Chobe National Park

In the far north of Botswana, where the Chobe River forms a natural border with Namibia, lies Chobe National Park, home to the largest concentration of elephants left on the planet. Botswana’s first proclaimed national park, Chobe protects roughly 11,700 square kilometres of riverfront floodplain, dense woodland, and semi-arid interior, and hosts an estimated 120,000 elephants — a sight that genuinely has to be seen to be believed, with herds of several hundred gathering along the riverbank at once during the dry season.

At Africa Moja Tours, Chobe sits at the heart of our Botswana Tours collection — you can browse our full Botswana destination guide for more on the Okavango Delta and Moremi alongside Chobe — and in this guide we cover everything you need to plan your visit — the park’s geography and regions, its record-breaking elephant population, the entrance gates and opening times you’ll need to work around, where to stay inside and around the park, how to get there, and how to combine Chobe with Victoria Falls and the wider Okavango Delta.

Chobe rewards travellers in two distinct ways: dramatic land-based game drives through its riverfront and Savuti regions, and equally spectacular boat safaris along the Chobe River itself, where elephants swim between islands and hippos, crocodiles, and a huge diversity of birdlife crowd the water’s edge — a genuinely different perspective on African wildlife that few other parks can offer in one trip.

Where Is Chobe National Park?

Chobe National Park lies in northern Botswana, bordering Namibia’s Caprivi Strip to the north and sitting close to the meeting point of four countries — Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — near the town of Kasane. The park spans four distinct ecosystems across its roughly 11,700 square kilometres: the Chobe Riverfront in the northeast, the Savuti Marsh in the southwest, the Linyanti Marshes in the northwest, and a vast, dry interior known as the Nogatsaa and Tchinga area.

Gazetted in 1967, Chobe was Botswana’s first national park and remains one of the country’s most visited, thanks largely to its relatively easy access from Victoria Falls, which lies just over an hour away by road across the Zambian or Zimbabwean border.

Chobe’s Record-Breaking Elephant Population

Chobe is home to the largest concentration of African elephants anywhere on the continent, part of the broader Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area’s population of roughly 200,000 elephants that move freely between Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. During the dry season, from around May to October, elephants converge on the Chobe River in enormous numbers as surrounding waterholes dry up, creating some of the most reliable and spectacular elephant viewing anywhere in Africa.

Watching a herd of several hundred elephants — matriarchs, calves, and bulls — move down to the riverbank to drink and bathe, often crossing between the mainland and Chobe’s many small islands, is an experience that draws photographers and wildlife enthusiasts from around the world. Late afternoon is typically the most productive time, as the heat of the day eases and herds move toward the water in growing numbers.

Other Wildlife of Chobe National Park

Beyond its famous elephants, Chobe supports healthy populations of lion, leopard, buffalo, and spotted hyena, along with substantial herds of Cape buffalo that can number in the thousands along the riverfront. The park is also one of the best places in Southern Africa to see the puku, a rare antelope found in Botswana almost exclusively within Chobe’s floodplains.

The Chobe River itself teems with hippo and Nile crocodile, while the surrounding floodplains and marshes support prolific birdlife, with over 450 species recorded across the park, including African fish eagles, carmine bee-eaters, and vast flocks of waterfowl during the wetter months. The Savuti region, further south, is renowned for its dramatic predator interactions and unpredictable water channels that have shaped the area’s ecology for decades.

Savuti’s lion prides have featured in numerous wildlife documentaries thanks to their unusual, well-documented habit of hunting elephant calves during drought years — a behaviour rarely filmed elsewhere in Africa and a reflection of just how much pressure this concentrated wildlife population places on the landscape’s resources. The Savuti Channel itself has a strange history, drying up for decades at a time before mysteriously flowing again, most recently reactivating in 2008 after 30 years of dormancy, and its unpredictable water levels continue to reshape the vegetation and wildlife patterns of the surrounding marsh.

Chobe and the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park

Chobe forms a central piece of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, known as KAZA — the largest terrestrial transfrontier conservation area in the world, spanning parts of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Angola. This vast, cross-border network of parks and wildlife corridors allows elephants and other large mammals to move relatively freely across international boundaries, which is a significant part of why Chobe’s elephant numbers are so extraordinary — the park functions as a core refuge within a much larger regional ecosystem rather than an isolated reserve.

