3 Great Reasons to do a Chobe Safari in Botswana

Boasting one of the greatest concentrations of animals across the continent (most of which can be seen year-round) and the world’s largest population of African elephants, here are our top three reasons you need to visit this incredible place…

1. Extraordinary Chobe Safari Elephants

Chobe Safaris are world-renowned for their elephant sightings. So if it’s the giants of the savannah you want to see on safari, it’s Chobe National Park you should head for!

With what is said to be the world’s highest concentration of these majestic creatures across Africa, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll have some awe-inspiring elephant sightings on your Chobe Safari, possibly in large numbers.

But it’s not only elephants that live here…

Huge herds of hippos can also be seen bathing and grazing along the river banks, while large herds of buffalo, zebra, and antelope are an equally common sight on Chobe Safaris.

Lions are also never far away either, prowling the park in large prides and lazing around in the heat of the day, and even the lesser-seen cheetah and leopard live in Chobe National Park too, and can often be spotted by lucky visitors.

2. Amazing Chobe River Safaris

One of the things that makes this Botswanian national park so special is the beautiful Chobe River, which separates this country from neighbouring Namibia and flows right through the reserve.

The river acts as a huge draw for wildlife, especially in the dry season, with elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and antelope all coming to the water to drink. Chobe safari cruises offer you a unique opportunity to see these beautiful animals at a fantastically close distance, often allowing you to get much closer than you can on traditional game drives.

Many river safaris take place at sundown, so you can enjoy one of Botswana's spectacular sunsets, while you glide along the water too.

The water acts also as a draw for an abundance of birdlife, meaning Chobe National Park is a birder’s paradise as well! Astonishingly, there are more than 450 species of birds found in the park, including herons, egrets, pelicans, cranes, storks, bee-eaters, giant kingfishers, African fish eagles, and African snakebirds. These birds are easy to spot from the boat, making a river safari in Chobe a top choice for twitchers. Make sure to pack your binoculars!

Chobe River provides some of the best boat-based game viewing on the planet and a front-row seat to wildlife, but river cruises aren’t the only activity at Chobe National Park - you can also enjoy more traditional game drives, allowing you some fantastic big cat-spotting opportunities as well.

3. Easy to Combine Chobe with the Okavango Delta

Another good reason to take a Chobe Safari in Botswana is that this epic reserve can easily be combined with a trip to Botswana’s other main attraction - namely the stunning Okavango Delta.

The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s only inland deltas, making it a truly unique ecological example of what happens when a river meets a desert.

The answer is a breathtaking array of geographical features and important ecological habitats, including flood plains, reed-lined waterways, oxbow lakes, flooded woodlands palm-fringed islands, and serene lagoons.

This World Heritage-listed site is a natural oasis surrounded by desert, in the heart of Southern Africa. Completely sustained by seasonal rains, it provides a sustainable habitat for a huge range of plant and animal life.

Huge numbers of iconic wildlife are drawn to these life-giving waters, making for some of the very best game viewing in the world, especially in the dry season (April through October), when other water sources dry up and animals are drawn here in huge numbers.

While you’re at the Delta, you can also enjoy some of the world's most unique safari experiences including a canoe ride in a mokoro. These traditional local boats will allow you to reach deep into the inner Delta, giving you the opportunity to spot a wide range of wildlife at a peacefully slow pace. This intimate safari experience can also be combined with walking safaris and sleeping under the stars on one of the Delta's islands… do not miss it!

Even the journey between the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park is an experience in itself!

The Delta-Chobe Corridor (NG41) is a wildlife corridor, with many animals using this path for their seasonal migrations. This means that even the drive between these two heavyweight safari spots is full of beautiful wildlife-spotting opportunities!

With the mighty Victoria Falls only a short drive too (it’s just 100 km from Chobe National Park), it’s even possible to add on a visit to this iconic natural wonder after your Chobe Safari and Okavango Delta trip!

We offer a number of affordable safari packages which conveniently allow you to see these three spectacular sites in one easy trip of a lifetime. Check out our most popular Chobe Safari options here.

Why do a Chobe Safari in Botswana? 

These are just 3 reasons to do a Chobe Safari, but we could have included many more! After all, if it’s wonderful wildlife and incredible habitats you want to experience, Chobe is an epic choice for your next safari adventure.

We have a wide selection of Botswana safari tours, suited to all budgets, that include a trip to Chobe National Park. And, if you want to stop off at Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta too, this can easily be arranged!

Speak to one of our knowledgeable African travel experts to find out more.

Check out our affordable Chobe Safaris in Botswana, and beyond.

Stephanie Parker Author

Stephanie Parker is a travel addict and creator of the budget travel blog Big World Small Pockets. Never one for staying still, she's always had to travel cheap to maintain her nomadic lifestyle … even into her 30’s! Originally from the UK, Stephanie likes nothing more than adventuring around Africa on a shoestring, collecting stories she loves to share with a smile.