Chobe National Park Park

Address: Chobe National Park, North-East District, Botswana

Chobe National Park is a major protected area in northern Botswana, noted for very large concentrations of elephants and diverse riverine and savanna habitats. The park includes distinct ecological zones from the floodplain along the Chobe River to drier inland areas such as the Savuti channel.

Popular visitor activities focus on boat safaris along the riverfront, game drives in the park’s interior and birdwatching; the riverfront holds exceptionally high densities of wildlife, especially in the dry season. The park is divided into sectors with different access routes and lodges, so many visitors use Kasane as their base.

Chobe was designated as a national park in the 1960s and has since been managed for wildlife conservation and tourism, with particular attention to elephant populations. Management aims to balance tourism, community needs and transboundary wildlife movements in the region.

The park sits in the far north of Botswana along the borders with Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe; the town of Kasane lies close to the eastern Chobe River entrance and acts as the usual staging point for safaris.

• Boat safaris: Boat safaris on the Chobe River are among the best ways to see large herds of elephants and congregations of hippos close to the water.
• Kasane gateway: The town of Kasane functions as the main gateway with road and air links; cross-border trips to nearby Victoria Falls and Namibia’s Caprivi are commonly combined with park visits.

What to See#

• Chobe Riverfront: A riverfront area along the Chobe River known for very high densities of elephants and other large mammals, with numerous lodges and boat safari operations based nearby.
• Savuti: A seasonally flooded marsh and channel system in the southwestern park known for its shifting watercourses and predator-prey dynamics; it supports large herbivore populations in drier months.

Chobe National Park is entered from the town of Kasane at the park’s northern boundary. Kasane is the usual gateway: it has an airport with regional flights and road connections to Botswana’s north‑eastern roads. From Kasane lodges, boat trips and the main park gates are typically a short drive (often within 0-20 km) depending on which concession or gate you use; most safaris and river cruises operate from Kasane so transfers are commonly arranged from the town.

• Use Kasane as the main gateway and plan river cruises at sunrise or sunset on the Chobe River - these times concentrate elephants and other game along the riverbanks and avoid the busiest midday boats.
• Visit in the dry season (May-October) when animals concentrate on the river and viewing from boats and riverside hides is most reliable.
• If you want quieter game drives, head to private lodges or lesser‑used sectors of the park rather than the popular Serondela/Kasane strips where day‑trip traffic is highest.