This transfrontier status also explains Chobe’s convenient location near the meeting point of four countries: a single trip can combine Botswana’s elephant herds with Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls, Zambia’s Livingstone side of the falls, and Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, all within a few hours’ drive or a short flight of one another.

Chobe’s Four Regions

• Chobe Riverfront: The most visited section, closest to Kasane, famous for its elephant herds, buffalo, and boat-based game viewing along the Chobe River — ideal for shorter visits and day trips.

• Savuti: A remote, predator-rich region in the park’s southwest, known for dramatic lion and hyena interactions and the unpredictable Savuti Channel, which has historically flowed and dried up in multi-decade cycles.

• Linyanti Marshes: A remote, exclusive wetland area in the northwest bordering private concessions, offering excellent game viewing with far fewer vehicles than the Riverfront.

• Nogatsaa and the Interior: A little-visited, dry interior region with seasonal pans that attract wildlife away from the crowds, popular with self-drive travellers seeking real wilderness.

Chobe Entrance Gates and Opening Times

Chobe National Park has four operational entry gates, each suited to a different region and approach route. Gate opening and closing times shift seasonally, tied to sunrise and sunset in this part of Southern Africa.

• Sedudu Gate (Northeast): The main gate, just five kilometres from Kasane, handling the vast majority of Riverfront day trips and multi-day safaris.

• Ngoma Gate (West): Sits at the western end of the Riverfront near the Namibian border crossing at Ngoma Bridge, convenient for travellers arriving from the Caprivi Strip.

• Mababe Gate (South): The southern entrance to the Savuti region, accessed via the Mababe Depression from Maun — the classic overland route connecting Chobe with the Moremi Game Reserve and Okavango Delta.

• Ghoha Gate (North of Savuti): A remote gate providing northern access into Savuti via the Linyanti transfer route, mostly used by self-drive and mobile safari operators.

Vehicles must be back at a gate, or safely inside a licensed campsite or lodge, before closing time — staying inside the park after hours outside a permitted camp is treated as a serious offence. Our team builds these seasonal gate times directly into every Chobe itinerary.

Lodges Inside Chobe National Park

Accommodation inside Chobe itself is deliberately limited to protect the park’s ecology, with most visitors staying either at the single permanent lodge within the park boundary or at a wider ring of excellent properties just outside.

• Chobe Game Lodge: The only permanent lodge located inside Chobe National Park itself, set on the banks of the Chobe River in the park’s northeastern corner, offering game drives, boat cruises, and even electric safari vehicles.

• Savuti Camps: Properties such as Ghoha Hills Eco Lodge and Savuti Safari Lodge sit within or bordering the Savuti region, offering hilltop views over waterholes and excellent predator viewing.

• Kasane and Riverfront Lodges: Just outside the park boundary near Sedudu Gate, properties including Chobe Safari Lodge, Chobe River Lodge, and the Chobe Pangolin Hotel offer easy access to the Riverfront along with river cruises departing directly from their own jetties.

• Muchenje Safari Lodge: Perched on an escarpment on the quieter western side of the park near Ngoma Gate, offering a more peaceful base away from the busier Kasane side.

Because campsites and the park’s single in-park lodge fill up quickly during peak season, we recommend booking Chobe accommodation well in advance, particularly for July through October when elephant concentrations along the river are at their most spectacular.

For self-drive travellers, four public campsites operate inside the park itself — Ihaha on the Riverfront, and Savuti, Linyanti, and Nogatsaa further into the interior — each with basic ablution facilities and requiring advance booking through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. Camping inside Chobe is a genuinely wild experience, with elephants, hippos, and occasionally lion passing directly through unfenced campsites after dark, and it remains one of the most authentic ways to experience the park for travellers comfortable with a more rustic setup.

Getting to Chobe National Park

Most international visitors reach Chobe via Kasane, Botswana’s northern safari gateway town, either by flying directly into Kasane Airport or by crossing overland from Victoria Falls, roughly ninety minutes to two hours away depending on border conditions at Kazungula. Self-drive travellers coming from Maun typically enter via Mababe Gate in the south, following the classic overland route through Moremi and Savuti. The Kazungula crossing itself has been transformed in recent years by a new bridge over the Zambezi and Chobe rivers, replacing the old vehicle ferry and significantly speeding up border formalities between Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Airports Near Chobe National Park

• Kasane Airport (BBK): Chobe’s main gateway airport, roughly a thirty-minute drive from Sedudu Gate and most Riverfront lodges, served by regional flights from Johannesburg, Maun, and Victoria Falls.

