge, the headwaters of the Ngwezumba river with its mixture of woodlands, pan and grassland centered on Noghatsau and Tjinga Pans and, finally, Savute and Mabane.Chobe National Park, second largest park in Botswana, was named after the Chobe River on its northern boundary; home to an exciting variety of large mammals and over 450 bird species. Chobe is renowned for having the highest concentration of Elephants in Africa with truly impressive herds gathering during both the wet and dry season.World-renowned, the wildlife in Chobe National Park roams in profusion and diversity. The Chobe Elephant population, estimated in excess of 35 000, is the largest single concentration in Africa. During the harsh, dry season, the herds migrate from south to north and congregate along the perennial Chobe River and fertile floodplains. Take in the spectacular sights, in the ambience of red winter sunsets, elephants and buffalo in their thousands.

History

The original inhabitants, of what is now the park, were the San people, otherwise known in Botswana as the Basarwa. They were hunter-gatherers who lived by moving from one area to another in search of water, wild fruits and wild animals. The San were later joined by groups of the Basubiya people and later still, around 1911, by a group of Batawana led by Sekgoma.

Activities

Fishing
An activity associated with the Kasane area and of interest to visitors in particular, is fishing. Those in the know speak of a remarkable fishing paradise along the Chobe and Zambezi rivers. There are more than 91 species of fish in local waters. There is a circular route running through the pans, which can be visited at any time of the day.

Linyanti

In the furthest corner of Chobe National Park lies the forgotten paradise of Linyanti. Secluded and uncrowned, this short strip of swampy river frontage is reminiscent of the Okavango's permanent waterways with papyrus-lined lagoons, reed-beds and a towering canopy of trees.All drinking water should be boiled or chemically treated. Mosquitoes are prevalent throughout the park and visitors are strongly advised to take an anti-malarial prophylactic before, during and for four weeks from visiting the park, especially during the rainy season when malaria is prevalent.Linyanti Swamp is set to become one of Africa's prime safari destinations. Massive lagoons and rivers, fringe heavily wooded areas, blending into dry countryside further away from the water - making it a microcosm of the entire Okavango and Kalahari wildlife complex.

Accommodation

There are excellent hotels and lodges in Kasane and Kazangula that are within the reach of all pockets and provide for their clients to international standards. The newly completed international airport facilitates access to the whole region. An advantage of Kasane's central situation is the fact that Zimbabwe's magnificent Victoria Falls are within an hour's drive across the border. If you would like to stay inside Chobe National Park, then a Chobe Game Lodge safari is the perfect place for you.

Location

Chobe, Botswana, Africa

When to Visit Chobe

Game viewing is at its best during the dry season, when most of the natural pans have dried up, forcing animals to concentrate alongside rivers and swamps. Here, during the cool morning or late afternoon game drives, the traveller is rewarded with a feast of game making their way to the marshes and rivers - great herds of Buffalo, Mountain Zebra, Giraffe, an array of Antelope and Wildebeest (gnu), and the magnificent predators which hunt these herbivores.

The Chobe Elephant

A major feature of Chobe National Park is its Elephant population. First of all, the Chobe Elephant comprise part of what is probably the largest surviving continuous Elephant population. This population covers most of northern Botswana plus northwestern Zimbabwe and is currently estimated at around 100 000.

Chobe Tours and Package Holidays