Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is not only the second largest national park in Botswana but also boasts as one of the greatest concentrations of game in Africa. The Park is divided into four sections, the Serondela area, the Savuti Marsh area, the Nogatsaa and Tchinga, and the Linyanti Marsh.

Chobe National Park, Located on Chobe River in the Northern region of Botswana and bordering Moremi Game Reserve in the south, has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent. By size, it covers 10,566 sq km making it the third largest park of the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Gemsbok National Park. However of the three parks, it is the most diverse.

Chobe National Park Elephants

Chobe was Botswana’s first national park and is impressively famous for its immense numbers of elephants. The Park has arguably the largest Elephant population in the world and is home to great numbers of other game species. The wide Chobe River is the lifeblood of the area and feeds adjacent floodplains much loved by Elephants. The Park covers a variety of the country’s riverine forest including floodplains and the mopane and miombo woodland.

Chobe  Eco-systems & the wildlife: Chobe is divided into four clearly diverse Eco-systems;

• Serondela area with its lush plains and situated in the extreme Northeast of the park. The area is covered with extensive savannah and rolling grasslands, which makes wildlife particularly dynamic in this section of the park. The famous bee-eater is also spotted here, along the river. Serondela is also reputed for its annual migration of zebras and predators. This is probably the most visited park section, partly due to its proximity to the Victoria Falls.
• The Linyanti Swamps located at the North-west corner of the park and to the North of Savuti, is adjacent to Linyanti River. To the west of this area lies Selinda Reserve and on the Northern bank of Kwando River is Namibia‘s Mamili National Park. Close to these 2 rivers are riverine woodlands, open woodlands plus lagoons, while the rest of the region mainly has flood plains. Prominent are high concentrations of leopards, lions, wild dogs, Roan antelopes, Sable antelopes and hippopotamuses.
• Hot dry hinterland; Birdlife is very rich here.
• The Savuti Marsh in the west about 50 km north of Mababe gate. The rare red lechwe, sitatunga or crocodile also occur in the area.  Adventurous travelers who desire to experience a large scale migration of animals you must visit the Savuti Marsh. It is renowned for its annual trek of zebras and predators.  Sometimes you will have them uncomfortably close, as both they and marauding hyenas do wander through the campsite

Elephants crossing River Chobe

When to Visit

Chobe National Park said to be a natural world lover’s haven particularly between May and late September (the dry spell), has immense herds of Buffalo, Eland, Giraffe, Impala, Lechwe, Oribi, Roan, Tsessebe, Waterbuck, Wildebeest and Zebra that can be observed more easily. In other words the animals are superbly visible especially when the foliage has reduced. Such a multiplicity of habitats attracts a variety of natural world.

Chobe Safaris

Game drives in the Chobe National Park offers excellent game viewing opportunities. Cruise down the Chobe River in a luxury safari boat. In the dry season, Elephants congregate by the river in enormous numbers with the river side area offering magnificent bird viewing. Predators like Leopards and lions are common figures in Chobe National Park; similarly there are several Hippos and Crocodiles in Chobe River. Wild pig, baboons and monkeys also make Chobe National Park their habitat.

Chobe Bird

Birding is amazing especially when the migrant birds come between late November to late March. It is such uniqueness in abundance of wildlife that makes Chobe a true African safari nature deservedly to experience in anyone’s life span.

Caution!!!

There are no fuel supplies available within the Chobe and therefore tourists traveling between Kasane and Maun should be prepared with fuel to take them through the whole journey. Carry your own boiled drinking water or chemically treated. Mosquitoes are prevalent throughout the park and visitors are strongly advised to take an anti-malarial treatment before, during and for four weeks from visiting the park, especially during the rainy season.

Chobe National Park’s basic attraction is its elephant concentration. You have not experience the true  African elephant on a Chobe safari.

3 Responses to “Chobe National Park”

1. African Safari | Go on safari in Africa, Wildlife & Sightseeing Tours Africa says:

   August 20, 2010 at 5:20 pm

   [...] equally (or even more) satisfying safari experience in other less known wildlife destinations like Chobe National Park in Botswana, South Luangwa national park in Zambia, and Loango national park in [...]
2. Botswana Wildlife | Botswana Animals, Birdlife Botswana, Animals Botswana Africa says:

   August 28, 2010 at 11:56 pm

   [...] Elephant; Botswana boasts Africa’s largest population of elephants – well above 100,000 in number, mostly concentrated in the country’s north. Perfect viewing is along the Savuti Channel, Linyanti and along the riverfront in Chobe National Park. [...]
3. Why Touring Botswana Should Be A Rite Of Passage For The Most Adventurous Travelers says:

   September 1, 2010 at 6:51 am

   [...] for a shrewd Botswana adventurous visitor. The Okavango Delta tours, Moremi Game Reserve tours, Chobe National Park tours, Xakanaxa Lagoon tours, the Kalahari Desert tours – perfect for some real safari sightseeing [...]