• Victoria Falls Airport (VFA): Just across the border in Zimbabwe, a popular alternative for travellers combining Chobe with the falls, connected to Kasane and Chobe lodges by a road transfer of around two hours including border formalities.

• Maun Airport (MUB): Botswana’s main domestic safari hub, useful for travellers combining Chobe with the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve via light-aircraft transfers or the overland Savuti route.

Our 5-Day Botswana Safari from Johannesburg flies directly from Johannesburg to Kasane, cutting straight to the game drives and river cruise without a long overland transfer.

Best Time to Visit Chobe National Park

• May to October (Dry Season): The best time for elephant concentrations along the river, as surrounding water sources dry up and herds converge on the Chobe Riverfront. July through September is peak season.

• November to April (Green Season): Lush scenery, newborn animals, and excellent birdlife as migratory species arrive, though wildlife disperses more widely away from the river.

Because Chobe’s boat safaris are rewarding in any season, many travellers find the park worth visiting year-round, timing their trip around the dry season specifically if elephant numbers along the river are the priority. The green season, while less concentrated for elephant sightings, brings dramatic thunderstorms, dense birdlife as migratory species arrive from across the continent, and noticeably lower rates at most lodges — a worthwhile trade-off for travellers prioritising value and scenery over sheer elephant density.

Safari Activities in Chobe National Park

• Chobe River boat safaris: A signature Chobe experience, offering close-up views of elephants swimming and drinking, along with hippo, crocodile, and birdlife, from the unique vantage point of the water.

• Game drives: Morning and afternoon drives through the Riverfront, Savuti, or Linyanti regions in open 4×4 vehicles, led by experienced guides.

• Sunset river cruises: A relaxed evening option combining wildlife viewing with drinks on the water as the sun sets over the Chobe River.

• Fishing excursions: Available on the Chobe River for guests interested in tigerfish and bream, usually arranged through riverfront lodges.

• Kasane town and cultural visits: A guided tour of Kasane, the gateway town on the river’s edge, offers a relaxed introduction to local life alongside markets and craft stalls, often built into the first or last day of a Chobe itinerary.

Many lodges also offer sundowner stops on the riverbank as the light turns golden and elephant herds move down to drink for the evening — a quiet, atmospheric way to end a day’s game viewing before dinner.

Combining Chobe With Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta

Chobe’s proximity to Victoria Falls makes it one of the most natural safari-and-waterfall combinations in Africa. Our 5-Day Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park pairs a sunset Zambezi cruise and guided falls tour with game drives and a Chobe River cruise, while our 3-Day Chobe National Park Safari from Johannesburg offers a faster, more focused introduction to the park for travellers short on time.

For a deeper Botswana journey, our 6-Day Victoria Falls & Okavango Delta Tour from Johannesburg continues from Chobe into the wetlands of the Okavango Delta by light aircraft, combining the Riverfront’s elephant herds with mokoro canoe safaris in one seamless itinerary. Chobe also connects naturally with a wider Southern Africa circuit through our Victoria Falls Tours, Namibia Tours, and South Africa Tours collections, or a classic Kruger National Park Safaris extension. Our broader Kruger Safari Packages & Multi-Destination Tours page shows how easily Chobe fits into a longer multi-country adventure. Larger groups should look at our Group Tours, while our Small Group Tours Africa suit travellers wanting a more intimate pace.

Responsible and Sustainable Tourism in Chobe

Chobe’s remarkable elephant numbers are also a genuine conservation challenge, with ongoing research into the park’s carrying capacity and the pressure such large herds place on riverside vegetation. Park fees and conservation levies fund the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ patrols and habitat monitoring, while strict off-road driving bans and gate time limits help minimise disturbance to wildlife across the park’s four regions.

Choosing operators who respect these rules, employ local Botswana-accredited guides, and support community initiatives around Kasane and the Chobe Enclave villages helps ensure that this extraordinary elephant stronghold remains protected for the long term.

