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EmilyW
Well managed but limited game in March
I enjoyed my drive through the park with our hired guide. We saw many impala, hippos, elephants, baboons, etc. I am not a "birder" so I cannot intelligently comment on the birding, but I did see and enjoy many interesting and unusual birds like the lilac-breasted roller. Unfortunately the lions, zebras and giraffes were difficult to find and it was pretty quiet overall. I understand that this was mainly due to the time of year. I personally enjoyed a boat cruise on the Chobe River that went by the park, more than the game drive, due to the beautiful scenery. I was grateful there didn't seem to be self-drive tourists and everyone on the road was very respectful.
A great safari experience
This was our first safari experience and will not be our last. We loved Chobe and were surprised at how close we got to so many animals. We stayed at Salute Elephant Camp with Belmond and had a great experience. The accommodation was good, we enjoyed the game drives and the experience was made even better by our guide. May was a good time to go as it was approaching 'winter', so only 30º which was just right for me.
Dust()
FI
Visited:
May 2013
Reviewed: Jun 2, 2016
Email Dust() | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Day Trip to Chobe National Park
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one of the lodges were we had an opportunity to fresh up and rest. Afternoon was spent on a game drive and then we had only a group of 5 in the same car. We basically drove the marked roads in the area and again the guide was excellent. We were able to spot a lot of animals and in this area, animals are quite used to vehicles so they are not running away as soon as you spot them. If you get overwhelmed about the scenery on the river, the view from here to the river is even more spectacular with the number of elephants, hippos, giraffes and other animals you could see in the wide area. The highlight of the visit was when we spotted lions - our guide was able to drive very close and that was one of the best experiences on our three week's trip.When visiting Chobe like this, keep in mind that it is a public park with many other visitors in the same area and there are self-driving tourists, as well. Definitely you find more bush vibe from private parks but for the day trip this was value for the money.
An experience of a lifetime
Doing a safari in Botswana was on my "bucket list" and it did not disappoint. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. We rented a safari truck and did a private safari trip, cooked our own food (had fridge in the truck) and there were many beautiful and secluded campsites at the Park. They were certainly in the wild but we felt very safe in the campsites. They were very professionally run w great staff. Highlights are the beautiful weather, endless numbers of animals, and just taking in the moment.
Elephants galore!
We had a morning river safari with 2 incredible guides, and saw a huge variety of wildlife, including hundreds of birds, several types of antelope, crocodiles, hippos and a staggering number of elephants. Chobe has one of the biggest populations of elephants in Africa, and as our guide said, once you've seen one group of elephants there are sure to be many more nearby. We certainly were not disappointed!
After lunch we had a 3 hour game drive, again with a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. We were able to get much closer to the elephants and other animals, and even saw 3 lions (2 female and one male) stalking a puku near the river. Our guide also pointed out insects and plants of interest, and went
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out of his way to try and ensure that everyone was happy with their safari experience.We would definitely return to Chobe on safari and would recommend it to others. It represents an amazing and authentic safari experience and fantastic value compared to some of the other more popular parks in southern Africa. We would also recommend booking through Wild Horizons as they offered a great all inclusive package with transfers and a brilliant buffet lunch, the staff were helpful and all were respectful of the environment and stressed the importance of conservation measures to protect this incredible place.
Kathryn
US
Visited:
March 2016
Reviewed: Apr 2, 2016
Email Kathryn | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A gorgeous park with amazing elephant and hippo viewing, as well as good birding opportunities.
Chobe is also the only place I've seem hippos out and about in large numbers during the day. This is apparently because they need to spend more time eating because of the fierce competition for resources from the large elephant population.
The scenery was gorgeous, especially from the river. I appreciated the number and variety of birds that could be viewed on the river even in midday.
We were there only for a day trip. The weather was hot but not oppressive, and the boat and jeep both had
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shades to protect from the sun. A rainshower came while we were having lunch but left as quickly as it came and did not interfere our game drives/boating.We had previously stayed on private reserves in South Africa and our guides in Chobe, while knowledgeable, did not seem to have the same depth/variety of knowledge. For example, our group had a lot of interest in plant life, and our guides did not know much beyond the major grasses and trees. Perhaps they knew them in the local language, but not in English or Latin. Since this was just a day trip for us, though, we didn't have a lot of time to study plants so it wasn't a major drawback.
Our lunch was good and there appeared to be a variety of accommodations in town for varying budgets. The roads to and from the park were wonderful. I was pleasantly surprised by the way drivers observed the speed limit.
The town near Chobe is well built-out, so you don't feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. However, there were some lodges located within the park or on the river, and these had more of a remote feel.
On the drive/boat ride we encountered other vehicles, but there were no "traffic jams." All vehicles/boats I saw had guides, and there were never more than three vehicles (but usually one) at a single viewing spot. Drivers were careful not to block each others' sight lines.
Jennyfer
FR
Visited:
December 2015
Reviewed: Jan 6, 2016
Email Jennyfer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great place for wildlife lovers
Chobe National Park is an amazing place for wildlife and safari lovers.
The parc is really beautiful and the guides very competent. I did an early morning drive and saw lions, baboons, elephants, giraffes...
I also did the cruise on Chobe river and it will remain as one of the highlights of my stay in Botswana. Everyone is very quiet and respectful of the animals, you can observe crocodiles, hippos, herds of elephants and a large variety of birds.
I definitely recommend this place!
Siri
NO
Visited:
April 2015
Reviewed: Jan 5, 2016
Email Siri | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exciting and inspiring!
I think it was great. All of it. From the beginning of the drive till sleeping in the tents.
Laurie Mulrine
GB
Visited:
November 2015
Reviewed: Dec 21, 2015
Email Laurie Mulrine | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Chobe gives the opportunity to experience the bush in a river setting and a rich mix of species.
We completed the whole trip in a two wheeled drive VW Polo, which was perfectly adequate for the majority of the trip and was very frugal on petrol. However, this means that access to Chobe National Park in your own vehicle is not possible, due to the sandy nature of the roads in the Park and the need for good ground clearance. Instead it was necessary to use game drives, which whilst costly, has the advantage of a driver / guide, which gives you a greater opportunity for viewing and photography.
Elephants abound in Chobe and it is nice to see them visit the river in groups for bathing and drinking. Buffalo
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are also common.It is particularly important to visit the Park on a boat trip from Kasane. Not only does this give a different viewing dimension but it provides the opportunity to have close encounters with Buffalo , Hippo and Crocs. The rare Puku and Red Lechwe antelope species were easier to see from the boat. The bird species seen along the river are also impressive. Fish eagle, open billed stork and giant kingfisher, being highlights.
Kasane offers a range of accommodation from safari type lodges to bed and breakfast accommodation to suit all tastes. It also has an excellent range of shops, banks, petrol stations and eating establishments. As independent travellers we found it is easy to organise the game drives and boat trips. As a bonus, it is also a good location to visit Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
So many elephants! Great guides and it didn't feel too 'touristy' or developed.