Photography Tips for Chobe National Park

Chobe’s river-based game viewing offers a genuinely different photographic opportunity from a standard game drive — shooting from a low, stable boat gives you eye-level access to elephants wading and swimming that’s almost impossible to capture from a vehicle. Late afternoon light along the river tends to be warm and flattering, and it coincides with peak elephant activity as herds move down to drink.

A mid-range zoom lens works well for river cruises, where wildlife often approaches closer than expected, while a longer telephoto is more useful for game drives across the open Savuti plains. Because boats can rock gently with the current, a fast shutter speed helps keep images sharp, and a rain sleeve or dry bag for your camera is worth packing given the proximity to water on every cruise.

What to Pack for a Chobe Safari

Days along the Chobe Riverfront are warm to hot for most of the year, while early morning game drives and boat cruises can be cool, particularly during the dry winter months of June to August, so layering is essential. Neutral-coloured clothing works well for game viewing, along with a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Binoculars are useful for spotting distant elephant herds and birdlife along the river, and a camera with a reasonable zoom lens will make a real difference on boat safaris, where distances to wildlife can vary quickly. Pack insect repellent, and if joining an early morning or sunset river cruise, a light jacket for the cooler hours on the water.

Why Book Your Chobe Safari with Africa Moja Tours

Africa Moja Tours has spent over a decade designing safaris across Southern and East Africa, and Chobe’s combination of land and water-based game viewing makes it one of our most popular Botswana itineraries. We handle gate timing, lodge selection, and cross-border logistics with Victoria Falls, so your trip flows smoothly from the falls straight into some of Africa’s most spectacular elephant viewing.

You can browse our full range of itineraries on our All Tours page, learn more about our team on the About Us page, or read more destination inspiration on our Travel Blog. For questions before you book, reach our safari specialists via our Contact Us page.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chobe National Park

Below are the questions we hear most often from travellers planning a Chobe trip. For broader safari planning queries, our General FAQ page covers payments, visas, and travel requirements in more detail.

How many elephants are in Chobe National Park? Chobe is home to an estimated 120,000 elephants, part of the wider 200,000-strong population that moves freely across the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area spanning Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Can I visit Chobe as a day trip from Victoria Falls? Yes — a day trip combining a Chobe game drive and river cruise from Victoria Falls is one of the most popular excursions in the region, typically taking a full day including border crossing time.

What is the best time to see elephants in Chobe? The dry season from May to October, and particularly July through September, delivers the most concentrated elephant viewing as herds gather along the river.

Is a boat safari or game drive better in Chobe? Both offer genuinely different perspectives — game drives allow closer approaches to predators and birdlife on land, while boat safaris give unmatched views of elephants swimming and drinking. Most itineraries include both.

Do I need a visa to visit Botswana? Requirements vary by nationality, with many visitors able to obtain a visa on arrival or travel visa-free for short stays — our team can advise on current requirements for your nationality when you book.

Can I combine Chobe with the Okavango Delta? Yes — Chobe connects to the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve via light aircraft from Kasane or an overland route through Savuti, making a combined Chobe-Delta itinerary one of Botswana’s most popular safari circuits.

Is Chobe safe for families with children? Yes — river cruises in particular are a relaxed, low-intensity activity well suited to children, and several lodges near Kasane offer family rooms and shorter game-drive options.

How do I get from Victoria Falls to Chobe? Most travellers cross the Kazungula border between Zimbabwe or Zambia and Botswana, a journey of roughly ninety minutes to two hours by road including border formalities, making a Chobe day trip or overnight extension one of the most popular add-ons to a Victoria Falls visit.

Final Thoughts: Plan Your Chobe National Park Adventure

Few wildlife sights in Africa compare to watching several hundred elephants converge on the Chobe River at sunset, and few parks let you experience that same wildlife from both land and water in a single trip. Whether you’re combining Chobe with a day at Victoria Falls or extending deeper into Botswana’s Okavango Delta, this is a park that delivers on its reputation as one of the continent’s great elephant strongholds.

And if your journey extends further across the region, our team can build in more of Southern Africa too — from a classic Kruger National Park Safaris experience, to the deserts of Namibia Tours, or a coastal and wine-country finale with our Cape Town Tour Packages and the popular Cape to Kruger Experience, combining coastline, wine country, and Big Five game viewing into one seamless trip.

Ready to witness Chobe’s elephant herds for yourself? Get in touch with Africa Moja Tours today and let our safari specialists build your perfect Chobe itinerary.